.

[Kal Rubinson]

@Kal, read your review of the Benchmark preamp. I am MCH too. Are there any other preamps you would consider “tri-preamping with.”?

I cannot think of a suggestion. Partly, it is because I found no fault in the Benchmark itself but only with the kludgy control arrangement that was needed to operate three of them in a coordinated fashion. It is also due to my limited grasp of the stereo preamp market. If they had a volume readout, I'd be interested in trying out a trio of Schiit Freya S preamps.

 

[jjk]

I cannot think of a suggestion. Partly, it is because I found no fault in the Benchmark itself but only with the kludgy control arrangement that was needed to operate three of them in a coordinated fashion. It is also due to my limited grasp of the stereo preamp market. If they had a volume readout, I'd be interested in trying out a trio of Schiit Freya S preamps.

Would you say that sticking with my Emotiva XMC-1 is about the best I can do now?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Would you say that sticking with my Emotiva XMC-1 is about the best I can do now?

If it works for you, sure.

 

[Sal1950]

Would you say that sticking with my Emotiva XMC-1 is about the best I can do now?

Don't let it get stuck in your mind that some new processor or process is going to Open the Gates of Heaven sq wise. Thinking like that will only lead you to blaming your gear for every POS sounding music or video file you play and dissatisfaction with system.
Take some time to play some SOTA sounding sources and revel in the amazing quality you rig is actually capable of. Then realize that a decimal point or two of some measurement, or the paid ramblings of some reviewer (sorry Kal, no offence meant), on gear built in the 21st decade isn't the defining point of it's listening worth..
Near ALL the electronic gear made in the last 30 years is so close to transparent that most everything else is irrelevant.

Amir's work here defines what is possible in an engineering world and provides great value as a map to the path of design perfection.
But design perfections isn't what is needed to enjoy 99.99% of the worlds flawed sources.

 

[Ilkless]

@Kal, read your review of the Benchmark preamp. I am MCH too. Are there any other preamps you would consider “tri-preamping with.”?

https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-100-multichannel-merging-anubis-page-2

Kal reviewed the Merging Anubis for his last Music in the Round Column. If I read correctly it can work as a multichannel DAC+preamp

 

[Kal Rubinson]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-100-multichannel-merging-anubis-page-2

Kal reviewed the Merging Anubis for his last Music in the Round Column. If I read correctly it can work as a multichannel DAC+preamp

Yes and it has filter/processing options that exceed what I was able to cover in the published report.

 

[jjk]

Thanks gentlemen. Appreciate your looking out for me.
I have a little different system. I run MCH with three DACs (3 x Matrix X Sabre Pro; yes I am invested in the equipment that Amir rates highly, SC is allegedly bringing me a Benchmark AHB2 for a holiday surprise) supported by a Pink Faun streamer 2.16 and the Pink Faun I2S bridge.
But I only have one set of AV equipment so this same rack has to support a home theater. Hence bluray and Directv pass by hdmi through an Emotiva XMC-1, along with the above audio which goes through the MCH analog bypass side of the Emotiva.
Clearly there are issues with the Emotiva, according to Amir. Is it audible? I don't know.
So that is why I am searching for the best Pre/Pro solution.
Would really like to connect directly to amps with the dacs but the home theater side of the equation makes that NA.
What about this: the Nobsound Little Bear https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D7P7366/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ADPE7GPX91ORE&psc=1

Thoughts or recommendations? Thanks very much, Happy Holidays to all.