Price Paid:  $400.00 from MYER-EMCO

Summary:
This AV preamp was a demo model & I basically stole it for $400! The first thing I noticed about this preamp was how clean the Dolby Pro Logic was as compared to my old reciever. This preamp is pretty quiet & you really have to turn up the volume to get a noticeable hum with NO source playing at the time. I only have 2 complaints, NO HEADPHONE JACK! ARRRGH! And a remote that requires a college degree to fine tune. Considering the outrageous cost of most AV preamps out there ($1200 & up) I feel I made out like a bandit.

Strengths:
High quality construction, very good price.

Weaknesses:
Confusing remote, no headphone jack.

Similar Products Used:
Harman/Kardon PA-5800 Denon DCD-1400 Mirage 595is

Price Paid:  $450.00 from Local via paper

Summary:
My very first preamp, purchased prematurely because of a need to mate something up with my MA-500 monoblocks. Excellent features for use with DVD's, but not as well defined for music. Has a very good tuner though, as I found out I liked listening to the radio again!

Strengths:
Very good for DD 5.1 RF, Coax & Optical Inputs. On screen menu

Weaknesses:
2 channel music

Similar Products Used:
AV600

Price Paid:  $750.00 from Sound Ideas

Summary:
No I don't watch movies wearing ladies underware nor do I care for BOSE spkrs ( I guess thats why they make cadillacs different colors) but I do enjoy the hell out of this MARANTZ preamp.
You can't be all things to all people, what MARANTZ has done is to provide you with a decent all purpose preamp. No it doesn't have DTS but the only time I miss it is for "HELL FREEZES OVER" EAGLES DVD.
When I bought this piece I looked long and hard, you tell me where are you going to buy a better more reliable, better warranty preamp for $750 with the RC2000 remote. Yes I might like more digital inputs but I really don't need any more. DSS, DVD are really the only 2 pieces I have that require it. I only use 1 SVHS tape deck, it might be nice to have another VHS input, but I don't use another VCR. It might be nice to have COMPONET video switching, but I only use the one on my digital TV, mabe in a couple of years when there is more HDTV available.
I don't even own a cassette player or turn table anymore nor do I want to.
I find this piece to be very easy to use, good on screen display, with assignable digital inputs it is even more versatile.
Are there better pre/amps out there? If you really compare apples to apples the answer is not no but HELL NO.

Strengths:
Reliablity 3 yr parts and labor, Decent tuner Remote that looks like a SCI/FI weapon

Weaknesses:
Fits my needs perfectly

Similar Products Used:
ADCOM, ACCURUS, ONKYO, SONY, HK, Yahamahama, PARASOUND, others

Price Paid:  $500.00 from ebay

Summary:
I have no complaints with the item. Excellent decoding, nice user interface, plenty of S-video ins/outs, and a great remote. DTS would be nice, but I have a hard time finding DTS DVDs anayway. Preamp/decoder technology is changine so quickly that I feel more comfortable buying a solid midrange system product like this and upgrading as the technology improves, using my long-to-be-obsolete amps.

Strengths:
I've found the AC-3 decoding to be accurate and reliable. The user interface and the sophistical learning remote included rocks.

Weaknesses:
I don't really trust the subwoofer output, although this may be due the the problems with the 500-W Infinity subwoofer I user in my system, similar to the problems other users have reported on this site.

Similar Products Used:
Technics intrgrated AVC-amp. Denon mid-range dolby digital intrgrated amp. Infinity sm speakers, replaced with b&w 600 series s2 matched fronts, center, and surrounds. Marantz monoblock amps powering all four channels, with an old (199) flagship Denon Cd player, technics direct-drive turntable, and Toshiba SD6200 DVD.

Price Paid:  $450.00 from High end shop

Summary:
I bought mine with an Acurus A-150x3 for about $900.00. Read about the guy who bought it for $290 (holy sh..)that's a real good deal. I loved it as a AC-3 decoder but something was missing musically. Maybe it was me, I have listened to other preamps with my Acurus amp; Counterpoint, Acurus, Bryston, and there was a clear diffrence musically. Maybe the extra couple grand seperating the preamps, and the fact that the Marantz was an A/V pre. So I am branching out and getting an "audio" preamp for upstairs, jeez this is an exspensive vice. The value is incredible, though $1000 new I might been a little disappointed if I would have made the purchase than. The AV-550 is a very, very good pre for $500.00 and below. The remote is easy to use and is like cruise control on a car. One push of the button and kick back and relax. Can't complain much about it. I am very please with its performance. I am still starting out so any of you "veteran audiophiles" that knows where I can get good deals on gear, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
System:
Marantz AV-550 preamp Monitor Audio (MG-10)front
Acurus A150x3 (Front/Lows,center) A/d/s (rear)
Harmon Kardon PA 2400 (Highs/Front) (lame subwoofer)
B&K ST-140 (Subwoofer)
Theta Cobalt D/A
Marantz 67-Se
Toshiba A100 DVD player

Strengths:
AC-3, MK-2000 remote, easy to use, value

Weaknesses:
Awesome a/v preamp. Lacks the "musical punch" of other audio dedicated preamp(duh!).

Similar Products Used:
Harmon Kardon PT 2500(not really a good comparison, first A/v preamp for me!)