Price Paid:  $3000.00 from over the net used

Summary:
I bought this unit because I am going through the have enough money and dammit I will be happy mode. I am already rich and fat and argue with my wife all the time, so why not enjoy the after math of the fights with quality TV and music. I tried the Lexicon MC1 and the Sunfire and the Denon 5800 and this kills all of those and is 2 years older then all of them except the 5800 which it is 3 years older then. I really like the unit and upgrade was a big feature. They are solid on that in that they do it for 1900 and give the whole unit a new 3 year warranty. There are some reasons I am considering going other ways. I want these to be understood, so I will give positives then negatives. It comes with 18 bit dacs standard and now to pay 2100 for 20 bit dacs that won't do current 24/192 seems both expensive and stupid. The 18 bits do sound better the all of the forementioned in movies and music despite their 24 bit dacs? Me to, it seems to be DSP engine size that makes up for it. It is built to allow upgrade by design where as most seem to leave a possibility by the nature of design. Here is what I don't like and I just cut to the chase. I bought mine new and when I did I spoke to 2 people that are Techs there, one Ed was a true Tech and the other was a guy that I can't remember his name but he claimed to be the regional manager for the east coast

Strengths:
1) I asked this Ed if the current unit could do 24/96 and he said yes, then I bought it called back when it wouldn't work and he checked a manual and then said I needed 2100 worth of superior dacs. At this point, you owe me free dacs as I asked , you told, you even went to a manual and screwed up. All I got was a sorry. 2) I had also called the eastern regional manager just before purchasing and he said the upgrade to a 2 was 1675 and after I bought it and got the Dac answer change from Ed, he confirmed that and said now it was 1900 and again sorry. At this point, they owe me a free dac and an upgrade at original owner cost to save the 275 the error cost me, but even when asked nothing was offered. I am going to write the president, as I shouldn't pay for their errors.

Weaknesses:
Continued, did positive in main. When you upgrade the DACS aren't part of it, and they don't offer a basic 24.192 dac but a 24/384 dac that as of now is overkill at a serious price premium of 3999. Proceeed upgrades to 24/192 and and most of the other things for 600 more then Theta and with the DACS that is 3300 less for 24/192 then 24/384. That is simply insane but they don't get that. I say get a new advisor on their side if they can't get there needs to be an option in between. I am now selling my Theta because 2 major employees know their product enough for me to buy it then cost me 2100 and 275 on their errors and that is simply wrong and if I did that, I would have to write the check, period. I can sell me Theta buy a proceed used and upgrade and get in that for 1000 profit on the sale, so 1500 net on the upgrade and with Theta is would be 1900 plus 3999 for one extreme dac so I save 4500 by leaving them and in 4 years if they can't update I start 4500 plus interest ahead.

Similar Products Used:
Great equipment, poor knowledge at my expense, horrible design and reaching of the market and priced a guy making over 150k out of the real market, unless I can admit I am just stupid to continue L

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Originally purchased the Casablanca in 1996. Recently had the unit upgraded to the Casablanca II with Extreme DACs. While the original was excellent, post-upgrade the unit is superlative. Extreme (4 ch.) DAC card and embedded Jitter Jail circuitry further improves the sound comprehensively. Impressive performance in either Stereo, DD and DTS surround modes. This is a true, no-compromise audiophile/videophile-quality surround sound processor. And is priced accordingly.

Strengths:
Superlative audiophile sound quality. Excellent performance in DD and DTS modes. Availability of audio and video options. Modular design makes it "future proof". Extensive user-configurability with menus. Upgradeable OS with RS-232 interface. Build quality.

Weaknesses:
Remote control. Menu ergonomics not as intuitive as I''d like.

Similar Products Used:
Listened to Meridian''s 861 and Madrigal''s 380S.

Summary:
The original Casablanca that I purchased was truly outstanding. Absolutely the best sound I've heard when connecting digital sources directly (CD, DVD, etc.) It even has an analog passthru mode to avoid the A/D/A roundtrip. Infinitely flexible configuration of speakers, crossover frequencies, number of channels, etc. Compared to the other products I have used, the Theta's sound is far more smooth and analog-like. No harshness or any characteristic that makes your ears feel tired after a period of listening. My casablanca had a problem where the unit would emit a shrill noise when auto-switching into Dolby Digital or DTS modes.
I recently upgraded to the Casablanca II. This sounds even better. I think their Jitter-Jail adds a tremendous benefit as does the 24-bit 96 KHz DACs. The casablanca II got rid of the shrill noise when the unit would switch into DD or DTS modes. During the upgrade from Casablanca to Casablanca II status, I received the unit back and Theta had just forgotten to install one of the upgrades (the display) even though I had paid the local dealer and the local dealer had ordered the specific upgrade from Theta. Also, when I received the unit back, all the screws on one side of the chassis were only half way screwed in. It doesn't leave me with a warm fuzzy at all (what else could they have forgotten to do?)
It is expensive, but I don't think there is anything better out there and the upgradability makes it very nice. I've decided not to penalize the product's overall rating due to Theta's lack of quality control during my upgrade procedure since that doesn't affect the units sound or performance.
I use my unit with a Theta Dreadnaught AMP (3x200W and 1 100Wx2 channel, leaves one free slot)and B&W Nautilus 801 speakers.

Strengths:
Best sounding preamp I have ever heard, regardless of price.

Weaknesses:
Price.
Dealer Response & Attention to Detail after an upgrade.
Lack of Component Switching.
Very cheap-feeling remote.

Similar Products Used:
Denon 5800 Receiver
Onkyo 989 Receiver
Meridian 565
Lexicon MC-1
Proceed AVP

Summary:
Great processor period. dr.doom has to wonder why they took his previous posts off shows clearly that he has no insite into the product except to ramble and be upset because he really can't afford it. You'll look long and hard to find better than the Theta. There aren't that many highend processors out there. If something else sounds better, it is more than likely due it being a better match with their equipment than the sound being better.

Summary:
First off, I don't understand why the Theta Casbalanca is under audioreview AVpreamp and the Theta Casa Nova is under audioreview preamp. They are both AVpreamp, the Casa Nova being the little brother of the Casbalanca. Plus Theta has just came out with the Casbalance II and there is no audioreview site as of yet. Anyway, the Theta Casbalanca was the top of the line for top dollar AVpreamp for a long time, now being surpass by the Casbalanca II because of the DVD Hz issue and a few other upgrades. I own the Theta Casa Nova because I already had an Audio Research LS-16 analog tubed preamp for my stereo (Martin Loagan SL-3), and I was adding a HT to it (Martin Logan Logos and Scripts) and I didn't want to have two sets of analog inputs and outputs. The Audio Research LS-16 has an Audio By-pass which makes ranning the Theta Casa Nova via 5.1 thru it to my main speakers rather easy. I have heard the Theta Casbalanca many times at my local high end audio store, and it makes even the smallest speakers sound great and clear. Therefore I wrote this review to say: The Casblanca was one of the best if one wanted but one preamp to do almost everything, but if one already had an analog preamp, adding a Casblanca to a system would be over-kill and therefore the Theta Casa Nova would be a better buy. Last comment, if one has the bunks check out the Casblanca II for better upgradibility

Strengths:
Does almost everything

Weaknesses:
Over Priced and there is a new model out: The Casbalanca II

Similar Products Used:
Own the Theta Casa Nova & had the Accurus ACT-3, & tested the Aragon Soundstage