One of the best values in Home Theater Processing and it's 2 channel sound is really very good!

Slow switching between formats....but it never fails to perform well!

I can't believe the value in this preamp/processor. It really sounds great for the money. Now it's not a Theta Casablanca, but for under $1,500 on the used market, it blows aways any of the processors from Harmon Kardon, Adcom, Acurus or Denon. It is an exceptional value and the sound is more that digestable especially when matched with a great multichannel amplifier like the CAV-150 I was using to run it. I especially like it's 2 channel stereo capability!

The sound really surprised me and if you can still find one on the used market, I would snatch it up! Good Luck!

Similar Products Used:

Classe SSP-25, Lexicon DC-1 & MC-1

Excellent DD/DTS performance, very nice stereo performance, simple to setup

rather slow changing between modes

First of all, I put more emphasis on the stereo
performance of my system than the HT performance.
In stereo, I like the Chiro C802 better than the B&K
Ref. 20 or Acurus ACT3. It's more transparent and
smoother, musically more involving. It doesn't compete
with a dedicated stereo preamp such as Krell KAV250p
($2200 retail), but it comes close. Compare to this
Krell preamp, the Chiro lacks a little bit of smoothness and
air, also its soundstage is shallower, but then again
this is not a fair comparison. The bottom line is it's
excellent in stereo for an AV preamp of its class.
I have nothing to complain about on its DD or DTS performance, it's as good as any unit in its price range.
My only complain is it's rather slow in changing between modes, but this is a very minor problem. Then again,
even the Krell HTS which costs about three times the Chiro costs has similar type of weakness.

Similar Products Used:

B&K Ref 20, Acurust ACT3

Excellent sound in dd/dts AND stereo

Buttons on front panel, switching time

IMHO it can compete with dedicated stereo pre-amps in the same price range, the sound is very musical and involving, could maybe have been a bit warmer in some classical music. I think its far better than the Rotel on stereo performance

Similar Products Used:

Rote RSP-985