Surround-Sound Preamp-Processor

Platinum Award


Meridian Audio G68ADV


$8999

The Meridian G68 comes in four configurations, but whichever works best for you, you can be certain that this is one great preamp-processor. About the only feature not offered is HDMI video switching, a shortcoming the Meridian shares with much of its competition. But it does offer one important feature most of them lack—MRC (Meridian Room Correction). MRC can tame the bass beast that lurks in most listening rooms. It can identify up to 64 different frequencies between 20Hz and 250Hz and create "filters" for them to flatten the low frequency room response.

Analog fans may bemoan the fact that all of the Meridian's analog inputs—both 2-channel stereo and multichannel, are digitized as they enter the processor. But as Fred Manteghian noted in his review, "The G68 distinguished itself by performing the best A/D conversion I've heard. I had zero qualms about the Meridian G68's processing of analog sources in this regard. I almost wish they'd thrown in a phono stage instead of a radio."

And in addition to the MRC mentioned above, the G68 performs other minor miracles with those digitized data, including full bass management and some of the best surround simulation modes in the business. And if you pair the G68 with a compatible Meridian DVD player, you also get a direct digital link between player and processor for multichannel DVD-Audio (though not SACD).

As for its audio performance, Fred simply concluded, "What a virtuoso performance...the G68ADV processor is, without a doubt, the finest-sounding I've used. . .I'm just blown away."


www.ultimateavmag.com/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/305meridian/

Gold Award


Outlaw Model 990


$1099

Outlaw builds and sells high-value products exclusively through the Internet. The Model 990 is their latest price-buster. You might not expect much in a pre-pro for $1099, but this one will surprise you.

What's on your wish list? Balanced audio outputs, automatic speaker calibration using a supplied microphone, and upgradeability through RS-232 and USB ports? Upsampling of CDs to 24-bit/192kHz? Three wideband component inputs plus transcoding between component, S-Video, and composite sources? A phono (moving magnet) input? DVI switching?

The Model 990 provides all of this, and more, including all the playback modes you need—DTS-ES Matrix and Discrete, DTS Neo:6, Dolby Digital EX, and Dolby Pro Logic II/IIx.

Joel Brinkley found the Outlaw a breeze to set up, either manually or automatically. More important, he also found it to be largely transparent to the source, and surprisingly close in sound quality to his far more expensive state-of-the-art pre-pro. In short, he remarked, "It's well worth the price, and more."


www.ultimateavmag.com/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/705outlaw/

Amplifier

Platinum Award


Bel Canto eVo2


$3290 (each)

This 2-channel digital amplifier, from a small company in darkest Minnesocold, rivals the performance of more conventional designs. That was reviewer Steven Stone's assessment when he reviewed five (!) of them.

Why five? Because the eVo2 can be bridged and used as a single-channel monoblock. And that's how Steven reviewed it.

In 2-channel operation, the amp is rated at 120Wpc into 8Ω. Bridge it, and its monoblock output jumps to 400W. Drive a 4ohm load, and the rated power doubles to 700W. We actually measured 739W at clipping (1% THD+noise)! All this comes in an efficient design that produces very little heat and weighs in at a svelte 36 pounds.

Class D digital amps have been around for years. But they have been used most often for subwoofer amps, where their efficiency, limited cooling needs, and solid bass performance make them ideal. Full-range performance is another thing entirely, and it's here that many such designs have had difficulty.

How Bel Canto managed to succeed where others have failed is a story you'll find in the full review. The bottom line is that their approach works.

As Steven remarked, "The eVo2's sonic personality was among the most harmonically neutral I've heard in more than 25 years of reviewing. If I were forced to decide on which side of warm/cool and subtractive/additive the eVo2 fell, I'd say warm and additive—similar to a good tube power amplifier. But the eVo2's warmth was exceedingly subtle—not obvious. . . It not only delivers the ergonomic advantages of compact size, light weight, low heat, and efficient energy usage, it also sounds spectacularly good."


www.ultimateavmag.com/amplifiers/904belcanto/

Gold Award


Aragon 3005


$3500

Fred Manteghian was captivated by this 300Wpc (8Ω), 5-channel powerhouse. It drove the most demanding speaker loads to high levels without complaint.

But high power isn't all it offers. The Aragon 3005 displays an honest neutrality, with outstanding low-level resolution.

"The Aragon beautifully captures the gentle warmth of the music. . .tonally, the 3005 sounded luxurious," Fred remarked, "With speakers as diverse as the dynamic Dynaudios and the full-planar Magnepans, the 30005 seemed to extract the best each system had to offer."

When he auditioned the amp together with Aragon's Stage One pre-pro, FM concluded that the combination's "exemplary, detailed, yet thoroughly inviting sound [provides] a new reference in the considerably-under-$10,000 market. Most highly recommended!"


www.ultimateavmag.com/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/304aragon/