What I wish:

[Reap]

I just built a pair of Paramounts and love them. I run my entire home theater system thru them via a Yamaha RX-V2095 receiver that has preouts. What I really wish is that the PreBee had connections to hook the flat screen to it, an iPod docking station, an RAII circuit with phono inputs, an AM/FM tuner section, and a wireless remote. I know this is asking way too much. But what are my reasonable options? I would really love to build this preamp, but it also would have to wait another year or two.

[Alonzo]

Depends on your "hacking" skills.  The iPod doc and wireless remote aren't hard to add, layout and power would be a concern, added noise from the attenuator motor...  the RIAA circuit would be the next step up the ladder in modding; off the top of my head, this would have to be in a separate box for sound quality.  The AM/FM, not going to happen, you could just use the app in the iPod for radio.

Brighter minds will chime in, do a search and you'll see the answers on a tuner kit.  The BeePre looks pretty full, the remote motor and dock power could be added vertically with a power brick connection on the back of the base. 

I don't think you can DIY a full receiver, but most of the functions can be done.  It would be a compromise...

[Paul Birkeland]

But what are my reasonable options?

Most of what you listed can be built a la carte.

(How/why would you want to wire the flat screen to it?)

The size, cost, and support limitations all prevent us from offering something this complicated. 

[Reap]

My flat screen is hooked up to the Paramounts right now. I would not build something this awesome then let it collect dust. You should have heard the Seahawks game thru them.

[Paul Birkeland]

Well, you can wire the analog output of a TV to the BeePre/Paramounts. 

A lot of TV's will also split out the digital audio feed from the HDMI cable, which you can then route to a 5.1 processor, then to your Paramounts. 

[Reap]

Yeah, I figure I have at least a year to work this puzzle. And I may never do anything different either. I am very please with the sound. The only problem is that I like a good problem to solve. Electronic design isn't my forte and I know it. But I do pretty well on soldering and following instructions. System design, that's the issue here and I like it.

Am I really the unusual person with a tube amp connected to a TV though? I kind of thought that most would do this. And I cannot imagine why you would not. I've never cared for 5.1 or 7.1 speaker systems. I was born with 2 ears and I only need a speaker for each one. If someone has to do some sound field processing to make me believe something that is not as it sounds, well, I figure they're just trying to compensate for some other short comings. Just give me something simple that works as designed. My ears know artificial when they hear it.

[Paul Birkeland]

Yeah, unfortunately, taking a 5.1 signal and getting it back into a 2 channel format often doesn't work so well. 

There are plenty of folks out there using BH amps with their TV's.

-PB

[Reap]

Oh, it's not working poorly at all. I'm using the 2 main channels. I just think it might be able to sound better.

[mpeg2]

Muck around with the configuration menu on your TV - many provide for downmixing the 5.1 to stereo for the analog output (and they do a pretty good job of it)...

   Rich

[Reap]

Already did that. But thanks! 

[Hank Murrow]

I am using the OPPO BD 95 player, BH linestage, 2A3 amp, and Orca/BUF Subs for my video watching. Real nice on Public Broadcasting and some BlueRays.

Cheers, Hank

[Reap]

Well, the necessity of the preamp to have an iPod docking station has been eliminated. My PS3 is much more valuable then I realized before. It is now networked with my computer and will play the music from it. Score one for my other online friends for this suggestion.