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How to have great HT and 2-CH Stereo

I have a home theater system using a Rotel A/V RSX-972 receiver. The system works great in home theater but lacking in 2 channel audio CD quality. I'm thinking of introducing a pre/power amps (Plinius CD-LAD and SA-250) for my front L/R speakers. However, I don't know what is the best way to connect this together without having to plug and unplug cable everytime I switch from Home Theatre to audio CD listening. This is because there will be two pre amps (Rotel and plinius) in the system and plinius CD-LAD does not offer by-pass mode.

An alternative will be to upgrade to a high end A/V processor (thinking of proceed) but was told that even the most top-of-the-line 5 channel A/V precessor/preamp cannot match the sonic quality of a good 2 channel stereo preamp in 2 channel CD mode. Do you agree? Is anyone facing the same problem as I am? Please help comment.
patrick123
racers
22 posts
 
My solution was to use only 2-channel with the Magnum Dynalab MD-10 Surround Decoder. If you have good 2-channel-why screw it up with home theater? The MD-10 has an RCA out for your sub(s) and decodes 5.1 into two channel. This sounds way better than any midfi or untweaked high-end system. Not quite(obviously) up to high end HT...but almost. And NO WAF problems. Hope this isn't considered heresy.
sdzink
31 posts
 
The Sonic Frontiers and ARC Preamps have a processor loop. I have a Proceed AVP and it sounds decent on 2 channel but my SF is smoother and more neutral overall.
khokugo
122 posts
 
Patrcck, I was struggling with the same thought, too. I have Marantz SR18EX, and Sonus Faber Musica integrated. The easiest solution is;
1. Connect Receiver's "Pre-Out" to your pre amp's available input (Aux or anything)
2. Turn on and set you pre's volume where you can easily remember (i.e. 12 o'clock).
3. Turn on your Receiver and recalibrate the volume balance.
4. Whenever you want to enjoy movies, turn on receiver and pre/power amp, set your pre's input selector to that particular one at 1. above, turn the volume to the designated level (12 o'clock for example), and you can enjoy and control the volume just like you are/were using receiver only.
I hope this helps... BTW, you have a mighty great 2ch system comingle with home theater system!
Ken
khokugo
122 posts
 
Oh, needless to say, you can connect the front speakers to your power amp all the time, and you don't have to unplug/plug.
mezmo
516 posts
 
I did the same--essentially built two systems, one on top of the other. For two channel I've got a VTL pre with a processor bypass loop and then a receiver doing the processing and powering the center and rears. It's not nearly as high-end as one might go with seperates for the HT end, but gives you the extra bells and whistles of HT without having to compromise on the two channel (which, as far as I'm concerned, is where it's at). That said, it also allows you to spend as much as you want on the HT without having to consider the equipment's capacity to pull double-duty with the two channel--avoiding that infernal balancing act between HT and stereo that no one seems to have won yet.
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