Tube Pre into HT system?

This subject has been covered before, but to give you a quick answer, any tube preamp with a spare input will serve your HT system when connected as follows:

Connect the stand alone Dolby 5.1 processor (or whatever version) as instructed. But rather than connecting the front channel output from that converter to the front channel amps, instead choose a spare input on the preamp. Connect the main outs of the tube preamp to the amps driving the front or main speakers.

Some preamps even have a input marked as "video" making is easy to remember.

Each time you watch movies, choose the same volume setting on the preamp ( 12:00 O'clock? ), and set up the surround volumes for all the channels based on that standard.

There is nothing to do for music except enjoy the preamp as normal. For movies simply select that "video" input and set to the same (predetermined) volume as before and go for it.

This method is especially good for those who are biased toward music, as there is no need to move the cables or disconnect power to get back to the music.

I believe the some of the BAT tube pre's have a pass thru option, which allows you to use the BAT for stereo and your pre/processor for 5.1(or what ever you may be using). I also believe there are a few other's that allow the same use, though I am not positive, I spoke with a featured dealer here about doing this but decided against it.

Good Luck,
Tim

Get a tube pre-amp with an HT bypass or processor loop (same thing). This is a unity gain circuit which basically means a direct connection to the output of the pre-amp bypassing all of the controls. Simply select HT bypass and now your HT system controls do everything. It simply connects yout HT main pre-outs to your 2-channel amplifier, bypassing your pre-amps functions.

BTW, the previous example does the same thing, except it leaves the pre-amps selector switch and volume control in the circuit. Either works fine, but the HT bypass/processor loop is a bit more convenient.

I know the Sonic Frontiers and their Anthem line are tubed with HT-bypass. The Sonic frontiers line is a bit better and has a really cool remote!

Have fun,

TIC