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How do I easily add surround to my 2 channel setup

Well first things first. My current system is:
iMac Lossless iTunes Music Collection >> Lossless to Airport Express >> toslink >> X-DACv3 >> Old Junky Integra reciever >> Totem Acoustic Sttaf's

I have been waiting to aquire a Jolida 302b to put in place of the old Integra to give tubes a try ...I am not dead set on this though ...i picked it based on review and price point (can't audition it here in Indianapolis).

My dilema is that we have decided to buy a condo and it allready has 2 in-wall and 2 in-ceiling wired speaker cavities in the main room, and 2 additional installed in-walls in the bedroom (all wiried to one jack behind drywall). I don't care a great deal about having a super surround system, but since there are there ...why not use the speakers. I watch a few movies and a lot of sports, but mainly listen to music. (maybe 25%/75% movies+sports to music). I would probably just do a 5.0 surround setup and use the totems for my L/R and ceilings as surrounds and maybe the 2 in-walls as center? (they are about 4 feet apart ...so

I am thinking of getting something like a Marantz SR5600. It is 90 Watts (my totems have a sensitivity of 88) and it has Pre-outs for each channel ...this way mayby I could just get a dedicated AMP? for the Left/Right. I dont want to spend a ton of money here (less than 1G) and I could sacrafice the x-Dac if the reciever had toslink and a decent Dac (maybe use that money for a dedicated amp for the front channels?). Also if there is an integrated surround that performs well in stereo I am open to suggestions.

Budget ~$1000 if I keep my Xdac ...~$2000 if I sell the x-dac and use the receivers.

I listend to Jazz, Americana and watch sports and movies.
shawnparslow
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
Thanks ...I was peaking at the Denon's just now ...I also saw the NAD T763.

I must say ...I would deffinitly prefer fewer components. I was thinking that getting a goor integrated surround/Receiver/Dac would let me then just get a decent amp for the front channels.

I dont want to tailor my system for surround but if there where an all-in-one receiver/surround/stereo/dac that would be better than my Integra & xDac I would prefer this solution for now. I saw the NAD was 1300 and had "enhanced stereo" mode where it puts more power there when running 2-channel i guess.

If anyone has any other receiver suggestions or words-of-advise go for it. I am sure someone is saying keep the stereo rig going an then just pick up a cheap slim surround receiver ...but I would lik things discrete and space is an issue.
tgrisham
1,291 posts
 
My advice is to find the cleanest pre-amp/processor that will keep the 2 channel on a direct pass-through, then add amplifiers. My older Denon did have great sound with separate amps from Outlaw and it is an affordable way to go. Outlaw Audio does make affordable separates as well as receivers (which I have not heard) and they can be found used as well. I own the M200 monoblock amps and see no reason to get anything else. Outlaw is also a good internet company to deal with and has excellent customer service, even if you are not the original owner.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
Thanks ...I'll check this out.

I guess after thinking about it, I should keep the x-dacv3 around too ...I forgot one of the reasons I got it was because my music is wireless-to-toslink and this DAC is supposed to re-time or something and smooth out the toslink jitters.

Actually, i think I am heading in a direction where I could ruin my (potential) stereo system just to create a somewhat crappy surround (in-wall center with totem L/R and in-ceiling surround??).

I probably would never add a SUB anyways and my center wouldnt match in well in the wall without cutting (i was going to use the L/R inwalls together as a center.

I like the direction of a dedicated amp over the Jolida i suppose.

I think the smartest thing for me to do would be get an adequate receiver with pass-though that can opperate in some phantom 4.0 mode with L/R and LS/RS. This lets the totems do their jobs and they should be able to image the front better alone than being mis-matched and aligned with a hack-job center.

Again ...for sports this will be perfect for me and for the ocaisional movie ...who cares (not me).

So I get an Integrated receiver with pass-though and check out the dedicated amps (not too many components yet :)).

So this would go x-dac > receiever (pass through) > AMP > Totems?

Also ...any other suggestions.
c123666
871 posts
 
technics sch500

sony spd9ES (close enough0

above two are inexpensive ways to add quality dolby digital sound to an existing system...the sony sounds wonderful; have no experience with the technics but it adds DTS....

a basic quality RCA switchbox is the way to go; ie, run the main outs from the processor and your two channel preamp into the box...select the one you want to use and run the outputs into your two channel amp

used multichannel amps are cheap....best value is from parasound, adcom, and harmon kardom. If you can find a HK PA5800 they usually go for 400, or so, and are excellent five channel amps with 80wpc. The insides look more like a Proceed or levinson product than cheap japanese crap; really. For a lot more power the parasound hca 1206 is a six channel amp rated at 135/channel from all six channels. Four of the six can be bridged for 350 watts. About 800 used; original box is worth the extra money as it is a good one.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
I am confusued now ...

DAC > PRE
> RCA Switcher > AMP > Speakers
Surround

Is there any way to eliminate the PRE and Switcher you descrive? I was thinking the Dolby receiver would be my PRE and I could hook things up as I stated above:

x-dac > receiever (pass through) > AMP > Totems

The reciever would pass/pre out the L/R to the AMP and drive the surrounds itself.

I am just trying to see if I can eliminate components that I might not need.
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