The important point is it’s more than doable and there are a lot of options depending on budget.
I’ve had an a separate amp / pre with HT bypass in the chain with my HT receiver. I’ve swapped Front speakers, streamers / Streamers around. I’ve had a class D amplification in my HT receiver and paired it with a much more powerful class A/B amp that costs multiple times the receiver which was not a cheap receiver.
Today I have an integrated Tube Amp - Primaluna Evo400 (2 Channel w/Hat Bypass) paired with an Anthem MRX-1140. It pairs well for movies, no issues at all with integration of the Tube amp into my HT set up. 2 channel is the flip of a switch and I’m in 2 channel tube heaven.
In every set up I have tried and combo the 3 constants I have had are no issues with the integration of the pieces - HT receivers auto calibration tools can work wonders on that front, that the separate amplification / pre for 2 channel always has sounded quite a bit better than the HT Receiver for 2 channel and adding a separate amp to the mix improved the surround sound of the receiver, opened up more power for the other channels. Key that the HT receiver is totally out of the 2 channel chain, I’ve tried it as a Pre to separate amps and doesn’t deliver the same 2 channel performance, even with direct analogue pass through - unsure why.
I 100 % agree with Big Greg on how awesome a Movie experience can be with a HT set up. I watched John Wick 3 last night in Dolby Atmos and it was an experience. You can’t get that without the HT set up, period. I felt shot gun blast, felt like I was in the rain storm and that I needed to wipe off the broken glass that had sprayed in my direction. And then I flipped a switch and enjoyed a little 2 channel listening before calling it an evening.
What you can argue is that if I took all the money I have into the 2 channel gear over the years or vice versa, the HT gear, if I applied all those funds to one or the other I would have an even better set up for whichever I picked, as long as I selected the right gear. I love HT and 2 Channel listening and I have 1 space for both and I still am quite happy with the results for both.
I’ve had an a separate amp / pre with HT bypass in the chain with my HT receiver. I’ve swapped Front speakers, streamers / Streamers around. I’ve had a class D amplification in my HT receiver and paired it with a much more powerful class A/B amp that costs multiple times the receiver which was not a cheap receiver.
Today I have an integrated Tube Amp - Primaluna Evo400 (2 Channel w/Hat Bypass) paired with an Anthem MRX-1140. It pairs well for movies, no issues at all with integration of the Tube amp into my HT set up. 2 channel is the flip of a switch and I’m in 2 channel tube heaven.
In every set up I have tried and combo the 3 constants I have had are no issues with the integration of the pieces - HT receivers auto calibration tools can work wonders on that front, that the separate amplification / pre for 2 channel always has sounded quite a bit better than the HT Receiver for 2 channel and adding a separate amp to the mix improved the surround sound of the receiver, opened up more power for the other channels. Key that the HT receiver is totally out of the 2 channel chain, I’ve tried it as a Pre to separate amps and doesn’t deliver the same 2 channel performance, even with direct analogue pass through - unsure why.
I 100 % agree with Big Greg on how awesome a Movie experience can be with a HT set up. I watched John Wick 3 last night in Dolby Atmos and it was an experience. You can’t get that without the HT set up, period. I felt shot gun blast, felt like I was in the rain storm and that I needed to wipe off the broken glass that had sprayed in my direction. And then I flipped a switch and enjoyed a little 2 channel listening before calling it an evening.
What you can argue is that if I took all the money I have into the 2 channel gear over the years or vice versa, the HT gear, if I applied all those funds to one or the other I would have an even better set up for whichever I picked, as long as I selected the right gear. I love HT and 2 Channel listening and I have 1 space for both and I still am quite happy with the results for both.