Combining home theater with two channel

I prefer two separate systems.  The only commonality between my AV and audio systems are the main speakers,

When I want to switch from one to the other, I just take the speaker wires out of one amp and insert them in the other - I have a tube audio set up and a solid state video set up.

I have played music through the video sources but the sound from a mass market AV preamp, while quite decent (I also use a Marantz) is inferior to the stand alone audio set up.

You can’t get around the two system part. toasted my 25 year old Bose Lifestyle HT system. I’m about to go with a Nad t778 and pass through the additional back surround channels. I don’t really need the video switching though as the TV handles that fine. Started wondering about a tube amp as an old Sansui (smoked it) was so smooth. The money to power dual 15 JBLs with tubes is too much so I’m sticking with a Crown for the stereo. I personally just love the club sound levels and the JBL bass. I’m also getting addicted to the MQA (albeit less pure than analog , but convenient). Any insights into a sound only system that will process MQA and provide for HT pass through without the video? The Nad seems like one of few choices. MQA/ HT pass through and atmos are my hot points.

I also just purchased an NAD T778 and Monolith x5, with the intention of adding a Holo Spring 3 DAC KTE, and switch between them with a Goldpoint SA2 https://www.goldpt.com/sa2.html

The Spring 3 KTE can be ordered with a discreet, hardware Class A preamp module and I think that will be a wonderful setup.

This will allow me to hookup a REL T/7x subwoofer using both the LFE to the NAD, and the high level speakon connector directly to the Monolith.

Just got the nad t778 out if the box. The

JBL SR4732 don't even need the Crown when hooked

up directly to stereo. Normally I'd have configured this six ways to Sunday by now but I'm paralyzed with the excellent sound. When I get better configuration experimentation I'll post back. BUT this Nad has the power solo if I do choose. So HAPPY 😎

I'm totally late in the discussion here, but I've got comments.  I am thinking your Emotiva XPA-3 differential is the latest "Gen 3" series of Emotiva amps here.  Sure, the specs say they can output 450 watts per channel, but you take a big hit because of the switching power supply.  The Gen 3 just does not have enough current to give you full deep bass punch.  That's a major problem.  I have two Gen 3 amps that i had to add 120,000uf in capacitors to the main power supply output to give it enough oomph for decent bass.  Even then, the switching power supply is not going to be as good as a big linear power supply.  If you want a multi-channel like this, you're better off looking at the Monoprice Monolith.  Or step up to a better amp with ATI AT4003 or AT6003 series (much more expensive).

 

That being said, the Parasound amps have incredibly clean midrange, decent bass, but the high frequencies are somewhat dry and not super high resolution.  The Parasound is voiced slightly in the warm side of neutral with a slightly warm/tangy type of texture.  The Krell K300i integrated is colored in a different way.  The new Krell sound is a very smoothed over, almost lush, type of sound and it is not a super high frequency resolution amp, but it is cleaner sounding than the Parasound.  I think it may have cleaner deeper bass as well (compared to Parasound).