2. home-theater
  3. 1033239358

How do I merge home theater into my 2 chan setup?

2 channel is my first love and I'm not willing to tamper with the 2 channel sound that I have at the expense of a home theater. I want to make a move to home theater and integrate it with my current system. I live in a loft...my room is 70 ft long by 22 ft wide and my ceilings are 25 ft high. My next move is a pre/pro that I will only use for video. I love the sound of my 2-channel preamp, so the pre/pro only has to do a good job when watching movies. I've heard good things about the Outlaw 950 pre/pro. This seems like a good match because of its low cost and I won't need an audiophile preamp section. After I settle this pre/pro issue, I will set about getting myself a projector, screen and subwoofer. Does the Outlaw seem like the best bang for the buck in what I'm trying to do here? I've borrowed a pre/pro and I like the sound my amps and speakers can deliver in a home theater setting....even without a subwoofer.

My 2 channel setup:

Preamp..............Audio Research LS-10 solid state (no phono input)
Preamp..............Carver C-19 Tube (I have it connected to the AR LS-10 and use it for a phono preamp)
Speakers............Infinity Kappa 9 (bi-amped)
Amp.................Carver Silver 9-t monoblocks (low pass)
Amp.................Sunfire Signature (high pass)
Phonograph..........Oracle Delphi Mk-I
Cartridge...........Grado Reference Platinum
CD Player...........Carver SDA/360 5 disc changer
Tuner...............Sansui TU-X1

My home theater stuff:
Rear speakers........Infinity Kappa 7.1
Center speaker.......Infinity Kappa Video Series II
Rear amplifier.......Carver TFM 45
Center amplifier.....Carver TFM 45
Television...........Sharp 32 inch
DVD player...........Samsung M-301
mitch4t
slipknot1
1,433 posts
 
Mitch4t-
I have my 2 channel system merged with my HT. The only thing they share besides the room is the Magnepan MGIIIa speakers (2 channel/Front), and the front channel L/R of my Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature amp. I use the Sunfire Theater Grand II as a processor only for film, another pair of Magnepan MMGs for the rear surrounds, and all 5 of the Sunfire CGS channels. There is also a Sunfire True Sub Superjunior sub connected to the processor for film LFE.

I use an ARC SP 9 mkII preamp to drive my phono and CD/SACD.

The Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature amp is perfect for this setup in that it has both balanced and single ended inputs.
I am using both: the balanced connections connect all five channels of the pre/pro to the amp, and the main outs of the SP 9 connect to the front L/R on the amp via the RCA inputs.

I also use a modified Sony DVP NS500V DVD/SADC/CD player that does double duty: The digital output feeds into the TGII for 5.1 film processing, and the 2 channel analog outs feed the SP 9 for music.

It's the best of both worlds: the processor is off during 2 channel listening, the SP 9 is off for films, AND no switching of cables!
edesilva
768 posts
 
There may be a simpler solution... I thought most audio preamps these days have a processor loop (or a tape loop, even) that could be used to switch in and out either a dedicated HT processor or a whole HT pre/processor. Even if yours doesn't have such a loop, you could *still* get a separate HT pre/processor and run the front speaker line level outs into, say, an AUX/VID/whatever line level input on the 2CH preamp (they are all the same, except phono).

You would have to: (i) calibrate the surrounds with the 2CH preamp volume at a preset point that you always tune it to in order to maintain the surround volumes right; and (ii) run separate signal paths from a CD/DVD player so CD Audio goes directly to the 2CH pre and DVD 5.1 goes directly to the HT pre/processor. That shouldn't be a big deal, however, because most CD/DVDs have lots of output options (e.g., RCA->2CH, digital coax->HT, like the prior poster).

This method would keep HT out of the 2CH rig, but allow sharing of all downstream amps/speakers/cables without *any* cable swaps or need to use simultaneously the bal/SE inputs on amps (less cabling, for one). In that regard, what happens if the amp is getting two signals at once by mistake? Any danger there? Also, even if an amp has both, don't some mfrs use a switch to select between them or shorting plugs? My sol'n avoids that...
slipknot1
1,433 posts
 
Edesilva-
I can't speak for other mfrs., but Sunfire doesn't use shorting plugs or switches between the Bal/SE inputs on the CGS. Both are "hot". You are correct re: the chance that both processor and pre could be sending signal to the amp at the same time. In my situation, it would only occur when the NS500V was in use, resulting in a 2 channel analog signal and an S/PDIF signal being routed to the amp, from the same source. Not a great idea to be sure, but not a hazard. The danger would lie in sending phono source material through the pre to the amp at the same time digital based material were being routed through the processor. I for one, never have ANY digital equipment powered up when listening to my phono. I would further hope that someone whose system was at this level of complexity (and judging from the above posts, I assume that IS the case), would be smart enough and aware enough to avoid that tragic string of events.

Your method is very effective and accomplishes the same goal, and I would use it myself if I couldn't go the route I have. I would want to avoid the preamp vol. calibration and preset as I would have to remember to do it every time we used the processor, and what that setting is.

A perfect example of arriving at the same place by taking 2 different routes!
edesilva
768 posts
 
Looked at my last response and it seemed a bit complicated. Let me try again. If your normal 2CH rig is:

LP Out -> 2CH Pre/LP In
CD/DVD Out1 -> 2CH Pre/CD In
2CH Pre Out -> 2CH Amp In
2CH Amp Out -> Main Spkr L/R In

You can incorporate HT by getting an HT pre/pro or HT pro adding the following signal paths and retaining the signal paths (and therefore 2CH purity) described above:

CD/DVD Out2 -> HT Pro/DVD In
HT Pro L/R Out -> 2CH Pre AUX In
HT Pro RR/LR/C Out -> HT Amp(s) In
HT Amp(s) Out -> RR/LR/C Spkr In

By switching 2CH Pre to "AUX", you get HT. By switching 2CH Pre to "CD", you get pure 2CH--allows you to use HT master volume if you set 2CH Pre to a predefined setting where you have balanced the HT surround volume.

I don't think, in retrospect, that the processor loop concept works unless you have a completely digital preamp, in which case its probably got HT built in anyway. Used to work in the days of Dolby Surround, but not for 5.1.

The question might be the number of outputs on the CD/DVD--I have to believe that, at a minimum, that most have Dolby 5.1 analog outputs and a digital coax/optical out. That gives you the choice of: (i) using 2 of the Dolby 5.1 analog outs to your 2CH Pre, if you don't use an outboard D/A, and running the digital line to your HT Pro; or (ii) using the 5.1 analog outs to the HT Pre and running the digital output to your outboard D/A.
scotty_910
119 posts
 
Thank you both for the responses. I think that the last solution would work best. I think this would work perfectly for dvd playback. For CD playback, my only concern would be that this might degrade the sound slightly by having the signal passed through two preamps (assuming you are using a single source dvdvideo/cdplayer). I think my solution would be to utilize this set up, but when playing CD's to switch the interconnects and by pass the HT preamp entirely and go directly to the audio preamp. This way, there would be no sound degradation by having the signal processed by two preamps. What do you guys think?

I can't figure out a way to have a one unit CD/DVD player and keep the CD output from going through two preamps/processors, unless of course these combo players have two sets of audio outputs, one for cd audio and one for dvd.

Or, the other solution would be to have the setup exactly as described above for the dvd video portion, but have a separate audio only cd/sacd player which feeds the audiophile preamp directly. Then there is no need for cable switching (but this gets expensive unless you buy a really cheap dvd player for video only)

Yikes - talk about mental masturbation - all for the fun of good listening!
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