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
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!
slipknot1
1,433 posts
 
Scotty910-

if you are passing digital signal to HT processor, and analog signal to preamp from same unit, just keep the HT processor off and feed the analog signal through your pre and straight to the amp? Vice versa for DVD digi signals.

If I understand your situation, you have both a preamp and an HT processor that can operate independently of each other, amplification that processes signals from both, and a common pair of front speakers. Correct? I also assume that your DVD/CD player passes digital either via TOSLINK or S/PDIF or AES/EBU and also has a set of analog outs, either 5.1 or stereo L/R.
edesilva
768 posts
 
Hmm... I the situation I outlined, the Audio CD signal of the CD/DVD isn't going through 2 preamps, only one. Think about the respective paths for the front channels for 2CH and HT...

CD/DVD is connected to 2CH Pre via analog out, 2CH Pre then goes directly to main amp. To play DVDs, CD/DVD connects to HT Pro via digital out, HT Pro connects (Front L/R) to 2CH Pre via AUX in. The HT signal is the one that passes "thru" two preamps...
mrpoindexter
63 posts
 
Mitch4t,

I may be a little late, but I had the exact same speakers you had, the Infinity Kappa 9 and the Kappa Video. If you want to improve the sound greatly, take the center channel and put it in the fireplace and set a match to it.

Sorry, but the Kappa Video sucks compared to the output of your vastly superior kappa 9. Run the surround sound system in phantom center mode. If you must have a center channel, then try to locate an EMIT K tweeter and replace the EMIT R in the center channel with the EMIT K. Reworking the crossover for the EMIT K would be even better, but a major improvement will be getting an EMIT K in there.

I used kappa 9 as the main speakers for my HT system for about 8 years and was very happy with them. Their new owner is going to be happy with them as well I am sure, but I feel guilty about giving him my old kappa video with the package.
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