2-channel system to 5.1/6.1 - How to get there from here? (1 Viewer)

[Steven Harris]

I need advice on how to grow a two-channel audio system into

multi-channel HT audio system - without removing any existing parts.

I currently own some equipment oriented toward two-channel stereo

music listening:

o NAD C340 integrated amplifier (two-channel)

o NAD C540 CD player

o Snell QBx 20 speakers

This combination is wonderful for music. I do not want to replace any

of it.

Now, I recently purchased a Toshiba 34HF81 television and a Panasonic

RP-91 DVD player. I have the two-channel analog output from the DVDP

connected to my amplifier, playing through the two mentioned

speakers. The sound is good, but I imagine that adding a center

speaker would improve dialogue intelligibility. My existing amplifier

cannot power another channel.

I'm wondering how I could get to 5.1 or 6.1 HT-style audio without

disturbing my existing two-channel equipment. That is, I would like to

keep my same two front speakers connected to the same NAD C340

amplifier; I don't want to change my current CD playing set-up. I

would like to add speakers and some sort of receiver/amplifier units

to power the additional speakers. The revised set-up should not

require me to reconnect my Snell speakers to this new amplifier or

receiver.

Would you recommend buying an AV receiver and running the two front

channels (pre-amp) out to the NAD amplifier? (This would leave two of

the receiver's amplifier channels unused.) If I did that, I'd have a

volume control for the two front speakers separate from the volume

control for the other three or four. Would the volume level be

difficult to coordinate?

My DVD player also has built-in DTS and DD decoders. Does having these

decoders allow me to run the analog outputs from the player into a

multi-channel amplifier, with the two front signals going to my

existing NAD amplifier? I'm not clear how I would control the volume

of the other speakers. Is a receiver or preprocessor still necessary

in between the DVD player and an amplifier?

Any advice - including product recommendations - would be greatly

appreciated.

 

[Drew Eckhardt]

1. You can run your processor/receiver left and right outputs through the integrated amp. Simply calibrate with the volume in some easy to reproduce (straight up) position and set it there any time you listen to multi-channel.

2. Many (most? all?) DVD players lack a volume control, and therefore can't be fed directly to power amplifiers. Multi-channel analog preamps are available, although if you're using the DVD's on-board decoders you probably don't want to pay for one.

 

[Steven Harris]

Simply calibrate with the volume in some easy to reproduce (straight up) position and set it there any time you listen to multi-channel.

What tools would I use to do this calibration? It sounds like your suggestion would provide a single setting for synchronization, but adjusting the volume up or down during a given viewing session would require careful, coordinated tweaking of both the AV receiver and the existing integrated amplifier.

 

[Greg_W]

What you would need is a reciever with preouts, then the L/R channels could be run to your integrated amp. The preouts on the reciever have a variable level, so the reciever can change the volume of the whole system, even though you are running two speakers through the integrated amp. Setting the integrated amp at a level (like 12 o'clock)and then calibrating your system so that all the speakers are playing at the same level. This is done through the reciever set-up and ideally using a SPL (sound pressure level) meter. Whenever you want to watch a movie you could just set the integrated amp to 12 o'clock, and you would always be calibrated, and would just set the reciever volume to the desired level.

Greg

 

[Art Miller]

Been there-gave up on that.

Can't adjust global volume continuously.

I gave up and bought a Sherwood AVP9080r pre/pro ($1200 MSRP) on ubid for $349. Does everthing that you will need. You could use your integrated amp for two of the channels, but would need more amps for the surrounds, etc.

Good luck doing it hacked, it won't really work.

 

[John Kotches]

Art,

I ran for months using a stereo preamp being fed from two channels of a preamp/processor.

It works perfectly well, so long as you have an easily repeatable setting on the stereo preamp (or integrated amp in Steven's case).

Currently I'm running an EMM Labs Switchman-2 6 channel preamp, once again without problems.

Regards,

 

[BruceD]

Art,

Actually system-wide volume control is easy and automatic in all AV receivers/pre-pros, even when the L&R main pre-outs are fed through another stereo preamp or integrated.

I've been using this setup (stereo preamp and DD/DTS pre-pro) for the past three years with stunning success (see my Equip list below).

Steve,

I found additional benefits doing it this way, as I was able to incorporate my sub into my 2 channel music, even though my mains are quite bass capable (32Hz).

As Greg and Drew indicated, using a RS SPL meter ($30) and a calibration DVD (Video Essentials or AVIA), you simply set the volume level on the integrated to a level you feel comfortable remembering (attach a piece of tape to mark it) or something like 12 o'clock.

Then when doing the speaker SPL calibration, all level adjusting is done from the AV receiver/pre-pro, a system-wide speaker level calibration.

When watching a movie, adjusting the AV receiver/pre-pro volume automatically adjusts the volume on all 5.1 speakers. You won't need to touch the integrated's volume control until you decide to listen to the NAD CD player.