Main in's on HK 520? (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Han]

I am still puzzled about this main-in's on the 520 that ia not available on the 525?

My understanding is that the main in's will allow you to use the receiver as an amplifier only, I assume if you down the line wanted to use a separate preamp or processor? Is that right?

But, if a receiver has 5.1 or 6.1 inputs, isn't that the same thing, so wouldn't the 525 be able to do that with it's 6.1 input? Isn't playing DVD-Audio through a DVD-Audio DVD player through 5.1 inputs achieving that, bypassing any processor on the receiver and going straight to the amp and speakers?

Please leaborate for this newbie?

 

[Baldemar Garcia]

Steve,

I agree with you. Using an outboard processor into 5.1/6.1/7.1 inputs on today's receivers would accomplish the same thing. It'd be just like using your receiver as a plain amplifier. Nowadays, some receivers are even offering some control for the signals coming into these inputs.

Main-ins have other advantages though. They make it very easy to put pretty much anything between the pre-amp section of the receiver, and the amp section. EQs are easily installed with this feature. Plus being able to reassign the amp channels on the 520 is pretty sweet.

Unless of course I'm missing something as well...

 

[Paul Clarke]

Hello Steve,

Yes, as long as the receiver (any receiver with multi-channel input) is kept on that source selection it should work fine as a multi-channel amp. On my older 510 which is just now getting a little 'long in the tooth' this is as close to 'Source Direct' as it gets.

I agree with Baldemar about the Main In flexibility. I wish H/K had maintained the feature in the 525. But if I had to choose between the extra amp channels or Main Ins I'd go with extra power anyday.

 

[BradJudy]

Main-ins are not the same as multichannel inputs. Main-ins bypass the pre-amp section of the receiver, but multichannel inputs do not. If you can set your receiver to unity gain, then the multichannel inputs would act much like main-ins. One should always be careful using two pre-amps in line though.

 

[Paul Clarke]

Main-ins are not the same as multichannel inputs. Main-ins bypass the pre-amp section of the receiver, but multichannel inputs do not.

BradJudy,

While technically true, it makes no sense for an external decoder input signal to be drastically altered by the receiver preamp stage. I suspect different brands handle the multi-channel input issue with different approaches.

On my 510, I frequently use the 6 channel input for 2 channel CD play and routinely compare it to the analog CD input. There is a difference in sound (slightly greater detail) with the multi-channel using the same source component.

What accounts for this if not less preamp involvement? Anyone have any ideas?