Connecting AVR to a power amp

J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Hello!
I have a Pioneer vsx-d457 and want to add a Speakercraft bb1265 in order to power 9 in ceiling speakers throughout my house. Can I do this without a speaker selector or similar? The Pioneer does not have preamp outs. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Well according to this it has a center channel and sub pre-out but not terribly useful for your purposes unless you want mono perhaps....an avr is generally not a good whole house base unit, maybe if it had zone pre-outs or something along those lines but it doesn't....
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Well according to this it has a center channel and sub pre-out but not terribly useful for your purposes unless you want mono perhaps....an avr is generally not a good whole house base unit, maybe if it had zone pre-outs or something along those lines but it doesn't....
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Thank you for replying! I also have a Pioneer CD changer. I only use the system for CDS or streaming music. Can you suggest a direction on what to add or replace in the system? Is it best to add a speaker selector or do I need to buy a new avr?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
If the Pioneer has a mono mode and you connect the amp via the center channel pre-out it may work well enough for you.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
You will need an AVR with at least front L&R preamp outputs to use with that distributed amp.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I saw that it had a common mono mode...no?
It will work if mono is OK. For stereo output, would need stereo preamp obviously. Presumably that center output would also only be center channel info, not downmixed full audio. Didn't look at the manual.
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
I hooked up the center preout on the avr to the amp bus input via a mono to rca cable and it isn't working. I have yet to hear this amp work so I am not positive it functions. It does have a power light on, but have not been able to get any sound. I have not found a mono mofe.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I hooked up the center preout on the avr to the amp bus input via a mono to rca cable and it isn't working. I have yet to hear this amp work so I am not positive it functions. It does have a power light on, but have not been able to get any sound. I have not found a mono mofe.
What is a mono to rca cable? Try hooking up your cd player directly but make sure the levels are turned down first in the amp, then raise carefully :)
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Sorry, just meant a single black plug that turns into 2 (red and white rca plugs). I will try the CD straight to the amp and just use the channel levels to control volume, I guess? I do not have volume controls in each room
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Thanks again. The CD player directly to the amp is not working. Is there a sure/easy method to check that the amp is working?
Also, does anyone have any feedback on buying this as my receiver? It has preouts.

PYLE AUDIO PYLP3201ATUB 3000-Watt Hybrid Home Stereo Receiver Amp with AM/FM Tuner And USB
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Thanks for the response. Can you help me understand what I should be looking for in a receiver when I am using a power amp and only streaming music or using a CD player?
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
Thanks for the response. Can you help me understand what I should be looking for in a receiver when I am using a power amp and only streaming music or using a CD player?
This is just an example but it would work well.

Connect your CD or streaming device to this unit.

https://emotiva.com/products/pres-and-pros/pt-100

Connect it to this amp and you can comfortably power 8 speakers.

https://emotiva.com/products/amplifiers/800

If you need to power more than 8 speakers instead of the PT 100, get a TA100, it does everything the PT does and it can power 2 speakers.

Obviously if your amp is working use it...I have the A800, powering 6 speakers (1 pr in 3 rooms all stereo, but for whole house, mono is not the worst thing. My pre pro only has 2 additional zones so I put 2 pair on (Zone 2) via BUS, and ran them thru an A/B switcher volume control...the other pair (Z3) I can control with my pre pro. The switcher gave me on/off and volume control for all 3 rooms.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Sorry, just meant a single black plug that turns into 2 (red and white rca plugs). I will try the CD straight to the amp and just use the channel levels to control volume, I guess? I do not have volume controls in each room
Are sure the speakers work? Used or inherited amp? Still not sure what cord you mean, perhaps a single male rca split to two male rca, but a single rca to rca would be all that is needed for mono.
 
J

Jason Fox

Audiophyte
Thanks for the feedback. The amp works. Got it connected using my phone and the 1 male rca to 2 male rca wire. I don't know why my CD changer won't work yet.

So if I want to use my power amp and only have an avr with no preamp outs, is there any choice but to purchase a receiver w preamp outs? Are there any other choices?
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Thanks for the feedback. The amp works. Got it connected using my phone and the 1 male rca to 2 male rca wire. I don't know why my CD changer won't work yet.

So if I want to use my power amp and only have an avr with no preamp outs, is there any choice but to purchase a receiver w preamp outs? Are there any other choices?
Since you are not using this for video, a two channel preamp will do the trick, as long a you don't want to connect digital sources. There are a few pre amps out there with digital inputs but they are spendy.

AV receivers tend to be lousy devices for driving distributed audio system.

In fact your type of system is now dated. They are pretty awkward inconvenient and useless now.
In this era people are going to systems like the Sonos system.

If it were me I would not be devoting energy to one of yesterday's systems like that. There never has been anything to recommend them.
 
Y

yepimonfire

Audioholic Samurai
You could use a high level to line level converter, or, if you're handy with a soldering iron and have some extremely basic electronic knowledge, you could build a voltage divider using resistors. A typical 100w amplifier has 30v voltage rails, most amplifiers have a maximum input voltage of 2-3v, so you'd need to cut the voltage by a factor of 10. A guide to doing this can be found at http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=162573

Sent from my 5065N using Tapatalk
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top