Stereo amp & 5.1 AVR with shared front speakers. Is it possible?

[Bobisz]

Hi All!

As I have briefly summarized in the title, I'd like to ask all the wise ones of the forums if the following scenario is possible at all?

I have two separate audio systems:

- a stereo integrated amp with a pair of Triangles for music listening
- an 5.1 AVR with a set of 5.1 speakers for movies & gaming

Is there any means (maybe a switch of some kind?) which would allow me to use my Triangles for both of the systems?
Eg: in position (a) the speakers would connect to my stereo amp, while in position (b) the speakers would connect to my AVR's front L/R speaker connectors.


Given the replies I received in the thread, a clarification: No thank you, I don't want to listen to my music on an AVR. I'm coming from there

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Pogre]

Connect the triangles to the 5.1 AV receiver and use it for music also.

 

[Bobisz]

Connect the triangles to the 5.1 AV receiver and use it for music also.

Thank you, but the point is to NOT use the avr for music.

 

[Pogre]

Why tho? An avr is just as capable for music as any stereo receiver.

 

[ryanosaur]

In short, what you are asking about is HT Bypass:

What Is a Home Theater Bypass?

Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com Q I have a Denon A/V receiver hooked up to a 5.1-channel speaker system. The setup works fine for movies, but every now and then I want to listen to good ol’ stereo recordings ( I have a modest collection of CDs stored as...

www.soundandvision.com

I would argue that it is an unnecessary complexity. My Marantz does quite well working in stereo, for example. I’ve felt no need for an extra box.
To each their own.

 

[Trell]

My Denon AVR works fine for stereo, and most stereo integrated amps does not have room correction if want to use that.

 

[Bobisz]

I have a Cambridge Audio CXA80 with a turntable hooked up for music, which is incomparable with the budget sony AVR that I'm using for movies/gaming.

Yes, I'm sure I could find a multi-thousand dollar AVR that matches the musical qualities of the CA, but i'm not playing in that league unfortunately

Wish the CA had the HT bypass...

 

[Trell]

I paid around $1000 for my Denon AVR-X4200W some years ago, and for me I wouldn't use an AVR that did not properly drive my speakers in both stereo and multichannel. Especially as I like to listen to multichannel SACD. Besides, the speakers and the room is what influences the sound the most; amplifiers not so much (assuming within specs).

 

[Pogre]

I paid around $1000 for my Denon AVR-X4200W some years ago, and for me I wouldn't use an AVR that did not properly drive my speakers in both stereo and multichannel. Especially as I like to listen to multichannel SACD. Besides, the speakers and the room is what influences the sound the most; amplifiers not so much (assuming within specs).

Right. There's no magic in stereo amps that make them superior. My $899 (discounted) avr sounds just as good for music as my separate amp or any stereo receiver I've heard.

 

[Pogre]

I have a Cambridge Audio CXA80 with a turntable hooked up for music, which is incomparable with the budget sony AVR that I'm using for movies/gaming.

Yes, I'm sure I could find a multi-thousand dollar AVR that matches the musical qualities of the CA, but i'm not playing in that league unfortunately

Wish the CA had the HT bypass...

Which model avr and stereo receiver do you have? I think most midrange avrs have plenty of power and good DACs and don't cost multiple thousands of dollars. Especially if you're okay with previous models and/or refurbs. I've had great experiences dealing with AC4L (still using my 5 yr old SR6011 I bought for $899 with a free 3 year warranty). Sometimes they'll run specials that include that 3 year warranty for free. Most of them also have a full set of preouts and some form of room correction too. With a full set of preouts you can add a separate amp should you choose down the road.

 

[PENG]

Which model avr and stereo receiver do you have?

Great question! He did say it's a 5.1 AVR so probably an older model, that in fact can benefit from his CXA80.

If it is something like your SR6011, then I agreed trying to use the integrated is a lot of work for no sound quality improvement even for the subjectivists who believe in sound signatures referred to as warm, musical or whatever.

In fact I like Cambridge for the fact that the did not contribute to those hearsay myth about "signatures" other than just being transparent, or to strive for transparency. Their marketing simply claimed:

About us - Cambridge Audio CA

"Cambridge Audio want to save the world from poop sound. We want you to hear your music at it’s very best, as the artist intended it to be heard, with nothing added, nothing taken away. That’s what we’ve always wanted because that’s what music lovers like us deserve. It’s why we we’re constantly experimenting, solving problems and creating new kit. It’s why we’ve been doing what we do for the last 50 years. It’s why we’re always trying to make the listening experience better. Pure."

So that means we can evaluate their products by examining their published specs and measurements. No wonder my Cambridge audio sounds the same to me as a AVR-X3400H.

 

[Eppie]

Hi All!

As I have briefly summarized in the title, I'd like to ask all the wise ones of the forums if the following scenario is possible at all?

I have two separate audio systems:

- a stereo integrated amp with a pair of Triangles for music listening
- an 5.1 AVR with a set of 5.1 speakers for movies & gaming

Is there any means (maybe a switch of some kind?) which would allow me to use my Triangles for both of the systems?
Eg: in position (a) the speakers would connect to my stereo amp, while in position (b) the speakers would connect to my AVR's front L/R speaker connectors.

Given the replies I received in the thread, a clarification: No thank you, I don't want to listen to my music on an AVR. I'm coming from there

Many thanks in advance!

To answer your question, yes, it is possible. This is the only switch I found that specifically states that you can use one amp and two speaker sets or two amps and one speaker set.
https://www.russound.com/products/connectivity-and-control/speaker-selectors/dual-speaker-dual-source/ab-2-2-table-top-dual-source-speaker-selector
This is an important distinction. Because you are using two amps, it has to be a switch that uses a break-then-make connection. That is, it must break the old connection before making the new connection, otherwise you risk damaging your gear. If the above switch allows 2 amps then that should be the case. Other thing you need to check is the power rating, which should meet or exceed your highest power amp. This switch is rated at 150W RMS per channel. Also, it should only be used with solid state amps. Solid state amps can handle an open (no speaker connection) on the speaker terminals but it is not recommended to run tube amps with no load.

 

[lovinthehd]

Why not just use the integrated as a power amp (assuming your avr has pre-outs) if it has such special qualities, or is it particularly in the pre-amp section where the magic happens? Personally I'm more in the just use your avr crowd, and would suspect setup or simply bias rather than a particular issue with the electronics. Just what particular avr, integrated amp and speakers are we talking about?

 

[Express1]

I use a Dynavox Amp-s to switch my front speakers between my AVR and my stereo amp.

 

[sterling shoote]

Sidebar: If you have a nice stereo preamp, like a Parasound P6, you can connect an AVR to its bypass. Why? So, you can enjoy multi-channel home theatre utilizing your stereo systems speakers and amplification for front channels, as well as sub.