5.1 with rear speakers as 2.1

O

OneWholeBurrito

Audiophyte
I’m expanding on my existing 2.1 stereo to build a 5.1.2 Atmos home theater system. Fairly straightforward, but there’s a caveat: My existing 2 bookshelf speakers are in a stereo configuration on my desk, behind my couch. They’re going to be the rear surrounds for my 5.1.2. However I’d also like to be able to use them as as a stand-alone 2.1 system when I’m at my desk (not simultaneously with the 5.1.2).

The folks at Best Buy’s Magnolia home theater department are telling me that I can get a 9 channel receiver (Marantz SR7012), hook everything up normally, the add an additional set of wires from the powered zone 2 outputs on the Marantz to the rear speakers. Thus I have 5.1.2 sound when zone 1 is on and 2.1 sound when zone 2 is on.

My questions: Will this work? Any potential issues I should be aware of? Is there a better way to do this?

Thanks!
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
5.1.2 doesn't use rear surrounds, that comes with a 7ch base, 5 ch base simply uses surrounds (side).

Don't know that the sub pre-outs would be active for zone 2 when main zone isn't active...I don't think I'd like an avr that would have the subs going from main zone when I'm not using main zone.....but maybe there's a combo in amp assign features in Denon/Marantz avrs that would meet your needs, hopefully someone else can confirm other than salespeople at BB. I have some other options for running a second set of mains in amp assign (I have a Denon 4520), something like that might work for you. Reviewing the manuals amp assign sections may be a good way to flesh it out.
 
O

OneWholeBurrito

Audiophyte
Thanks for your reply. I know that a traditional 5 channel set up uses side surrounds instead of rear, but unfortunately side surrounds won't fit in my space = (. I'm hoping rear surrounds will be a decent approximation. (Open to suggestions)

You bring up a good point about the subwoofer, I'd probably have to splice that into zone 2 like the bookshelf speakers (cables from zone 1 pre-out and zone 2 pre-out both going into the sub).

I've poured over the manual for the Marantz, and it can do what I'm asking it too. However in the normal case the zone 2 speakers and sub would be an actual separate set of speakers. Mainly wondering if I'm going to run into any issues having multiple connections from the avr going into one speaker.

Thanks!
 
selden

selden

Audioholic
Thanks for your reply. I know that a traditional 5 channel set up uses side surrounds instead of rear, but unfortunately side surrounds won't fit in my space = (. I'm hoping rear surrounds will be a decent approximation. (Open to suggestions)
When you have a 5.0 or 5.1 speaker configuration, the rear-most speakers are connected to the Surround speaker posts, not to the Rear Surround speaker posts. It doesn't matter where you have to place them physically. The Rear Surround speaker channels are used only for 7.0 or 7.1 speaker configurations. If you use the Rear Surround connections but have only 5 speakers, the receiver will complain and will refuse to use them.
You bring up a good point about the subwoofer, I'd probably have to splice that into zone 2 like the bookshelf speakers (cables from zone 1 pre-out and zone 2 pre-out both going into the sub).

I've poured over the manual for the Marantz, and it can do what I'm asking it too. However in the normal case the zone 2 speakers and sub would be an actual separate set of speakers. Mainly wondering if I'm going to run into any issues having multiple connections from the avr going into one speaker.

Thanks!
Unfortunately, you cannot wire speakers or the sub simultaneously to two different sets of speaker binding posts or preamp outputs. Shorting the receiver's outputs together like that will damage its electronics and will "let out the magic smoke."

Instead, you'll need to get some speaker and preamp (line-level) selector switches with A/B inputs and use them to change the speaker configuration. They're often used in A/V showrooms to simplify the comparison of different types of speakers or to compare different amps while driving the same speakers.

Here's a page that I found which describes some of the different types of speaker switches: https://geoffthegreygeek.com/speaker-switch-summary/
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
When you said "also" like to...

Most of what I know about wiring says you're not going to be able to have 2 sets of wires to a pair of speakers or sub.
 
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