My question is this: Is there a technical reason(s) with using Y stereo RCA interconnects from single music sources (CD, tuner, turntable, etc.) through two separate preamplifiers to two separate amplifiers and then to separate speaker sets. I like to have music all through the house for my family, guests, and me of course. I also like to listen to great recordings through a great stereo in the main listening room.
Backstory. Over the last few years I've put together a very nice stereo system that I have set up in the an A/V room I've set up. As I also had several decent speaker sets gathering dust in the garage, I decided to install a whole house system as well. I decided to go low tech as I have a generous crawl space to run wire. I ran five sets of wire to three rooms and two outdoor locations in the back yard. In all cases I ran a 14/4 cable to a volume control (TC-727 from MCM electronics or equal for outdoor units) and then ran 14/2 cable from the volume control to each speaker. All the cable is stranded copper rated for in wall use. My audio source devices are connected to my old Sansui preamp which sends the signals to a Dayton Audio 12 channel amp with 40 watts RMS per channel to power the five speaker sets. Two channels are not used. My so called audiophile set has it's own preamp (Cary SLP98p) that drives two mono amps (Cary CAD-500-MB) to my living room speakers (Cerius Technologies React 2). It is driven by the same CD players, tuner, turntable, etc. that drive the Sansui and Dayton Audio system. I am currently using inexpensive but decent Y stereo RCA interconnects to connect the audio source devices to both preamps. If this experiment works out I will probably replace these with better Y interconnects
Originally I used only one preamp, the Cary, which has two sets of outputs that can power two sets of amps. I found that although this worked, the Cary amps I use for the living room set up are so powerful that I had to turn the volume down for the living room to the point where the whole house system (Dayton 12 channel amp) could not be run at a volume to match the living room system. So I decided to try the Y interconnects and connect the old Sansui to the Dayton from the same audio sources, which solved the problem...until it doesn't. It seems that after an hour or two I start to hear crackling and the volume decreases with the Sansui, Dayton setup. This does not happen with the Cary, Dayton setup. This leads me to believe that the Sansui (age: 36 years) which has done yeoman service over the years is starting to finally die.
Before I invest in another preamp, I am wondering if splitting the input signals to two separate amp setups though two separate preamps is technically problematic.
PS. I tried a Russound speaker switch in the beginning but the Cary amps smoked it I think. I've toyed with the idea of just using a switch on the living room speaker wires to switch which amp(s) is driving the living room speakers: Cary for critical listening, Dayton for casual, background listening. The Dayton setup does not compare to the Cary setup though, and although I don't wholly subscribe to the speaker, interconnect, cable snake oil out there; I would rather not introduce a switch into the speaker wire to the CT React 2 speakers which really are world class.
