Looking for some advice related to a remodel, for a system used both for HT and music:
Current pieces include a Rotel 1066 PrePro, a Panasonic DVD-CP72 changer, a Panasonic TH-50PX25U/P (with HDMI input), and digital cable is offered up via a General Instrument DCT2244 box. Speakers will be a standard 5.1 setup (w/powered sub), and amplification TBD. I also have an old VCR that sees occasional use. And because the Rotel is capable of switching between different zones, I'll be making it part of an outdoor speaker system.
One gotcha is that the main electronics area will be over 30 ft. away from the front speakers and plasma screen. I've got subfloor conduit running between the two areas. It won't be possible to locate any of the signal sources closer to the plasma/front speakers.
So questions:
1) Should I power the fronts (at least the mains) with monoblock amps, keeping the amp-speaker connection short and the pre/pro-amp interconnects long (for best music quality)? If so, can the other speakers be driven from amps colocated with the pre/pro and other stuff?
2) What inter-equipment connections would you suggest for the most flexibility and highest signal quality? Any suggestions on cable types/mfrs?
3) Looking forward a couple of years when everything has HDMI connections (where I assume a single cable goes from every source to a switching pre/pro type box which interconnects to output devices (amps/speakers, screen, recorders), anything I should be aware of to make that transition as easy as possible?
Thanks!
BB
