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A couple of general Home Theater questions if I may... [message #28486] Wed, 23 February 2005 16:11 Go to next message
Mr Vinyl is currently offline  Mr Vinyl
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Registered: May 2009
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I have two stereo amps and two stereo preamps. Can these be used instead of a Home Theater preamp? In other words could I use one preamp and one amp to run the front speakers and the other preamp and amp to run the side speakers. Then all I need to figure out is a center channel. I have a subwoofer as well. How important is it that all speakers are the same? I have two matching fronts and two matching sides but front and Side speaker don't match. Also the center channel would not match either.

As you can tell I have never set up a home theater and have almost no experience with home theater. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Do you have a decoder? [message #28487 is a reply to message #28486] Wed, 23 February 2005 17:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
colinhester is currently offline  colinhester
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Location: NE Arkansas
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You need some kind of decoer to send the unique signals to each amp. Do you have a 5.1 or 7.1 preamp/decoder? If not these can be picked up pretty cheap at the usual consumer electronic stores. Look for one with pre-outs - this way you can use your own amps. Yamaha makes a really nice one for less than $400 The surround speakers should not make that much of a difference if they are not the same. I would try running w/o center channel just to see if you like it. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people that prefer phantom center.....Colin

Re: Do you have a decoder? [message #28488 is a reply to message #28487] Wed, 23 February 2005 18:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mr Vinyl is currently offline  Mr Vinyl
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Hmm, sorry for not knowing too much about this.

I thought the DVD player separated the signals to each speaker? Is this wrong? In other words my DVD player seems to have separate RCA's for left, right front and left/right sides as well as a center. Couldn't I use these outputs to each preamp?

Re: Do you have a decoder? [message #28489 is a reply to message #28488] Wed, 23 February 2005 22:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
colinhester is currently offline  colinhester
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Location: NE Arkansas
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I'm not sure why it would not work taking the line level out from your DVD into the preamps and then to amps. You might try it with, say, fronts L and R, and see what happens. With two preamps you could control the volume and balance of each channel. You would need another amp for the center, but a $20 gainclone (T path amp)from Target or Parts Express would work well.

Curious - what bramd and model of DVD player do you have?......Colin

Re: Do you have a decoder? [message #28490 is a reply to message #28489] Thu, 24 February 2005 05:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mr Vinyl is currently offline  Mr Vinyl
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Registered: May 2009
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Hi,

My DVD/SACD player is the weakest link in my system by far. It's a Phillips 963SA. I believe it has the outputs I would need but I could be wrong. I am just in the beginning stages of Home theater set up. Really just thinking about it at this point. I am a two channel "vinyl" guy as you can tell from my moniker. I was hoping to set up a home theater with the stuff I already have around the house which is the reason for my questions. Of course I wouldn't want to compromise my two channel set up. Don't all DVD/SACD players have separate outputs for left/right front, center and left/right side?

Thanks


Re: Do you have a decoder? [message #28514 is a reply to message #28490] Tue, 02 August 2005 13:47 Go to previous message
Bill Fitzmaurice is currently offline  Bill Fitzmaurice
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Registered: May 2009
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I don't know about SACD but as for DVD most have only a 2 channel output, relying upon decoding circuitry in the preamp/receiver. I personally wouldn't go without a center channel. For one thing it sounds more natural to me, but mainly I think it's best to have the same system in the home as in the studio that it was originally mixed on, and that means having a center channel. On the other hand I really don't care for the sound that music mixed to stereo has when listened to in surround.

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