Home theater and 2 channel setup from same speakers?

My 2 channel preamp has a bypass where the AVR/AVP plugs in, and those go out to the 2 channel amp when the preamp is off.

When the preamp is on. Then I can select a CD or TT input.

Of course one could just run the AVR/AVP into one of the preamp inputs, and have the 2 channel preamp set to a consistent volume, and have the preamp on.

@johns21 I am running a tube pre, and currently a tube stereo amp.
The other HT channels I am using are on Class-D.

I am seriously thinking of going Class-D on the main L/R pair.
 

I am sure there are arguments both ways, but a tube pre and A/B or Class-D between them and the speakers are not a bad way to go.

Probably better is HT is used for the majority of the time. Otherwise those tubes get used up on HT where one is not listening as intently.

But horses for courses, as they say.

@sleepysurf  ^good point^  (That is exactly how mine works.)

...  The room I'm in could probably support both sets of L/R speakers but I was curious if I wanted to downsize speakers, is it possible to run a AVR and tube integrated amp without physically moving cables and such?

i would demo the new L/R speakers first to make sure that they are voiced in a way that is compatible with your existing 5.1 speakers (or the remaining 3,1 part).

it is possible that the crossover, and phase, could put a null where you want sound… particularly the center channel and the new front L/R.

9I started with 2.1, so I just went out and got used center and surrounds by the same manufacturer to avoid the issue.)

What are your existing 5,1 speakers?

@maxwave
I believe that the HT AVR (receiver) or AVP (processor) supplies either RCA or XLR outputs to the amp(s).
It is shown in the white section on photo 5 of 8 on here:

RCA inputs could take in a TT or AM/FM tuner, or something else…
But I think that the OP wanted the HT output to go THROUGH the preamp.

Then they may want RCA to XLR depending on the preamp and amp(s).
Mine are XLR from the HT, XLR at the preamp bypass, but the existing amps are RCA. Ideally those amps would be XLR.
 

I thought , the OP wanted the Tube preamp to go THROUGH the Receiver.

@maxwave i am not sure that is what the OP wants…
And they also ,mentioned new speaker in the second sentence.
 

I currently have a home theater 5 channel setup.  I would like to add a tube based system and some new speakers.  The room I'm in could probably support both sets of L/R speakers but I was curious if I wanted to downsize speakers, is it possible to run a AVR and tube integrated amp without physically moving cables and such? 

Why they want tubes, is somewhat understandable, but I would assume it is mostly to address things that could be addressed in other ways… for instance with a tube pre, and using some other topology for the amp(s).

And when I saw the HT bypass on my preamp, I started looking into what it meant.

I have a AVP, so it is pretty easy to have that go through the preamp, and the preamp relays the bypass connection when the preamp is turned off.

Mut my AVP is XLRs and the preamp bypass is XLRs. The OP has RCAs so the worst case is that they need to run the HT AVR pre-outs through the candidate integrated.

I will likely be going into amps with XLR inputs, and moving the RCA input tube amps out.
Then I will be able to use a trigger and not have to “toe poke” the amp switch on.

there are probably a few ways to skin the cat, and I have run TV output into a preamp for the TV going through a 2.1 .

Back in the prehistoric days of Dolby Prologic, I bought a B&K HT preamp and two extra amps (one for the center channel and one for the rear speakers channel).  I ultimately gave up on HT and stuck to developing my 2 channel stereo. 

Yeah - started with a well established 2.1, and layered in the HT on top of that.
I think it is easier that way, but it should be possible to start with a 5.x.