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HT and 2 channel in same room? 1 or 2 systems?

Hi all, I wasn't exactly sure where to post this but hoping someone here may have some advice for me.  This dilemma has been stressing me a bit so would appreciate any advice.  I'll try to make this as concise as possible.

I have recently put together a multichannel system as do a lot of movies/PS5.  System is Onkyo RZ50 AVR, Klipsch RF7-iii, RC-64iii and RP-600 for surround.  I plan on adding in ATMOS speakers and some big DIY subs soon.

I have always wanted to get into 2 channel audio also.  I have a fairly big room, 21x28, so I have also purchased a 5 year old pair of La Scala II's a few weeks ago and I just had a Willsenton R300 tube integrated amp delivereda day or two ago.

I thought at first I would have 2 separate systems in the same space.  I started doing some research into how to add a sub to that tube amp and found out I can do this via high level inputs, however, for every 1 discussion that seems to like that idea, I find another discussion or two that says you really need RCA out/bass management to make everything fit together.

So..my dilemma is do I push forward with 2 separate systems?  I'll have to find a way to fit another pair of subs for the 2 channel system via high level.  But this way I'll be able to enjoy the La Scala's via tube (thru Bluesound Node streamer) which I have been really looking forward to and then have a whole separate HT for gaming/movies.

But.....more than a few people have suggested this might be way over-thinking and over-complicating this and that I should just listen to music thought my multi-channel setup and forget the 2 separate systems.  If I did this, I guess I would just sell the RF7's and just listen to everything through the La Scalas.  And then I'd only need 2 subs, which would be a plus but then also kind of lose the dream of having a tube setup for music.  However, I have more often than not done upgrades and not heard any difference so I'm kind of expecting this with the tubes, too.  I have alot of hard surfaces in this room, which I'm working on rectifying, but I am def worried that if I hook up this tube amp, its not going to sound any different to me than going via Pure Audio/Direct thru the AVR.

So plusses to keeping separate, I get to listen to tubes.  Plusses to going down to 1 system, I can consolidate and sell extra set of speakers, only need 1 set of subs, get to return the tube amp.  I'm just not sure if saying I have tubes is worth that or not.

Appreciate any advice anyone may have on this situation.

128x128johns21

Showing 1 response by carlsbad

carlsbad's avatar
carlsbad
1,551 posts
 

@johns21  I recently went through this and think I've nailed it.  Of course the best option is to have 2 rooms but most of us don't have that luxury.

To put them in the same room, here is my strategy:  build your 2 channel system exactly like you like it.  with a couple of caveats.  your amp needs to have an HT bypass or just 2 inputs.  the way I do it is I use an integrated amp with the volume turned all the way up.  So it is becomes an amp with multiple inputs.  I run my preamp into one of them and this is my 2 channel system.   Note that most volume controls for integrated amps have a contact at full volume that fully bypasses the potentiometer or resistive ladder, whichever you have.

For my HT system, I run all the surrounds and center from the HT receiver but for the fronts I run a pre-out signal from the HT receiver to the 2 channel receiver (different input from the 2 channel preamp). 

Set up levels in the HT amp just like you normally would.  Now to go back and forth between HT and 2 channel you just select an input.

This is basicly HT bypass and if you have an integrated with HT bypass it works the same.  A lot of people think that ht bypass is a compromise and puts extra circuits into the signal path for your 2 channel system. You can see that it doesn't.

Jerry

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