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.
I’ll take a look again at HT bypass. There are many ways to integrate a two channel amp or preamp in a HT. The biggest upgrade available as a general rule are room acoustics. You get the seat positioned, the speakers positioned and the room treated and it upgrades everything. However, it lacks the adrenaline rush of buying new gear so is often overlooked or not calibrated properly. |
@elliottbnewcombjr ideally, that would be best, but I just don't have anymore room. Its really in the man cave or nowhere else. Again, the room is not well treated, but really getting a lack of bass from the LS. I've only had them for a couple weeks and the sound is nice and wide, but just not anywhere near enough bass for me to really enjoy 2 channel music, I don't think. |
This may not be for many but it works for me. I don’t use my HT system that often so I didn’t want to spend a lot on it. I have a midfi Pioneer Elite 7.1 HT system that I added a nice tube DAC, streamer with optical and Fritz main speakers. Sounded really nice in analog direct amp mode. I then added a second tube amp sharing the Fritz speakers with a (2 amp to 1 speaker switch box) and moved the DAC and streamer to the tube amp. 1 amp for HT and a second amp for 2 channel. Now I can enjoy nice sounding music or HT in this room. I do have a separate main 2 channel system in another room. Nice to have options. |
@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 |
