2. home-theater
  3. 1078759721

merging stereo with ht, can anyone please help?

Up until now, my audio life has been easy. In my den, a HT system utilizing Sherwood Newcastle 1m-9080 5-channel power amp and AVP-9080R preamp. In my great room, a dedicated stereo utilizing a Grant (English brand) tube preamp, Acurus stereo amp and Dunlavy II speakers. Now, baby is on the way, den is mutating into nursery, and I am trying to blend HT and stereo, with decidedly mixed results. Here's the main issues:

What I'm planning on doing is utilizing the Newcastle amp for center, rear, and subwoofer channels, and my Acurus amp for the Dunlavy fronts.

1. I want to use the Sherwood Newcastle preamp for DVD source and my Grant preamp for CDs. Can I run cables from both preamps to the Acurus amp, and connect with a Y cable into the stereo inputs? If so, will any damage ensue to any components? What happens if I mistakenly play a DVD and a CD at the same time?

2. Can I run a subwoofer cable from both preamps to the subwoofer (M&K), and use a Y connector to input to the sub? If so, will any damage ensue to any components? What happens if I mistakenly play a DVD and a CD at the same time?

Any further thoughts/ constructive criticism welcome! Thanks for your help, oh great Goners.

Regards, Ben
balthus

Showing 1 response by elevick

elevick
2,638 posts
 
Don't use Y adaptors.
Run the left and right pre amp outs from the newcastle to the tape in or aux in on the Grant. Try setting the Grant to 1/2 volume then experiment where the volume really should be to be balanced with the L/R and rears. You can either use the internal controls on the Newcastle or just remember where the Grant volume matched the newcastle.
This way, for serious listening, you can just use the Grant/Acurus/CD/ set-up. When using theater, everything will be on but ideally you will only use the newcastle volume, leaving the grant volume set at a pre-determined level.
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