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Need Help with Technical Question

Hi everyone. I need help with a technical question, and I'm hoping the collective genius of this group can help me out.

We are downsizing our living quarters, and moving from a house to an apartment. This means I can no longer have the home theater system in one room, and the stereo system in another room.

What I'd like to do is have my home theater receiver and my Plinius 8200 MkII integrated amp both connected to my main speakers (Snell B Minor). Since the Snell speakers are equipped for bi-wiring, I can have the home theater receiver connected to one pair of speaker terminals, and have the Plinius connected to the other pair of speaker terminals. I would use the Snells' jumper strips connecting the two pair of speaker terminals.

I turn off the home theater receiver when it's not in use, but I leave the Plinius on all the time. Is it possible that I will damage the Plinius by having it on, and connected to the speakers, when the home theater receiver is on and powering the speakers?

Thanks, everyone, for your advice.

Paul Frumkin
paul_frumkin
7 responses Add your response
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
If I understand, what you are talking about doing is not bi-wire, it is bi-amp. Bi-wire only uses one amp. Bi-amp with that setup as you describe it will not be good. If you do a search on high quality two channel with hometheater setup you will find many answers and ways to do this.
stehno
1,453 posts
 
What ever you are thinking of doing here Paul, I disagree with your intended execution and believe you are asking for problems.

My advice would be to part with all of your lesser quality surround equipment but keep your best 2-channel equipment including the dvd player and sub.

This way you are surely downsizing, yet you have not compromised in the least in the quality of sonics and hence your enjoyment.

-IMO
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
Are you talking about having two different sources of power running in to one pair of speakers??? Don't do it, if I understand what yop are contemplating.
mitch2
3,969 posts
 
Not a good idea without damaging something. A better move would be to purchase one of the available high quality two channel preamps with a HT pass through. Look at BAT preamps, Muse 3 sig, and at a lower price point, Adcom GFP750. There are others which you could find by doing a search on this site, or by asking. That way, you can run your front speakers from the Plinius, and the ctr and surrounds from you HT receiver. By using a preamp with a pass through (or unity gain), the HT receiver still controls the volume for everything when using HT. Good luck.
lazarus28
339 posts
 
you don't have to do any of the ideas listed above - just do this - connect your front speakers to your music preamp and have your HT receiver running to an input on your music pre. set it at a set volume (like 9:00 position, or whatever) whenever using it for home theater, and balance the other channels around that. that way, the receiver is just another input on the music pre. DON'T listen to anyone who says the two can't be integrated - they can. i do this as well.

the only problem i ran into was that i had a large tv inbetween my front speakers and it collapsed my soundstage and ruined my imaging - so i got a front projector instead. :-)
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
Paul,
Call Vinnie at Plinius and tell him exactly what you want to do.
He is a good guy and will help.
Actually, a diagram is the safest way to proceed with any kind of discussion regarding wiring.
Leaving the Plinius on, per se, is not a problem, since it is designed to be left on. But the exact parameters of your question are best referred to the US Distributor, Vinnie Galbo, in the form of that specific drawing.
If the distribution has changed contact Plinius directly with the diagram. (Their web is on the net obviously) The designers are good men and extremely helpful. They will not take you in the wrong directon.
Good Luck,
Larry R. Staples
theaudiotweak
2,797 posts
 
Both amps would be connected together with the speaker crossover and drivers as the mutual connnection. You will damage both amps..Tom
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