Several of the Musical Fidelity line of integrated amps have HT "Bypass" - they call it HT Direct.
My MF A5 Integrated Amp has an input specifically called "HT Direct".
Works great for my combo setup for HT and Music. |
Thanks for the recommendations Dtc, I will look these all up. |
I have done some reading on integrateds and some do have HT bypass that goes to the internal amps. There is a distinction that some companies make between a unity gain circuit, which passes through the pre-amp to the amp section but has a fixed gain of 1 and a home theater bypass, which is just a direct path to the amp section of the integrated, bypassing the pre-amp section of the integrated completely. (Some have what I am used to - a home theater bypass that passes the signal to a separate external amp, but that is another issue.)
However, I am not sure there are any under $2K hybrids with either type of HT input. I think the $4K Peachtree has that function, but is out of your price range. It also uses a tube buffer rather than an active tube preamp.
David12 - I have a Pathos Classic One hybrid, but I am pretty sure it does not have any sort of HT bypass.
PrimaLuna has a pure tube integrated (Dialogue One) with a direct pass through to the amps. But it is pure tubes, not hybrid. Nice unit, however.
On the pure SS side, Naim is often matched with Totem. The Sttaf would work well with the Naim Nat 5i2 which does have a unity gain input. Don't worry about the 50 watt output. It drives the Sttaf well.
Good luck. |
Definitely just a matter of terminology, as HT bypass and HT pass through get used regardless of how it is actually implemented, and may be even be called HT direct or A/V direct. In one case, an input is switchable between AUX and HT, implying selecting a fixed or unity gain. Another case is a dedicated input for HT, implying a true pass through. I have seen both of these scenarios on preamps and integrated amps. I actually have an integrated amp with the HT dedicated input, and the manual states it is a direct connection to the power amp, therefore a true HT bypass.
Jpg1975, after doing some research for a hybrid integrated with HT bypass, I could not find anything for your budget. So, heres another idea. As we discussed in your other thread, you will also need a DAC. How using the Jolida FX Tube DAC with a nice SS integrated amp? |
Bdgregory - We are in sync. I followed the other thread, although not in great detail. I think it is partially a matter of terminology, but I just wanted to clarify that I do not think he is looking for an integrated with a traditional HT bypass, but rather an integrated with a fixed input. |
Dtc - I follow you . . . he currently has an Integra HT Receiver, and is not satisfied with the music only (stereo) performance. He ran another thread questioning whether adding 2 outboard amps would improve this. The net of the thread is he would be better off going with a separate 2 channel pure analog rig and run his Integra through it (via bypass) for HT use (ie driving the Totem's as his Main speakers. He prefers an integrated for space reasons. So in the proposed scenario, he would connect his Integra Main L/R outputs to a HT (or unity gain) input on a TBD integrate. The idea is to either bypass the preamp section completely and use just the power amp section, or at least bypass the preamp volume control and use the power amp section. The more common setup for this approach is separate preamp and power amp. |
Jpg1975 - HT bypass means that the signal comes into the pre-amp and passes through to the amps without any change. In the case of an integrated (preamp plus amp), it seems you are using the amps in the integrated, not separate amps, so do not need a bypass. It sounds what you are asking about for is an integrated that has a fixed level input, not a pass through.
Bdgregory - my confusion is why you would use an 2 channel integrated to drive separate amps. If you have separate amps, all you need is a pre-amp. If he truly wants a hybrid amp but wants to bypass the amp section of an integrated when playing movies, that is a different scenario. But, that also means he now has 2 connections to the speakers, one from the integrated and one from the separate amps, which creates another set of problems, unless he has 2 sets of main speakers. Sorry, the idea of mixing the integrated and the separate amps is throwing me off. |
2 manufacturers making hybrid integrated amps come to mind, there may well be others, LSA and Pathos. I had great hopes for LSA when I read reviews of them, but was quite disappointed when I auditioned a second hand LSA Statement.
I have a Pathos Inpol2, which I am very happy with indeed. Not very powerful, 50 Class A watts, but very detailed and refined sound. The company do a range of Class A amps, the Classic, TT or Twin towers and Inpol2, in order of power and cost. They also do a more powerful Logos Class A/B amp, which I don't think is in the same league. |
Unity Gain is one way that mfg's implement HT bypass. The point is he wants to be able to use his integrated to drive his front mains when using his HT receiver TV/HT. Otherwise it's used stand alone for music. |
Hmm, some Musical Fidelity preamps were hybrids. Maybe some of their integrateds are also hybrids? My kW preamp is hybrid with an HT pass thru, and a tape loop. |
Dtc what is a unity gain or fixed gain input and how will it let me resolve the issue I explained in the previous thread? |
Why do you want an integrated with HT bypass? That sounds like a pre-amp. What is being bypassed?
From your other thread it seems like what you really want is a hybrid integrated with a unity gain or fixed gain input. |
By the way I forgot to say that my speakers are Totem Sttaf's with a Totem Storm sub. |
