This subject has been covered before, but to give you a quick answer, any tube preamp with a spare input will serve your HT system when connected as follows:
Connect the stand alone Dolby 5.1 processor (or whatever version) as instructed. But rather than connecting the front channel output from that converter to the front channel amps, instead choose a spare input on the preamp. Connect the main outs of the tube preamp to the amps driving the front or main speakers.
Some preamps even have a input marked as "video" making is easy to remember.
Each time you watch movies, choose the same volume setting on the preamp ( 12:00 O'clock? ), and set up the surround volumes for all the channels based on that standard.
There is nothing to do for music except enjoy the preamp as normal. For movies simply select that "video" input and set to the same (predetermined) volume as before and go for it.
This method is especially good for those who are biased toward music, as there is no need to move the cables or disconnect power to get back to the music.
Connect the stand alone Dolby 5.1 processor (or whatever version) as instructed. But rather than connecting the front channel output from that converter to the front channel amps, instead choose a spare input on the preamp. Connect the main outs of the tube preamp to the amps driving the front or main speakers.
Some preamps even have a input marked as "video" making is easy to remember.
Each time you watch movies, choose the same volume setting on the preamp ( 12:00 O'clock? ), and set up the surround volumes for all the channels based on that standard.
There is nothing to do for music except enjoy the preamp as normal. For movies simply select that "video" input and set to the same (predetermined) volume as before and go for it.
This method is especially good for those who are biased toward music, as there is no need to move the cables or disconnect power to get back to the music.