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What is the best way to add a 5:1 system

Ok..totally new in this forum but not new to Mac equipment. Just got my first new system in 30 yrs.! MC 402, C46, MVP 871, 4 B&W speakers. Still using my MR77 tuner and an older turntable for present. Planning on picking up a sub soon as well. This has led me to consider setting myself up for some 5:1 down the road. I know I need a center speaker and 3 more channels of amplification, but not sure how best to integrate this with current set up. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. It was reading much of the discussion on this forum that led me to choose the new system.

regards to all
rroderick
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dbphd
1,628 posts
 
Regardless of what I wrote in my previous post, I actually use my Proceed Amp 3 for LCR, with 14' XLR lines running from the PAV/PDSD pre/pro to the amps. The amp sits between the LR speakers and behind the center speaker. In stereo mode, of course, the center amp is inactive. The Amp 2 sits next to the rack and drives the surrounds.

I have no idea what a used 3 channel equivalent of the MC 402 might cost on Audiogon.

db
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dbphd
1,628 posts
 
rr,

Well, I see a MC 303-3 on Audiogon for $7K, so bd's suggestion of buying a mono amp for the center looks attractive. I assume your B&Ws are inefficient and require lots of power.

db
rroderick OP
4 posts
 
Thanks Dp,

Saw that add as well! This addition will need to wait a bit but thanks for the heads up!

Still curious if anyone has thought through a way to add a 5:1 amp for that purpose yet keep my current arrangement intact without swapping cables. (see previous post regarding selector boxes)

The B&W's can handle much power, but surprisingly they have full dynamic range with much less power than expected. Plus I must live in the same house with my very understanding wife!

Happy listening,
RR
bdgregory
1,712 posts
 
RR, your speaker switch should work fine. The only concern I would have is what it does to the sound quality of your MC202.
mds's avatar
mds
119 posts
 
If Stereo is you main concern, I would purchase a surround receiver for listening to movies and save your equipment for stereo. It can get very expensive trying to do 5 channels of high quality sound just to watch movies.
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