converting to 2- channel

leftwinger57

HI guys, I'm new to the forum and hope I do this right. I decided that I wasn't all that impressed w/ or didn't want to invest in in movies, so I went back to 2 ch stereo. I got an Adcom gfa 555 200w amp some c/l infinitys and wanted to use my Yamaha rx665a/v for the pre. Well after multiple back and forths w/ Yamaha they said because the Adcom had no vol control I needed an indy pre-amp. Not what I had intened or what I was told. I did get an Onkkyo pre at a garage sale , but still don't like the fact I can't use the
Yamaha. All works well and the Adcom is a beast.

h/t
Yamaha rx v665
Klipsch 500 spks
Denon 1920 dvd
2-ch
Adcom-gfa555
Infinity sm112s
Onkyo p-103 pre-amp

fishbones

Welcome to CP!
Well, you have a pretty good amp already. Why do you want to keep using recievers for a preamp? Depending on this answer....my recommendation is to go tubes on the pre. I have noticed a world of difference between SS and tube pre. Tube was waaaaay better sounding - more open, smoother, non-fatiguing. Plus, you have horns - they love tubes!

Oh, and if you hang around here awhile, you'll probably want Polk SDA's - I'm converted....ohmshala ohmshala ohmshala

coolsax

not sure what yamaha was telling you, but I currently use my 665, as pre with my parasound 2 channel amp.. I have it hooked up to the main L&R pre outs and it works just fine, so you should still be able to use it as a pre if you wish, though i'll be honest even if its older and cheaper the Onk pre is probably a better sound pre since it that's its main purpose.. 2 channel.

bluecomet

I would go with a dedicated pre amp weather it is a quality SS or Tube pre. I am not familar with that Yamaha model but if it has pre outs I am not sure why you could not use it in stereo mode for 2 channel. Try it you may like it. Hook up your adcom to your pre out mains. It should work. I have no idea why Yamaha reps would tell you it won't work. It makes no sense.

steveinaz

Welcome to the dark side. I'll go surround right after I grow 3.5 more ears.

leftwinger57

thanks for the welcome and advice . I never thought I'd get the response I

fishbones

Some other things to consider, is how you have your speakers positioned. I am also switching from a HT system back to my roots of 2 channel. During HT setup, I did speaker placement according to family freindliness instead of sound, thinking the SQ wouldn't be as important with HT as 2 channel.

When I converted back, the first thing I did was start experimenting with placement of speakers through A+B listening sessions, and maaaaan oh man did it make a difference! I knew it would from past experience, but it still wows me how drastic the SQ changes just by moving speakers around.

leftwinger57

my Infinitys are in a totally different config than h/t in same room. thanks again

leftwinger57

Hello again, todays minor problem is my new/old speakers.
I a pair of pristine Infinity SM112s and as all the reveiws I
have read the bass bottom end is well not of the deepest .
I do have a Klipsch 8in sub doing nothing and was wondering
if there was any way to incorperate into the system.

leftwinger57

HI, again, I'm dealing w/ the pre -amp issue and it's not that
terrible.Todays question goes like this, my new/ old Infintys
are not the most bottom heavy spkrs. I've read many reveiws
and I would agree.Keep in mind I paid $45 for a pristine pair,so
is there any way to incorperate my Klpsch sub some how.

.

steveinaz

Want my opinion? Ditch the sub and work on speaker placement to enhance bass if necessary. There are 2 kinds of bass; tuneful and boomy. Accurate bass is sometimes mistaken for "too little" bass. I remember the SM112's well, as a fellow soldier had them in the barracks when I was stationed in Germany in the 80's.

fishbones

Sounds familiar....

fishbones wrote: »

Some other things to consider, is how you have your speakers positioned.

Also, using the reciever as a pre, I'm sure is robbing bass from your speakers.

steveinaz

I tried to integrate an SVS into my 2-channel years ago; did all the freq sweeps, had it set "optimally" blah, blah, blah---it still sounded overly boomy and like 1 note bass. I later sold the SVS. I couldn't get a satisfying mix out of it.

cfrizz

I always use my subs with music. Speakers do have their limitations on how low they can go & they miss a lot in the music because of it. So if you have a sub use it.

Steve, an SVS sub really is geared for movies. He should get a smaller sub that will simply enhance the music.

leftwinger57

I know that the whole idea of forums is to
exchange info and opinions.I've received both
and things will stay the way they are. Thanks