How to incorporat a preamp with no hometheater pass through into a home theater syste
Dawgfish
Posts: 2,554
Hello everyone,
I've recently bought a 2 channel music preamp and I'm very happy with it. The only problem is my preamp doesn't have a hometheater pass through option and I don't have the room right now to have a fulltime seperate two channel system. I know the obvious answer is to buy a preamp with home theater pass through, which is eventually what I'm going to do, but money is tight right now. Does anyone have any ideas on how I might be able to incorporate this into my current home theater system?
I have thought about buying two additional Y-connectors and place them at the inputs of the amp pushing my front mains, with one set coming from my avr and the other from my preamp. I don't know if this is a good idea or not or if it would even work or worse cause damage to my components? If it did work would I lose fiedlity using the y-connector? Is there an rca switching device that I could use instead and simply switch inputs going to the amp?
My preamp does have a tone defeat function which allows it to operate in passive mode. I thought about running the preouts from my front mains of the avr into the aux or video input of the preamp and using it in passive mode when watching tv or movies. I then realized that I would still have to use the volume control of the preamp, so this is obviously no good.
I also thought about running the main outs from the preamp to the aux input on my avr and then running the avr in "Pure Direct" mode. This seems like it may not be a bad option but I don't know if this will still "color" any signal I have coming from the preamp.
What I am trying to do is maximize the music potential of my system, using the preamp to handle my CD player and turntable sources and the avr to handle the tv, dvd, and blue ray functions while keeping everything in one neat package.
Any thoughts out there? I really need some help with this one. Thanks in advance.
Steve
I've recently bought a 2 channel music preamp and I'm very happy with it. The only problem is my preamp doesn't have a hometheater pass through option and I don't have the room right now to have a fulltime seperate two channel system. I know the obvious answer is to buy a preamp with home theater pass through, which is eventually what I'm going to do, but money is tight right now. Does anyone have any ideas on how I might be able to incorporate this into my current home theater system?
I have thought about buying two additional Y-connectors and place them at the inputs of the amp pushing my front mains, with one set coming from my avr and the other from my preamp. I don't know if this is a good idea or not or if it would even work or worse cause damage to my components? If it did work would I lose fiedlity using the y-connector? Is there an rca switching device that I could use instead and simply switch inputs going to the amp?
My preamp does have a tone defeat function which allows it to operate in passive mode. I thought about running the preouts from my front mains of the avr into the aux or video input of the preamp and using it in passive mode when watching tv or movies. I then realized that I would still have to use the volume control of the preamp, so this is obviously no good.
I also thought about running the main outs from the preamp to the aux input on my avr and then running the avr in "Pure Direct" mode. This seems like it may not be a bad option but I don't know if this will still "color" any signal I have coming from the preamp.
What I am trying to do is maximize the music potential of my system, using the preamp to handle my CD player and turntable sources and the avr to handle the tv, dvd, and blue ray functions while keeping everything in one neat package.
Any thoughts out there? I really need some help with this one. Thanks in advance.
Steve
Post edited by Dawgfish on
Comments
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Just use one of the inputs on your preamp for your avr. I did this for awhile and it works perfect. You'll need to calibrate your avr volume. You'll be using the preamp volume as the master volume when using HT and the avr volume will stay the same.
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Ern Dog,
Thanks for the input but there most be something I'm missing here. How can the preamp be acting as the master volume for my home theater setup when I'm using a two channel preamp and my home theater is a 7.1 system? My preamp does not have preouts for a 5.1 or 7.1 system configuration. It simply has two sets of stereo preouts (speaker A and speaker B configuration). In this configuration, I can only picture the preamp volume working for the front mains and not the rest of the amps/speakers. Is there something I am confused about? That's very easily done with me so I wouldn't be surprised. -
I think you are confusing speaker outputs with pre-outs. Different things. Your AVR would need pre-outs for the front speakers which you would connect to an input on your pre such as AUX or CD or whatever.
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What is a "hometheater pass through option"?Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
What is a "hometheater pass through option"?
That's a good question? I don't know what that is either...and if there is such a thing...why would one need it?
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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Hmmm, those "speaker cables" look an awful lot like Mon$&#* C@&(#& ...
So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?
http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/ -
So that has a 'name'...you could hook up any pre-amp that way, passive pre or not.
But OK.
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
I originally drew that to explain my setup to someone, hence the notation "passive pre".
FYI, my passive does have a HT Bypass though.
No Monster crap in that rig, funny thing is, those speaker cables are probably cheaper than half of Monster's offerings. "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche -
I guess I am dense, but, for me, the drawing does not answer the question. All I see is using 2-channel out for DVDs. That is what I did with my first DVD player when all I had was a 2-channel integrated amp. Why is that called "hometheater pass through option"?Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
The purpose of HT bypass is to make it easier to integrate a dedicated 2-channel pre into an HT environment. When the "bypass" is enabled, the signal coming- from the AVR goes right through the preamp without the preamp affecting the volume level.
When listening to 2-channel, the AVR can be shut off and the signal flows from CD => PRE => AMP.
When listening to HT, the AVR is on and the signal flows from DVD => AVR => PRE => AMP, but the PRE just passes the signal right through without any processing and does not alter the signal in any way.
Without an HT bypass, since both the preamps volume and the AVR volume both combine to affect the signal, not only are you degrading the sound quality (because the signal is flowing through 2 volume pots), but you also need to move the preamps volume control to some predetermined setting that ensure that the HT's speaker volume levels are set correctly.
In a nutshell, HT bypass provides the cleanest signal for both 2-channel and HT, and makes it easier to ensure consistent speaker volume levels in HT.Speakers: Polk LSi15
Pre: Adcom GFP-750 with HT Bypass
Amp: Pass Labs X-150
CD/DVD Player: Classe CDP-10
Interconnects: MIT Shortgun S3 Pro XLR
Speaker cables: MIT MH-750 bi-wire
TT:Micro Seiki DD-35
Cartridge:Denon DL-160
Phono Pre:PS Audio GCPH -
Okay. That makes sense. I need to check my AVR manual to see if that is supported, although I have no need at this time for that feature.Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
Okay. That makes sense. I need to check my AVR manual to see if that is supported, although I have no need at this time for that feature.
The AVR just needs pre-outs. It's the pre-amp where that feature is supported or not supported.Speakers: Polk LSi15
Pre: Adcom GFP-750 with HT Bypass
Amp: Pass Labs X-150
CD/DVD Player: Classe CDP-10
Interconnects: MIT Shortgun S3 Pro XLR
Speaker cables: MIT MH-750 bi-wire
TT:Micro Seiki DD-35
Cartridge:Denon DL-160
Phono Pre:PS Audio GCPH -
The AVR just needs pre-outs. It's the pre-amp where that feature is supported or not supported.
Okay. I got you. It is the pre-amps volume control being circumvented and not the AVR's. I checked my Cambridge-Audio 840E manual, and it has a "fixed level gain" option for any input that provides the home theater pass through ability. Learn something new every day. Thanks.Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
Ern Dog,
Thanks for the input but there most be something I'm missing here. How can the preamp be acting as the master volume for my home theater setup when I'm using a two channel preamp and my home theater is a 7.1 system? My preamp does not have preouts for a 5.1 or 7.1 system configuration. It simply has two sets of stereo preouts (speaker A and speaker B configuration). In this configuration, I can only picture the preamp volume working for the front mains and not the rest of the amps/speakers. Is there something I am confused about? That's very easily done with me so I wouldn't be surprised.
So I was confused. I thought you had a seperate amp, but it sounds like you only have the avr as your amp. -
Ern Dog,
Actually I have three seperate amps and there lies the problem. I have two-three channel amps and a two channel amp incorporated into my system ( I am running two center channels which explains why I need the eigth amplified channel). Configuring it the way I think you are telling me, the preamp volume would only affect the front two channels, while the rest of the speaker volumes would still be controlled with the avr. Thus it would make it hard to balance the volume between the front mains and the rest of the speakers while watching tv or movies. This is what I am envisioning if I set it up like you suggested. Again I may be wrong on this and if I am I will be happy to admit so (especailly since it will solve my problem).
I am thinking the best way to hook this up with my current pre is to run the main outs of the preamp to the auxillary input of the avr. The cdp and turntable will be connected to the preamp and hd cable box and blue ray player will be connected to the avr. I will turn the AVR to the aux input and listen in pure direct mode when listening to music. Theoretically that will pass the signal coming from the preamp through the avr with as little post processing from the avr as possible (even though I know this still has to affect the signal at least a little bit). Set-up in this fashion, master volume will be controlled by the avr and this will allow greater volume control while watching tv, movies and other multi channel formats. I know this is somewhat of a compromise, but I am going to try this and see how it works. If anybody has any better ideas, I am more than happy to listen. Thanks in advance. -
Why bother if you have to run the signal through your AVR?"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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Because I don't have the room to run a stand alone two channel system right now. In the future I hope to have the room and/or a pramp with HT pass through. I'm just looking at something to get me by until then.
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I would replace your two channel pre with one that has HT Bypass. I agree that it's silly to have two separate rigs in the same room, or even on the same rack."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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I would replace your two channel pre with one that has HT Bypass. I agree that it's silly to have two separate rigs in the same room, or even on the same rack.
That is my ultimate plan and solution to the problem. Things have been tight though and I don't have the funds to justify a new or used pre with HT pass-through unless one comes along at a really good price. I'm just trying to make the most of what I have for the time being until I can get what I really want and ultimely solve the problem.
