The 2 ch vs. HT conundrum

[wkhanna]

I am asking for advice from the site sages now.
Due to the generosity (along with a couple of Benjamin’s) of my dearest friend, I have come into possession of a C-19 Carver pre amp.
To me, that is good news, as I temporarily hooked it up to my CDP and am in the process of listening to all of my library form A to Z as its influence has transformed my entire system.

The bad news is I have an RSP-1066 and currently two RB-980BX amps to (one each in mono) to power my front mains.

I would like to configure my system to incorporate both pre amps (the 1066 for DVD and TV and the C19 for my CDP). For the time being, I re-route the pre amp interconnects from the 1066 or C-19 depending on which source I am listening too. Major pain in the butt. If I had ‘Y’ connectors at the amps, I worry about the accidental possibility for running the source signal from both sources at the same time to my amps.

Any suggestions aside from setting up two individual systems with independent power amps?

[audioqueso]

Channel switch boxes. You could either buy one, or just make one. You know, to select source A or source B. Or you could buy a RCA splitter like this one: http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/it....&category=1167.

[alebonau]

I am asking for advice from the site sages now.
Due to the generosity (along with a couple of Benjamin’s) of my dearest friend, I have come into possession of a C-19 Carver pre amp.
To me, that is good news, as I temporarily hooked it up to my CDP and am in the process of listening to all of my library form A to Z as its influence has transformed my entire system.

The bad news is I have an RSP-1066 and currently two RB-980BX amps to (one each in mono) to power my front mains.

I would like to configure my system to incorporate both pre amps (the 1066 for DVD and TV and the C19 for my CDP). For the time being, I re-route the pre amp interconnects from the 1066 or C-19 depending on which source I am listening too. Major pain in the butt. If I had ‘Y’ connectors at the amps, I worry about the accidental possibility for running the source signal from both sources at the same time to my amps.

Any suggestions aside from setting up two individual systems with independent power amps?

ah easily done. you can have the best of both 2ch and ht. And a system many people use.

you hook up cdp to pre-amp to the power amps driving your mains.

from your ht pre-pro/avr you run a L&R RCA's from pre-out Front L & R to an input on the 2ch pre amp.

leaving the 2ch pre-amp vol level at your typical 2ch listening position you then select the input on the 2ch pre you ran the signal from the ht amp to. And calibrate levels for HT.

for 2ch listenign you just use the cdp, 2ch pre and power amps as you would.

For ht you just need to select the designated input on the 2ch pre you hooked upt ot yoru HT avr/pre-pro. And need to make sure you put the vol knob on the 2ch pre back to the postion you calibrated ht levels at.

An easy way to 'remember' the postion to put the 2ch vol knob at for ht use is maybe make a very small pencil mark at the appropriate spot, discrete and not noticeable.

So there you go ht and 2ch and setup so you can enjoy both uncompromised and with the 2 systems combined.

to remove the need to have to put the 2ch pre's vol knob in a designated position for ht, an alternative is to use a 2ch pre with ht-input/bypass... many have these now eg ones from acoustic research, krell, primare, musical fidelity, moon etc etc.

[gd]

Exactly what alebonau said.

No Y connectors, for the reason you stated.

The only mild inconvenience is minding the 2-ch pre volume when using the 1066 for multi-ch, but that is far outweighed by the jump in stereo quality.

People often lament about the inability to have a high-performance all-in-one system, but simply adding a good 2-ch pre is an extremely easy solution.

[wkhanna]

Thanks for the help guys!
I've been so busy listening, I haven't made time to get back to thank you!

I just bought a Cambridge 640 V1 CDp from ‘PewterTA’ yesterday (one of the Forum members that lives hear in Pittsburgh; we have had the chance to do some listening sessions together lately); and that combined with Doug’s Silver Cats and my Carver C-19 pre-amp has put me HI-FI heaven. And all with convenience of an all-in-one system.

I can’t emphasize how much of a difference that a good pre-amp has made to my system. Previously, I had always felt that my speakers where the weakest link in my system, but I know have a soundstage with separation, focus, depth and dimension that I thought only better speakers could produce.

[alebonau]

Thanks for the help guys!
I've been so busy listening, I haven't made time to get back to thank you!

I just bought a Cambridge 640 V1 CDp from ‘PewterTA’ yesterday (one of the Forum members that lives hear in Pittsburgh; we have had the chance to do some listening sessions together lately); and that combined with Doug’s Silver Cats and my Carver C-19 pre-amp has put me HI-FI heaven. And all with convenience of an all-in-one system.

I can’t emphasize how much of a difference that a good pre-amp has made to my system. Previously, I had always felt that my speakers where the weakest link in my system, but I know have a soundstage with separation, focus, depth and dimension that I thought only better speakers could produce.

great to hear wkhanna that yoru enjoying the best of 2ch & HT out of the one integrated system as you wanted. And buts here on the importance of the 2ch pre, a very underestimated often forgoten piece of gear.