Integrateds

[shades]

I'm about to pull the trigger on an Int. amp with HT passthrough and was wondering if you can listen to 2 channel with the sub. How does this work in terms of dacs.

I have a pair of B&W 804S and sometimes i listen with the sub and sometimes i don't. Right now my setup is Rotel 1056 pre/pro and surround duties. My 2channel is rotel RCD 1072 with Bryston 3bst powering my fronts. Now i know when i use the 1072 in bypass it uses the dacs from the CD player, and when not in bypass the dacs from the 1056.

When i purchase the integrated and i'm listening to 2 channel which dac will i use when not in bypass mode or listening with the sub. This integrated will make a HT passthrough to the 1056.

I always want to listen to the integrated dac when listening to 2 channel with or without the sub so i guess my question is how?

[tonych31]

I think we have the same problem. My setup is Rotel 1068 /1075 powering the surrounds and center while an Arcam P90 power amp powers my front. My 2 channel CD player is also hook to the rotel 1068. I will be replacing my Arcam P90 with an integrated amp such as the Musical Fidelity A5 which has a home theater bypass. You will then get the best of both worlds (2 channel and HT). But I have read you can also do it through a normal integrated amp by connecting your pre to your int amp tape input or any free audio input. You just have to manually adjust the volume on your int amp to suit the level of the surrround pre.

[tonych31]

If you use Rel subwoofer , you can connect its neutrik (spelling not sure) connector to your integrated amp speaker bindpost.

[shades]

So does the dac from the Int work if i have the CD in the int and the sub in the 1056 or do i have to have the sub into the Int as well. If i have the sub in the Int does the LFE signal carry over to the 1056 when i have the HT passthrough activated.

The problem i'm having is where does the sub need to be connected. I have a paradigm pw2100 sub for the time being.

[alebonau]

So does the dac from the Int work if i have the CD in the int and the sub in the 1056 or do i have to have the sub into the Int as well. If i have the sub in the Int does the LFE signal carry over to the 1056 when i have the HT passthrough activated.

The problem i'm having is where does the sub need to be connected. I have a paradigm pw2100 sub for the time being.

true 2ch integrated amps have no dac. you use the dac in the cd player. the 1056 wouldnt be used at all for 2ch. the integrated would drive yoru mains for 2ch and for ht you run a lead from the L&R pre-outs of your 1056 to the ht-input/bypass of the integrated.

[shades]

true 2ch integrated amps have no dac. you use the dac in the cd player. the 1056 wouldnt be used at all for 2ch. the integrated would drive yoru mains for 2ch and for ht you run a lead from the L&R pre-outs of your 1056 to the ht-input/bypass of the integrated.

So how do i use the sub with the L&R. Sometimes i like to listen with the sub and sometimes not. I know how to hook up the integrated to the 1056, my question is, when i listen to music in 2channel sometimes i use the sub but that means that i'm using the dac of the 1056. Does the same go with a integrated. I hope this is making sense.lol

Thx

[tonych31]

With REL subwoofer you can used both the neutrik connector which you connect to your integrated amp speaker bindpost and the RCA low level connector to your 1056 sub out. So even if you just turn on your int amp without the 1056, the sub will still work. REL subwoofer has 2 volume level know. One for high level (neutrik) and low level for RCA.

[tonych31]

A friend of mine had converted me to REL and I would agree that REL is probably one of the most musical subwoofer I have heard which is great for 2 channel listening. Great for music dvd and sacd listening.

[fauzigarib]

So how do i use the sub with the L&R. ... my question is, when i listen to music in 2channel sometimes i use the sub but that means that i'm using the dac of the 1056. Does the same go with a integrated. I hope this is making sense.lol

Thx

Shades,

It's just barely making sense!

A couple things here... Whether the sub is on or not, has really nothing to do with which DAC's are working...

Also, an earlier poster pointed out that true integrated amplifiers really don't have a DAC... that is also true, because traditionally, the pre amp section of the integrated is meant to take an analog signal, and amplify that (as truly as possible) and send it to the speakers.

However, there are certain receivers out there today that do take in analog, pcm, digital, etc etc connections, and hence need a dac built in.

I assume that the reason you want to use an external dac is because you're perhaps not happy with the one in your cd player. Well then, your options are either a) Get a better cd player, or b) Get an external DAC.

The quick solution here might be to just buy a DAC (like the Benchmark, or even Bryston's own DAC's) and plug it into your current system. That way, you can take the digital out of the cd player, and into the DAC, and downstream from that to the Rotel pre and the Bryston amp. This way, you take the "sound" of the cd player out of the equation completely. It just acts as a transport.

Your other question is about the woofer. Now having assumed that the DAC really has very little to do with using the sub in 2 channel mode, you can really do wonders for your sound with a sub that accepts both line level and LFE. Take the REL for example. The only option that does come to mind is the one tonych31 stated. Connect the REL's LFE connection to the Pre/Pro's LFE out and the High Level connection directly to your main speaker's amp's binding posts.

This way, all three of your scenarios work out.
A) Watching movies: 2 channel amp in HT Passthrough, and the sub is receiving both LFE and High Level inputs (how it should be to get a full bass sound)

B) Listening to 2 channel with bass: Just turn the 2 channel setup on, and that should give you the bass just fine. The sub's connection is via the High Level input only, thus giving the sub EXACTLY the same signal that the mains are receiving.

C) Listening to 2 channel w/o bass: Just like above, but turn the sub off. I can't think of another way to do it.

However, if you have the space, I strongly suggest you invest in equipment that allows you to have a separate HT and a separate 2 channel setup. Having one amp running the mains, and a different one running the center, will really deteriorate any surround illusion that is created.

After man frustrating months of running my fronts with a Nad ,and the center with a Rotel, I finally put the 3 front speakers on teh same 5 channel amp... and image just SNAPPED into place. It was nothing short of gorgeous. So certainly do keep that in mind also.

Sorry for the long post... hope this helps.

Fauzi

[shades]

Thanks Fauzi and Tony.

Thats exactly what i was looking for. You gotta love when your on a forum like this and someone can always make sense of what your trying to say or put to words.

Much appreciated

Peter