Split Differenical

How many of you guys run your 2 channel as part of/incorporating an A/V set up?, I do I use the Belcanto to power the front channels, and the modded avr200 doing the remaining 5, and the cable box going through the reciever as well
Just wondered, how you guys do it ? Wm

 

For AV duties Marantz SR5400 + RB1090 and STEREO Rotel RC971 + RB1090.

 

My only "high quality" source is CD, so it's Levvy 390S direct to ATC 50's.

Rear channels are handled by ATC' 10's. no center or subs at the moment.

The AV processor is a Lexicon MC-1. Analog out's of processed front L/R are connected to a analog to digital converter and then into the digital input of the 390S. To dispense with two volume controls, when listening to AV I just dial in 40 on the 390 and from then on use the volume control on the MC1 (this is how I calibrated the AV levels).

It was somewhat easier with a Meridian 561 which had digital outs of the processed AV, so there was no additional ADC stage. Co-ordinating the volume was rather messy, and the 561 is a nightmare to configure compared to the lexicon.

Adding a center is a straighforward option, it would just be plummed into the lexicon. I'm just waiting for ATC to make a nice center that doesn't way a ton (ie not a C6) and is cherry finish (not a C4c) and bigger than the C1. I'm in no hurry

Adding a subwoofer is a pain in the ass. I'd need to time delay the fronts (etc) and there's no sane way to do that with the Levinson. PLAN A is to acquire a velodyne and try the intergration with the 50's without filtering the 50's or delaying the signal to them.

However, the last time I integrated a sub, I got the best response by delaying the mains

This time around, the sub is going in the corner and then I'm going to use a parametric equalizer to sort out the room response.

 

I do. Run the front channel pre-outs of my AV receiver through my stereo pre/power

Edited to add (in light of dat19's extensive reply ): my NOH pre-amp has no AV bypass as such but as it's a passive pre I just wack the volume to full. I calibrated the AV receiver at that setting. Remote volume conflicts are not an issue as the NOH uses Daewoo TV codes

Use a sub only for AV and it's not properly setup but it's good enough for movies. I can't be bothered to get out the laptop, mic, cables etc. and do the whole ETF5 malarkey again just for DVDs.

Why you asking?

Michael.

 

DVD player + Stereo DAC

Stereo Amp + Av Processor

TV, and occasionaly my brothers PS2, go into the Processor (Yam E800). As does the the DVDs optical out.

TT, headphone amp, and via a coax to the DAC, the DVD go into the stereo amp (MF XA2).

Need to get the Freeview box into the mix still. At the MOment it's just getting sound into the tv through the scart It's got an optical out, but strangely no analogue out! Only just noticed that infact! Not sure if I should run the optical into the DACs second input (optical OR coax on input 1, and optical only on input 2), or if I should feed it into the processor.

My surround speakers are wall MOunter (jaMO surround 160s), but I've still not got round to putting the bracket things up since we MOved house!

 

Just wondering how a/v sits in your listening habits? , although I use 2 channel 90% of the time, To swop to a/v is just a pair of switches, to push. I can live with this
I heard a Krell showcase processor and matching power not so long (which is used for mainly movies 70/30 music), and wondered how much important a/v users placed on 2 channel stereo, going on the prefromance I heard from the Krell/logan set up, just wondered what sort of preferences you guys have?
I currently use Monitor GRFX rears and centre, I've accquired another evo 4 to handle centre and rear duties, a more suitable match from the meadowlarks are on their way.
I don't use a sub, as my neighbours have a hard enough time as it is, but I'm not sort of bass. T.

 

I listen to a lot more music than I watch DVDs so the AV setup is definitely secondary. I've got a Dynaudio 42C centre and Dyn 42 rears which match my Dyn 1.3MkIIs reasonably well. If I had loads of cash I might upgrade the centre so a Countour Centre if I can find one.

Next AV upgrade is probably going to be 3ch. power for the centre and rears and then a dedicated processor but that's some way off. I can't really justify the cash for the realtively few DVDs I watch - the Marantz SR4200 does a fair job.

Switching to AV "mode" is just a question of wacking the volume up to full on the pre and selecting the AV input - pretty painless. When my new power amp is built it will have RCA and XLR inputs so I will experiment with hooking the AV receiver direct to the power amp via the RCAs - leaving the XLRs for my pre-amp outputs. As long as I don't have both playing at the same time it ought not to be a problem.

Michael.

 

whats AV

 

I just use my 2 channel system for TV and films, but I would really like one of those Dolby headphone units for movies

 

i use a yam e800 level matched to about 9 o'clock on the volume dial of my nac 82. cable goes into the tv via scart and out of the tv into the yam (this produces a mono signal so at some point i need to get a scart cable that splits out l&r signals to rca's). still at least in mono there's no need to switch the 82 out of cd mode and faff with the volume it all comes out of the center channel. dvd's are handled via a digital cable straight to the yam.
vcr is not permanently connected but can be connected by the highly sophisticated method of unplugging the dvd scart and whacking it in the back of the vcr. really i need an extra scart switching box but i just can't be arsed really for the number of videos i watch.
so all in all a bit heath robinson but it works and as i listen to about 10 hours of music a day compared to about 4 hours of tv (max) it's about right.
cheers


julian

 

I've not reMOte on the stereo amp. I have to whack it up to around 12 for it to match up with the processor.

Not sure where i'll go next.

The center's not much of a match for the fronts. But my priorities lay with music. Like I said, where as my rear speakers are still on the floor, the stereo was set up the day I MOved in

I want a fuller sound with MOre low end. Problem is, smallish (bed)room.

The obvious weakest link in my system is the DVD as transport. But i'm holding out on changing that a little while yet. Will probably go for a universal player, something which with better build quality to act as transport. Then some chunkier speakers. Oh then how about a pre/processor/DAC thingy. Then add some power amps! etc etc...

 

You only have to turn your amp to 9 to match the e800?
I have to go around the 12 mark! Not really sure what the E800's set to, been MOstly just been watching with a downmixed signal through the DAC lately (due to rears being on the floor), but i'm sure i've had to knock the center and rear levels down a bit too, to match with fronts!

 

I went to Blockbusters last week.

Spent 1/2 an hour trying to find something to watch.

I didnt want to see gun toting gangsters, karate monks or a girlie movie...

..everything seemed to fall into one of those categories...

I gave up and went home!


The ''software'' problem has stopped me getting into AV. Does anybody else think that a plethora of poor films (mainly from America) make home cinema a low priority?

Just wonderin.
Chris

 

I know what you mean. Can't think of any film that includes all three at once, that'd be ideal...

-- Ian

 

Chris
whats wrong with girly films???

 

Penance -

I think we mean different things...

I mean.... 4 weddings and a funeral...

you mean ...... 4 nymphos and a cowboy.!

 

I believe "Chick Flick" is the term you're after

 

For me, you can't beat five or seven identical satellites with a sub or two for movies, ideally with the same amplification for all channels.

Given that you'd need to be seriously loaded and have a big room to achieve this without compromising two channel, I prefer to keep the systems seperate.

And you really should experience a good "money shot" in DTS

 

gun toting gangsters + karate monks + girlie movie = kill bill.

mo,
i've adjusted the levels for each chanel on the yam down by about -12db that way if i do accidentally hit play on the cd player i don;t blow my tweeters across the room.

cheers


julian

 

can you get 4 nympho's and a cowboy in surround?
Id get into AV then