1 set speakers, 1 AV amp and 1 stereo amp...

[wizbongre]

I am looking to get a decent stereo amp for music work with my CD player... I only have one set of speakers...

I am considering getting a pre/power amp set up but am totally confused to how to set it all up... I'm guessing connecting the speakers to both the power amp and to the AV amp could be dangerous!!

[ditton15]

The 'classic' way to do this is:

music: cdplayer -> Stereoamp -> L/R speakers

AV: dvdplayer -> AVamp/processor -> (a) -> Stereoamp -> L/R speakers

where (a) is the pre-out from your AVamp.

Question is, does your AVamp have pre-outs?

You can of course substitute in pre/power amp combination:

music: cdplayer -> preamp -> poweramp -> L/R speakers

AV: dvdplayer -> AVamp/processor -> (a) -> poweramp -> L/R speakers

Same question though!

If the answer is yes, then happiness! And you can add Centre and Surround speakers to the AVamp when the mood takes you - and a subwoofer for the .1 in 5.1

[wizbongre]

Thanks very much ditton...

My Yammy AV amp has phono level outputs for all 6 (5.1) channels which I presume could be used as the pre-outs... I do recall it mentioning somewhere in the manual about connecting it to a power amp. I suppose if I think about it properly, it is just the same as the way the SUBs work - they have their own amp which takes a feed from the AV pre-out.

I already have a full set of surround speakers running off the AV amp so based on what you have said it looks like I should be able to move the front L/R speakers from the AV amp to the stereo amp and leave the centre, rears and subs where they are.

The only question now is what happens when I turn up the volume on the AV amp?! I suspect from reading other posts that the fronts will possibly increase volume at a different rate to the others dependant on the stereo amp. Is this correct? Will I have to change the volume of the stereo amp at the same time?!

[ditton15]

I reckon that you've cracked it, and that you are in luck on the pre-outs.

edit:
http://www.homecinemachoice.com/test...-V800RDS.shtml

Power amps do not have any volume control, you control the volume from the AVamp.

However, supposing that you will want to connect the cdplayer to the stereo amp (and not route it through the AVamp), you will need a pre-amp stage to control the volume on that. You have three options, in descending order of preference:

1) track down a stereo amp that can switch from integrated (pre & power) mode to power mode. My AudioLab 8000S is one of those. I bought it s/h for £300.

2) buy a s/h pre-amp

3) buy a standard integrated amp, recognising that for AV purposes you will be 'pre-amping' twice - and yes, then you need to take care with managing volume control on both. I seem to recall someone saying you put the stereo amp to 12 noon - but have to remember to re-set when you cdplay!!

[wizbongre]

Thanks again,

I was considering just getting a 2 channel power amp and using the CD player through the AV as a pre-amp but suspect it would be fiddly as I am only supposed to have one of either the main speaker connections or the pre-outs connected at any given time. I may be able to fiddle it by using the A/B speaker outputs but not sure. Either way I don't want the speakers connected to two amps.

Ideally I do want a pre/power amp setup but will have to wait for finances to improve! Your mention of the pre/power to power switching mode on your amp is an interesting one - will certainly investigate that.

Will keep thinking on it! I might even ask the comedians in Richer Sounds to see what they advise - no doubt I will leave the store with a set of Gale speakers and a Cambridge Audio amp!!

p.s. That link was one of the reasons I bought the Yammy... I got it for £200 in the first Richer Sounds open box sale earlier this year - it hadn't even been taken out of the wrapping and still had the batteries sealed ready for the remote. The only damage was the cardbox box was absolutely battered! I've seen them going on ebay for £300+ so I was quite chuffed!

[ditton15]

avoid the preamp in the AVamp for CD replay. remember what you are trying to achieve is the simplest route for CD replay. The AV side will impress anyway, what with all the colour, movement and special effects, but you actually listen to music.

So to consolidate:

music: cdplayer -> decent phono interconnect-> StereoAmp -> L/R speakers

AV: dvdplayer -> digital interconnect ->
Yammy -> (L/R pre-outs) -> StereoAmp -> L/R speakers
Yammy -> L/R surround
Yammy -> (sub pre-out) -> active Sub.

try placing a WTB in the Classifieds:

WTB: decent stereo amp
needed to pair with Arcam 8 CD player. prefer pre/power switching, but would settle on good integrated that could later be used as either pre or power.

and see how you get on. (btw I'm not selling mine!)

[wizbongre]

Originally posted by ditton15
(btw I'm not selling mine!)

Shame!!

Thanks for the advice - will see how I get on.