Amp and AVR to FR & FL speakers

D

Deleted member 45086

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Hi All,

Apologies if this is a daft question.

I am considering a stereo amp for connecting my turntable and cd player for music duties. I have a pair of Q Acoustics 3020i for FR & FL as part of my 5.1.2 and Denon avr home cinema system.

Now can I connect the speaker cable from the amp to the speakers and still have them connected to my avr. Denon avr is 2500.

Many thanks

Carl
 
Unfortunately not with the Denon 2500, you need main zone pre-outs and they are on the Denon models 3x00 and higher.

The other option is to use a switch, which will enable you to share the same speakers between two amps:

 
Unfortunately not with the Denon 2500, you need main zone pre-outs and they are on the Denon models 3x00 and higher.

The other option is to use a switch, which will enable you to share the same speakers between two amps:

Cheers both. My plan wont work then. Glad I haven’t bought anything then.

@Rambles i wasn’t planning to connect the amp to the avr but to keep them totally separate. I hope I had explained myself properly.

What is Bi-amping then? Will that do what I want?
 
Cheers both. My plan wont work then. Glad I haven’t bought anything then.

@Rambles i wasn’t planning to connect the amp to the avr but to keep them totally separate. I hope I had explained myself properly.

What is Bi-amping then? Will that do what I want?
Yes, but just in case you were thinking of upgrading your AVR, if you had one with pre-outs in the main zone you could connect it to a stereo amp that way, and wouldn't need a switch. Although if your stereo amp doesn't have HT bypass, then it does add an additional complication.

Bi-amping is where you use two amps to power different drivers of the same speaker, one amp doing the high frequency input and one powering the low frequency input. You need to feed both amps the same signal. Not helpful for you in your case.
 
Yes, but just in case you were thinking of upgrading your AVR, if you had one with pre-outs in the main zone you could connect it to a stereo amp that way, and wouldn't need a switch. Although if your stereo amp doesn't have HT bypass, then it does add an additional complication.

Bi-amping is where you use two amps to power different drivers of the same speaker, one amp doing the high frequency input and one powering the low frequency input. You need to feed both amps the same signal. Not helpful for you in your case.
Thanks for the detail.

I have never been as completely happy with my audio sound since selling on my Mordaunt Short 902i and Yamaha RXV1800AVR a few years ago. Nothing I have had has met those standards. My current Denon AV2500 and Q Acoustics 3020i aren’t a match.

Maybe have to wait a while until I’m ready for a change. Or when ready get a higher standard AVR that is good for stereo audio too.

Carl.
 
Supposing I was to upgrade my AVR to another one. Would I be better to get one with 5.1 input that a stereo amplifier would connect to to drive stereo sound or an AVR that has good or very good stereo playback as well as very good multi channel sound.

Cheers Carl
 
Supposing I was to upgrade my AVR to another one. Would I be better to get one with 5.1 input that a stereo amplifier would connect to to drive stereo sound or an AVR that has good or very good stereo playback as well as very good multi channel sound.

Cheers Carl
There are no AV amps, outside of Arcam, NAD or Anthem, that will beat a comparable integrated stereo amp for music. To facilitate using the same front speakers you will need an AV amp that has at least front left and right pre-outs. As you are familiar with Denon that starts with the X3700 which has a full set of pre-outs.

Then you will need the services of an integrated stereo amp that has HT by-pass abilities. Now it begins to get expensive. When connected though it works extremely well and is very easy to set up and use. It's how I run my Denon and stereo amp using the same front speakers for music.

Your other option is to use a standard stereo amp with a speaker switcher such as the excellent Beresford 7220.

Home HiFi Beresford 7220
 
There are a few of the Arcam FMJ range of AVR's still in stock at large discounts, with 5 year warranty, as they are end of line. They do sound exceptionally good for both movies and music. Not many left now though.
 
Unfortunately not with the Denon 2500, you need main zone pre-outs and they are on the Denon models 3x00 and higher.

The other option is to use a switch, which will enable you to share the same speakers between two amps:

Apologies I did not realise you had already suggested this :smashin:
 
@Rambles . Something like this?

 
@Rambles . Something like this?

Yes, I am not sure if Nintronics still have stock of the AVR550, they are advertising it at £1599 with a trade in option:

 
Out of curiosity, is this going to be huge overkill for my Q Acoustics 3020i fronts and 5.1.2 system?
 
Out of curiosity, is this going to be huge overkill for my Q Acoustics 3020i fronts and 5.1.2 system?
It will sound massively better than your Denon 2500 for both music and movies.

It will also give you the option to upgrade the speakers at some point as well, which would be another nice upgrade.

Your other options are all going to be similar amounts of money I would have thought, eg changing the AVR and adding a stereo amp with HT bypass.

The lowest cost option would be to keep your AVR and add a lower cost stereo integrated amp and a speaker switch, but then you would not get an upgrade for movies, only music.

Depends how much you want to spend, and what sort of level of improvement in sound you are looking for?
 
I have made an enquiry about the AVR550 at Nintronics, so let's see what happens.
I like your advice. Cheers
 
Apologies for the direct question.

Would getting a new but 5 year old Arcam AVR be sensible when tech is advancing so fast. It would likely need replacing much sooner?

What I have read up on the 550 and also the 390 give fantastic audio quality for sound on music and also movies. So a great choice if I can play with my funds available to fit. Assuming I chose that route.
I honestly don't plan on a speaker upgrade for sometime, so flapping a bit about the best approach to go.
1, Arcam AVR 550 best for sound all round yet old avr. Older AVR and doesn't support any HDR modes and other bells. £1699 is a lot for an old model.
2, Arcam AVR 390 sound standard slightly lower than the 550, a little newer and does support some HDR formats.
3, Consider a different 2020/2021 AVR that gives all the bells and whistles as such from another maker eg Marantz, Denon, Yamaha etc. One that would be a considerable improvement over my current AVR.
4, Speaker switch and integrated stereo amp. Not thought of any options here yet and not sure which to choose.
5, Speaker switch and something like the Yamaha CRXN470D streaming mini system, but I suspect it wouldn't sound any better than my current Denon.

Why is considering to buy some hifi tech so stressful and such a PITA lol.

Appreciate any replies, cheers.

Carl
 
If you are not planning on changing your speakers any time soon, and you are happy with the 5.1.2 set-up that you have, but just want to improve how things sound for 2 channel music, and spend a small amount of money, I would go for a stereo amp and a switch.
 
@Rambles I don't mind the spending money, but the age of the AVR was what concerned me. Hope some of what I had posted made some sense lol?
My current 5.1.2 set up is OK and I'm sure when I posted questions in other threads that my concerns about audio quality all pointed to my Denon AVR. It was not my choice of avr, but was part of my trade on here at AVForums.

I would like to get an upgrade on my AVR and to benefit from better stereo audio.

As posted by @gibbsy and yourself @Rambles Arcam, Anthem and NAD are the only real choices for quality stereo audio and multi channel audio in one unit. I haven't read anything to say otherwise.

Decisions to be made.
Cheers
 
Balls to it. I've done it. :)

Arcam AVR550 coming my way. I just couldn't stop the itch for deep down really wanting one. :)

Happy and relieved its done.

Cheers for all your help.
Especially those that listened to my waffle on pm, @Rambles & @Thatsnotmynaim & @fallinlight

Carl

And happy to waffle with :thumbsup:
 
I forgot to mention the new Yammy's but I've not looked into them since last year, not knowledgeable on what they are offering this year.
 

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