Building a 7.1.4 Setup

Voodoo90

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Hello,
As the title says we are slowly building a 7.1.4 setup at home.
We are coming from a NAD C388 with SA Saxo 70 Setup, which I really like. I want to get the T778 with the C268 to run 9 channels.

I am only wondering about stereo capabilities. Would it make sense to keep the C388 and run the stereo speakers through it and the pre out of the T778 for better Stereo quality or would the AMPs of the 778 be able to handle them in a stereo scenario just as well? And can I hook up all sources on the 778 and still benefit from the C388s stereo capabilities?

I am asking because I don‘t have to sell the C388 and selling to right now is in my opinion under value. Only if it wouldnt make sense to run both I can justify selling it with a loss.

What do you think?

So the rig would eventually be a C388 with 2 front speakers, that one hooked up to an T778 with the remaining channels and height 2 channels run with an external C268 stereo amp.
 
If you are looking to create a system which can both deliver cinema and stereo, then you could look at using a stereo amp which utilises HT-Bypass. These stereo amps have both a fixed output and variable output enabling the the amp to work as a power amp when watching cinema and then as a traditional stereo amp when listening to music. You do have to ensure your avr has pre-outs (particularly front left and right pre-outs).

There is a great list of almost all stereo amps which use this feature, but in going this route, you can create the stereo soundstage you want without compromising on performance level (to your budget) whilst also allowing you to marry a dedicated surround sound system by linking the two products together for cinema and separating them when listening to stereo

Below is a simple connection image I created sometime ago to show how you connect to two. The speaker termination of both will be as you expect with the front left and right speakers plugged into the stereo amplifier and everything else plugged into the avr. If you have an avr which allows you to assign all inputs, this will also enable you to fill all the inputs on the avr to create your 7.1.4 speaker system
yamaha-rx-v6a-6000.jpg
 
Thank you so much for the explanation. As the C388 is on the list, I will keep it.
So just to be sure. If I want to listen to stereo music with the stereo amp quality with this setup, do I need the stereo source material connected to the stereo amplifier or the AVR which then gives it to the stereo amp as a power amp?
 
Yeah, when listening to stereo via the C388, you will have to plug the sources into it. So if you have a highly capable Blu-ray player, then you can HDMI output the to the AVR as normal and in addition you will also use the stereo RCA outputs to the C388 meaning you are using one device for two purposes. If you have a separate CD player/tuner/streamer, just plug it directly into the C388 however if you wish to hear multi channel tracks, these will still have to go these digital/analogue connection ((Coaxial/Optical/ToshLink)/multi-channel/HDMI) on each source to the AV Receiver giving you both options to if required. Hope that helps :)
 
Hi, thanks for the explanation.
My main source for music is Apple music via the apple Tv lossless or the the iPhone lossless and Hi-Ress lossless. As BluOS doesnt have Apple music but only Airplay, I will have to use these wired connections. The Apple TV only has one HDMI Output and requires a screen.
Connecting the iPhone is trickier. I would need something that converts the lightning plug signal to optical or coaxial without losing quality.
The C388 doesnt have a USB port to connect sources like an iphone or would the USBs of the BluOS Module work for that? Or the USB DSB Module?
 

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