2. home-theater
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AVR: Internal 2 CHANNEL AUDIO MODE. OR: HT BYPASS (external equipment for 2 CH Sources)

1. AVR, every one I had includes an AUDIO MODE for 2 CHANNEL which sends ALL signals ONLY to L & R Amps/Speakers. True 2 Channel sources, OR, ’unencode’ or ’down-mix’ surround to 2 Channels (often sounds better). Critically, surround center signal goes equally to L/R. Poorly done surround or cable created pseudo surround is ’put back together’.

or

2. HT BYPASS: separate L/R inputs direct to AVR’s L/R Amps (at full gain). You send volume controlled L/R signals (devices with their own volume control or via a preamp). (I’ve never had one, nor anyone I know).

https://hometheateracademy.com/home-theater-bypass/

In both cases, the AVR L/R amps only are driving the L/R Speakers, thus the amp’s sonic signature is the same. Using ’better’ equipment to feed the same amp?
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Why HT Bypass? Shortage of Inputs?

Blu-Ray players play CD, SACD so that’s already covered.

Aside from everything else, you need 2 remotes if you use HT Bypass (to control 2 Channel Volume).

Pure Signal? Many AVR’s offer ’PURE’ or ’DIRECT’. Many preamps offer tone bypass, i.e. Pure, Direct. Thus the preamp is simply a source selector and volume attenuator.

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IF I wanted ’better’ 2 channel equipment, I certainly would want ’better’ L/R amp(s) (most probably Tubes) so the AVR will be off and a method to get to the L/R speakers is needed.
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And, let’s not forget, the need for VIDEO (creating and maintaining L/C/R Imaging over WIDE multi-person viewing audience) is fundamentally different than AUDIO (refined/precise 2 Channel Imaging for a single listener).

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My contention: a specific speaker solution for WIDE L/C/R imaging for Home Theater, and try/use the AVR’s 2 Channel MODE for 2 channel source and force 2 channel to see if a surround source might sound better (often does). Simple Mode button, same volume, single remote.

2 Channel Music: a separate speaker type, thus a separate system.

I’ve always had a dedicated PC (even prior to HDMI) as an optional source for my HT, that’s my streamer and full net access, You Tube, Netflix, Prime etc. is on Smart TV’s now, but not in the old days. Even then, PC the source, I often find trying the AVR’s 2 Channel Mode sounds better. Audio and Video on the motherboard, no fan noise of dedicated video card.




elliottbnewcombjr

Showing 3 responses by big_greg

big_greg
6,554 posts
 
Why HT Bypass? Shortage of Inputs?
Why?  Because of space limitations I have a combined 2 channel / home theater system.  I don't want to use the AV processor for two channel listening. 

When listening to 2 channel, it looks like this:  Source --> Preamp --> Amp --> Speakers.

The HTBP allows me to use the same amps and speakers for the front two channels.  The volume control on the preamp is disabled and the signal from the source goes to the AV processor, which controls volume, room correction, etc.

When listening to home theater, it looks like this:  Source --> AV processor --> L/R outputs --> Preamp --> Amp --> Speakers.

As the name implies, the signal bypasses the AV processor and goes to the amps/speakers with the simple push of a button, allowing you to share the amps for the front speakers between two separate systems.


big_greg
6,554 posts
 
@elliottbnewcombjr Glad that helped.  I don't want the home theater processor as part of my two channel system and prefer to use external amplification and a home theater processor vs. a receiver with built in amplification.  HTBP is a simple solution that ticks those boxes for me.
big_greg
6,554 posts
 
this popped up on eBay, seems like a good deal to me, has HT Bypass

I have owned a couple of Peachtree integrateds, the Nova 300 and Grand Integrated X1.  Both were quite a way up the food chain from the iNova, so I can't speak specifically to the iNova. 

The Peachtree units I owned had 300 and 440 WPC respectively, and this has 80 (at 6 ohms, so probably 60 at 8 ohms).  Peachtree has a fairly "neutral" sound and they put pretty decent DACs in their gear, so if you want to use the iNova for digital, that might be a good fit. 

One of the reviews I read said the preamp section is a little lacking, and since everything flows through that, that's a bit of a red flag for me, and makes me question how much better (if at all) it would be than using your AVR for 2 channel mode.  The lack of power means you better have fairly efficient speakers. 

For $500 you can hardly go wrong.  If it's not to your liking, you should be able to flip it and get most of your money back.

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