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How do I easily add surround to my 2 channel setup

Well first things first. My current system is:
iMac Lossless iTunes Music Collection >> Lossless to Airport Express >> toslink >> X-DACv3 >> Old Junky Integra reciever >> Totem Acoustic Sttaf's

I have been waiting to aquire a Jolida 302b to put in place of the old Integra to give tubes a try ...I am not dead set on this though ...i picked it based on review and price point (can't audition it here in Indianapolis).

My dilema is that we have decided to buy a condo and it allready has 2 in-wall and 2 in-ceiling wired speaker cavities in the main room, and 2 additional installed in-walls in the bedroom (all wiried to one jack behind drywall). I don't care a great deal about having a super surround system, but since there are there ...why not use the speakers. I watch a few movies and a lot of sports, but mainly listen to music. (maybe 25%/75% movies+sports to music). I would probably just do a 5.0 surround setup and use the totems for my L/R and ceilings as surrounds and maybe the 2 in-walls as center? (they are about 4 feet apart ...so

I am thinking of getting something like a Marantz SR5600. It is 90 Watts (my totems have a sensitivity of 88) and it has Pre-outs for each channel ...this way mayby I could just get a dedicated AMP? for the Left/Right. I dont want to spend a ton of money here (less than 1G) and I could sacrafice the x-Dac if the reciever had toslink and a decent Dac (maybe use that money for a dedicated amp for the front channels?). Also if there is an integrated surround that performs well in stereo I am open to suggestions.

Budget ~$1000 if I keep my Xdac ...~$2000 if I sell the x-dac and use the receivers.

I listend to Jazz, Americana and watch sports and movies.
shawnparslow

Showing 8 responses by shawnparslow

shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
Thanks ...I was peaking at the Denon's just now ...I also saw the NAD T763.

I must say ...I would deffinitly prefer fewer components. I was thinking that getting a goor integrated surround/Receiver/Dac would let me then just get a decent amp for the front channels.

I dont want to tailor my system for surround but if there where an all-in-one receiver/surround/stereo/dac that would be better than my Integra & xDac I would prefer this solution for now. I saw the NAD was 1300 and had "enhanced stereo" mode where it puts more power there when running 2-channel i guess.

If anyone has any other receiver suggestions or words-of-advise go for it. I am sure someone is saying keep the stereo rig going an then just pick up a cheap slim surround receiver ...but I would lik things discrete and space is an issue.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
Thanks ...I'll check this out.

I guess after thinking about it, I should keep the x-dacv3 around too ...I forgot one of the reasons I got it was because my music is wireless-to-toslink and this DAC is supposed to re-time or something and smooth out the toslink jitters.

Actually, i think I am heading in a direction where I could ruin my (potential) stereo system just to create a somewhat crappy surround (in-wall center with totem L/R and in-ceiling surround??).

I probably would never add a SUB anyways and my center wouldnt match in well in the wall without cutting (i was going to use the L/R inwalls together as a center.

I like the direction of a dedicated amp over the Jolida i suppose.

I think the smartest thing for me to do would be get an adequate receiver with pass-though that can opperate in some phantom 4.0 mode with L/R and LS/RS. This lets the totems do their jobs and they should be able to image the front better alone than being mis-matched and aligned with a hack-job center.

Again ...for sports this will be perfect for me and for the ocaisional movie ...who cares (not me).

So I get an Integrated receiver with pass-though and check out the dedicated amps (not too many components yet :)).

So this would go x-dac > receiever (pass through) > AMP > Totems?

Also ...any other suggestions.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
I am confusued now ...

DAC > PRE
> RCA Switcher > AMP > Speakers
Surround

Is there any way to eliminate the PRE and Switcher you descrive? I was thinking the Dolby receiver would be my PRE and I could hook things up as I stated above:

x-dac > receiever (pass through) > AMP > Totems

The reciever would pass/pre out the L/R to the AMP and drive the surrounds itself.

I am just trying to see if I can eliminate components that I might not need.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
DAC > PRE
> RCA Switcher > AMP > Speakers
Surround

means

DAC > PRE
                      > RCA Switcher > AMP > Speakers
Surround Rec
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
Sounds like my plan to skimp on the surround receiver (pre) and just add and Amp for the front speakers is not going to be a great idea then ...I am getting the feeling that doing so is is not going to help my stereo setup.

Perhaps an All-In-One receiver is the best choice or just go back to my plan to get the Jolida and maybe a cheaper Denon for surround. I have a hard time parting with the x-dac and moving to a Sony ES or something similar ...I feel like I will be sacraficing my Stereo system.

Perhaps I can keep my XDac and get the Jolida 302b I wanted to, and then i can connect the xdac into one input on the jolida and then connect the L/R pre-outs on a surround unit to another channel on the Jolida.

I was also looking at other units but I have been hoping to audition them in Chicago next time I am there. I heard the x-150 and liked it with the totems so that is another option. Does it make sense to keep going with my stereo rig and then just throw a surround receiver behind it like i say above ...this would seem to keep the cheaper surround component I plan on out of my music chain.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
Also .........

I guess that is my ? for those of you who have all-in-one (receiver/surround/dac) suggestions. Am i going to get an all-in-one surround that will get a sound close to the X-Dac/X-150 integrated combo that I have heard.

If so, then that is the way I want to go (not sure if the Sony ES or NAD are at this level).

If not then I want to know if I can just complete my 2-channel rig and throw a surorund receiver with pre-out behind what will be my decent 2-channel interated.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
I see for ~$399 retail I can grab a Marantz sr4600 surround receiver which has Pre's out for every channel.

Since I should be able to find it for less, this is probably the cheapest solution, I'll just forward the L/R to a better stereo integrated that I can use for music ...perhaps the musical fidelity x-150 to save space.
shawnparslow OP
23 posts
 
The music is all Lossless, transmitted losless over itunes-Airport. I run a toslink cable into the Musical Fidelity x-dac v3 at my system. The reviews say the x-dac v3 takes care of re-timing the data so I don't much of the timing-jitter issues toslink is known to have.

From what I gater my solution should be about as good as a decent CDP priced near the cost of the x-dac. Maybe I will start a thread on this though
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