HT and 2 Channel System set-up question


I have kind of a crazy system set-up, and I’m wondering if there’s a better sounding or more efficient (without being more expensive) way of setting it up.

For starters, I have a top-of-the-line McIntosh 4300V receiver powering a pair of B&W CDM-1NT speakers. The Mac also has a “preamp out” which I have my B&W 675 Subwoofer hooked up to.

I just added an LCD TV with a DirecTV HD receiver and a B&W CC6 s2 center speaker to the room, but the Mac is obviously too old to accommodate this HT set up. However, I still want to use my McIntosh for listening to music. So here’s what I did: I purchased a relatively inexpensive Yamaha ht receiver (HTR-5960) and two a/b audio switch boxes from Radioshack. One switch box is hooked up directly to the McIntosh preamp out, with the “a” input connected to the Yamaha front left/right preouts (allowing my McIntosh receiver’s amplifier to drive my B&W speakers through the Yammy when watching TV) and the “b” input connected to the “b” input on the second switch box, which in turn is hooked up directly to the B&W subwoofer. In addition, the Yammy subwoofer out is connected to the “a” input on the second switch box. Here's a diagram to help illustrate:

McIntosh PreAmp Out-------[Switch Box 1a]---------------Yammy L/R Preamp Out
McIntosh PreAmp Out-------[Switch Box 1b]------[Switch Box 2b]------Sub In
Yammy Sub Out------------------------------------[Switch Box 2a]------Sub In

Thus, when I want to listen to the TV, I have both switch boxes set to “a” (connecting Mcintosh receiver’s amp {which my L/R speakers are connected to} to the Yammy through switch box 1, and the sub to the Yammy through switch box 2), and when I want to listen to music, I have both boxes set to “b” (connecting the McIntosh with the Sub).

I like having the Sub for music since the 1NTs are bookshelf-type speakers and therefore can’t handle some of my music’s lower frequencies. I could use the Yammy to power the L/R channels for TV (I currently have it powering only the center channel), but I thought the McIntosh would be a better fit for the highly sensitive B&Ws, and using a reversible a/b speaker switch instead seems just as troublesome. So is this the best way to configure my system? Or am I sacrificing too much sound quality by connecting my Mac to my sub through two switch boxes? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated…
dhoff01

Showing 1 response by unclejeff

whew. I think you need to go with what you like.

Switchboxes, in your system are to be avoided. McIntosh components really don't work all that well with them.

You might be better off with just splitting the signal with a simple 'Y-adaptor.'