Mixing Tenor hybrid with SS multichannel for HT ?

that is exactly the way i'll be going. although my new room is no-compromise 2-channel......i did set it up for multichannel and anticipate using ss of some sort ( maybe Dartzeel or Rowland) for my rear channels. i have 2" conduit buried in my concrete floor from my gear to the rear corners, the front side, for a subwoofer, and the front center (in case i do elect to have a center speaker).

i do plan on a 'Phantom' center as i believe that (at least for multi-channel music) my 2 Exquisites will outperform ANY center channel. for film a center channel has it's advantages; but i have a separate HT room so that isn't an issue for me.

i expect that the Tenor Hybrids will 'work' fine with any reasonably natural sounding ss amp for the rear channels.

Thom, the 'warm-up' circut of the Tenors will protect it as long as your kids know how to properly turn the amps on and off. it IS important to not be turning the amps on and off immediately (allow for full 'power-up' before powering off). once your front lights go from red to blue there is no harm in listening immediately. the tubes are not stressed by playing music (even if they don't sound their best until warm).....but they could be stressed by more on/off cycles.....if the system will be used a few times during the same day it would be better (less stressful on the amps) to leave them on.....or at least in 'standby' mode.

regarding preamp integration for no compromise 2-channel and multi-channel there are a few different approaches to consider.

the best sonic solution i am aware of is the emmlabs Switchman III. it would be a no-compromise 2-channel preamp, allow for hirez multichannel music input from multiple sources, and also allow input from a separate digital processor for film. there is even a 'Phantom' center option for the Switchman. i have compared the performance of the Switchman to my Placette passive and it is remarkably close to my reference in overall performance. my opinion would be that your DCC2 is (possibly) even a little better than my DAC6/Placette combo for 2-channel (but that is only a guess).

the problem with the Switchman is that for film it would add a layer of complexity for your kids. i would guess that your kids would soon master this issue (they learn very quickly and will be teaching you about it soon).

in my system i will be using the Switchman with my Placette and Jena Labs switchbox (when i can afford to add the multi-channel components).

i assume that you will be simply inputing the 2 front channels from an HT processor into the analog inputs of the DCC2 and setting the DCC2 at a pre determined volume level (to allow proper volume control from your processor for film).

i don't know for sure.....but i believe the DCC2's analog input can be used as a pass thru. yes, it would go thru the gain stage of the DCC2 but that would be easy to figure out. you could do it a couple of different ways.

you could simply preset the front channel volume levels on your processor to allow for the DCC2 to be adjusted to 'full volume'. this, in essence, would be unity gain. the danger of this approach would be if someone 'forgot' to turn it down when using the DAC in the DCC2.

you could also adjust the gain settings on your processor for the normal levels of the DCC2....this would be a safer approach. i think the DCC2 has numeric values for volume.....so it would be an easily managable issue. any sonic penalties of 2 gain stages would be trivial with HT sources anyway.

either way it should work just fine integrated with an HT processor.

the AA Capitole has no 2-channel analog input (at least not that i am aware of--mine did not have it).....so it would not work as well (and not perform as well in 2-channel).

D, my comments regarding the 'Phantom' approach relate to 2-channel and multi-channel music. for film i agree that the benefits of a center channel for dialog outweigh the negatives. also, in my room i could care less about the off-axis listening benefits of a center channel.....i only care about performance from the 'sweet-spot'.

i have spent lots of time with various muti-channel systems (including ATC). i have found that every one of them is compromised for 2 channel music and that three front channels is less real to my ears than 2 even with a multi-channel source. possibly part of the reason is that my 2-channel reference is far superior to ANY multi-channel source.

by far, the best multi-channel i have yet heard is a quad recording by Peter Mcgrath of classical music. it is the only multi-channel recording that really did imaging correctly. i have found that the problems of 3 front channels far outweighs the slight additional information.

first, a center channel speaker (especially one as large as an Exquiste) will degrade any 2-channel performance simply be messing with the center imaging. second, the odds of the mastering engineer mixing things properly are much less likely than with stereo. third, a center channel for music just doesn't sound 'right'......but if you add a picture i am distracted enough that it seems fine.

even though i would agree that in theory multi-channel music might be the future.....based on my experience it is not yet the present.

i also don't agree with your feelings on active speakers. while they have their advantages.....my experience with ATC, Meridian etc so far has left me cold.

i guess different strokes for different folks.