Theatre Bypass Mod for CJ Preamp?

Streetman - almost forgot to address your question. I recently had to do what you propose for a short time. The only link that was needed between the processor and DVD was digital. The analog outs went to the pre amp for stereo. WARNING - most mass market DVD players sound terrible for music. My wife actually begged me to put the CAL back in the system when I did this. If you have a mass market DVD do not fail to go out and buy a seperate D/A to do stereo. Even a used Theta Cobalt or CAL Sigma is a huge step up from stock DVD analog outs!!! Or go one better and pick up a used CAL Icon MkII. Cheap and good with a better transport than average DVD players.

My concern is that the signal will flow through the attunator in the processor, then again through the entire gain stage of the CJ. The THX processor is decidedly leaner sounding than the CJ. The mains will have been subject to the influence of the CJ, making them different in character from the remainder of the system is theatre mode. As for amplification I am using an Adcom GFA-555 for the mains and an Adcom 2535 with two of the four channels bridged for center and rear duties. Not the world's greatest rig, but a big step from my previous one. I suppose I could re cable the center and surrounds to bring them closer to the sound of the CJ ... More resons to tweak.

Not sure that I understand your sonic concerns.Any 1/2 decent 2 ch pre amp should KILL the sound from a proscessor's preamp.Do we have a decent 2 ch amp?/or are we using a 5ch affair? The 2 ch pre is only a 'half' of the equation;a good 2 ch amp,being the other half.
Streetman:I have a Pioneer Elete with 2 coax outs. One is for DD,DTS/it goes to the dig.in of the processor.The other is the PCM/48,and that goes to my dac input for 2 ch.

Thanks ... depending on my wife's ability to follow the procedure ... that may actually work. My only qualm is the presence of two volume controls in the signal path and the possibility of the mains (now fed through tubes) sounding VERY different than the rest of the system. The CJ is a little older and I think darker than the THX processor. I'll have the system together this weekend and will post my results. Still hoping to find a good tech just in case.

I'm glad this question came up! I've been having the same delimma! Would it be possible to use a dvd player for both 2 channel and ht duties? If so how would you hook that up?

I for one, think the theater bypass is not necessary at all. I have a CAT w/o such feature.What I do is take a set of ics. Plug them from the "fronts-out" on the processor /into an input on the pre. My cdplayer goes into the cd input my HT fronts go into any other input/say aux or whatever.(just not the phono).So when listening to 'ht' I just go to aux input. Do the ss level from the pink noise test / from the processor. I just remember where on the volume pot needs to be. REPEAT;change to the aux input/change the volume acordingly each time you do "HT" Not such a big deal.