Is this a crazy idea.

Geared4me,

I currently watch movies in high end 2 channel as well. I'm quite satisfied...

...but after hearing how incredibly dynamic and detailed the JBL 4312's are I got on this kick to use them in a vintage quad system, although they would be at home in a modern system as well.

I will move the 2 channel system to a different room and set up these killer JBL's for HT. I hope the quad receiver doesn't process Dolby Quadraphonic with the 4 channel inputs. If it doesn't it should work. I may have to buy one and see, and that is the reason for this post, to help in the decision making before I buy.

Is Flamb suggesting that only active speakers are ideal for HT?............if so your crazy.

IMO, I wouldn't say ONLY, but IMO active speakers produce better performance than just about all passive speakers. Again, just my opinion, FWIW.

Why would an active speaker be any better then a passive with an ideal amp? I only see a difference in the fact that the amps are in the cabinet with active, and not with passive. If you had same drivers and same amps as active design but routed via interconnects what exactly would be different?
I know ATC speakers and the like are quality products and have a strong fan base but I see them as somewhat of a weakness, when they age and amp technology improoves wouldnt it be ideal to be able to change amplification without buying a whole new (and expensive active speaker)?

"Mjcmt":

WOW!!!!! That sounds like a GREAT novel idea. I never would've thought about building a home theater system this way. About how far back you're thinking about going??? 1970's possibly??? If so, if you can, I would try to hunt down a vintage Marantz or Sansui Quadraphonic Receiver if at all possible. I used to love those things back in the 1970's. A neighbor of mine on the street behind of where my childhood home was had one (and from my comfirmation, it was a Sansui, but I forgot the Model #) of those, he used to put one speaker outside on his front porch and turned that sucker up all the damn time. The bass from that thing was so powerful, I used to hear the windows rattle all the time when put on some music.

And if that doesn't work out for you, then I might be taking hold of a Yamaha DSP-780A pretty soon. And if I am not mistaking, this is a mid-late 1990's vintage unit. Maybe not as vintage as a 1970's vintage Sansui, but vintage enough. The DSP-780A retailed for about $1,000.00 back in the mid 1990's, but I am sure that it will go for a fraction of that amount today.

Good luck, and let me know how your experiment turns out. Okay????

--Charles--