Hi
This topic is being touched on in another thread but I have a specific situation which I would like advice on.
I would like to intergrate my two systems as I am getting tired (not as tired and fed up as the wife) of swapping cables continually.
My situation is as follows:
Stereo system is balanced (XLR) from CD to preamp to monoblock power amps to speakers;
AV is SE (RCA) from AVR to monoblock power amps for front channels to same speakers;
The monoblocks have both RCA and XLR inputs with a switch on the back to select between SE and balanced, however, the manufacturers advice against having both plugged in simultaneously and using the switch to select between the two. I suspect that the switch does not provide complete isolation between the two.
Currently I am swapping out the RCA and the XLR cables at the power amps when I switch between AV and Stereo.
I have considered the following options:
Option 1
Getting a speaker switch which allows inputs from two amps and outputs to one speaker set (ie. two seperate systems with only the front speakers being common), however the monoblock configuration means that I will have unnecessarily long speaker runs and that I will also loose the the advantages of the monoblock power amps when running AV. Not ideal.
Option 2
Connect the pre-amp outs from the AV to the inputs on the Stereo pre-amp. My concern regarding this is having to have the valve pre-amp on all the time even when I am only watching TV. There is the added danger of forgetting to adjust the volume down on the Stereo preamp when switching back to stereo.
Option 3
Devising some sort of switch that will switch between the AVR (RCA) pre outs and the Stereo preamps (XLR) outs before entering the power amps. Ideally I am looking for a device that has RCA and XLR inputs and only a XLR output with the XLR to XLR link being the most pure (for lack of a better word).
I am looking for advice on:
Any comments / suggestions will be welcome.
Regards
M[/list][/list]
This topic is being touched on in another thread but I have a specific situation which I would like advice on.
I would like to intergrate my two systems as I am getting tired (not as tired and fed up as the wife) of swapping cables continually.
My situation is as follows:
Stereo system is balanced (XLR) from CD to preamp to monoblock power amps to speakers;
AV is SE (RCA) from AVR to monoblock power amps for front channels to same speakers;
The monoblocks have both RCA and XLR inputs with a switch on the back to select between SE and balanced, however, the manufacturers advice against having both plugged in simultaneously and using the switch to select between the two. I suspect that the switch does not provide complete isolation between the two.
Currently I am swapping out the RCA and the XLR cables at the power amps when I switch between AV and Stereo.
I have considered the following options:
Option 1
Getting a speaker switch which allows inputs from two amps and outputs to one speaker set (ie. two seperate systems with only the front speakers being common), however the monoblock configuration means that I will have unnecessarily long speaker runs and that I will also loose the the advantages of the monoblock power amps when running AV. Not ideal.
Option 2
Connect the pre-amp outs from the AV to the inputs on the Stereo pre-amp. My concern regarding this is having to have the valve pre-amp on all the time even when I am only watching TV. There is the added danger of forgetting to adjust the volume down on the Stereo preamp when switching back to stereo.
Option 3
Devising some sort of switch that will switch between the AVR (RCA) pre outs and the Stereo preamps (XLR) outs before entering the power amps. Ideally I am looking for a device that has RCA and XLR inputs and only a XLR output with the XLR to XLR link being the most pure (for lack of a better word).
I am looking for advice on:
- is this (option 3) a good idea, particularly regarding SQ on the stereo system;
- does anyone know if such a switch/device is available;
- or alternatively would it be possible to DIY a good quality one;
- if so is there anyone who could do this for me;
- or alternatively, I am open to any other suggestions.
Any comments / suggestions will be welcome.
Regards
M[/list][/list]
