Wow, so many responses!
And also the problem I had in mind when creating this topic has been mentioned first by
@Ken Tajalli :
So it seems that it will be potential problem. Question is - how big? Will it be audible?
I will give some context why I even consider such setup - I was always stereo listener - in music in mind. Recently I have moved to new house and I want to build decent stereo setup. This is the priority. However I also play a lot of games and watch movies/shows where I am sure that loud subwoofer and rear channels will add a lot of immersion and fun. However, in this case I don't really care about high quality - I just want something that will be playing. I even considered soundbar setup.
So I have read a lot of reviews and theory and it seemed that it will be hard to achieve both at the same time - there is no such equipment that is very good at stereo listening and is able do HT and doesn't cost a tons of money.
Requirements for stere is good/very good room correction - so propably only Dirac and Audyssey are possible in "normal" money. I don't know if I will go classic consumer speakers route or decide to use studio monitors. Still some listening session to attend. For now favourite is Polk L600/R700. And that's it for the stereo.
Taking this requirements and looking for HT device being able to achieve it - We have Denon 3700h - but there are questions if it will be able to play good enough and will have enough power for decent stereo columns (like mentioned Polks). And if I go studio monitor setup route, the problem is that Denon 3700h preouts have very high output impedance.
On the other hand separate HT system will cost much less because I think that setup consisting of Denon 1700h and some Heco Aurora speakers will be enough for me. It will cost around 3k $/€. And I will be able to buy separate stereo speakers with sub and some Dirac enabled device with state of the art performance.
If You have any other idea let me know - maybe Denon 3700 route is not bad, I just think that there is a lot of things that can degrade sound quality (output impedance, we don't have measurments with room correction turned on etc.). But I had never HT amplituner so maybe I am wrong.
No switching cable etc. is considered as an option. HT solution has to be simple, so my wife will be able to turn on tv and enjoy it. Currently I have Adam Audio A7x where You have switch on each box to turn them on and my wife always use tv speakers because of that.
There is possible solution with switcher that i consider - there are nCore base amps with rca/xlr inputs. So I think that possiblity is to have them switched to rca all the time and using denon preouts. But for focused music listening sessions I can walk to both amps and turned them to xlr where I woul connect some Dirac enable device. Question is if it will be working because again high impedance of denon preouts. And there can be also problems with volume because of gain.
Hi
@SlowCar
Read some of the posts, especially this, your latest to this writing, reply:
So it seems that it will be potential problem. Question is - how big? Will it be audible?
The crux of the problem. In all likelihood, not audible, in most domestic situations, IMHO.
So I have read a lot of reviews and theory and it seemed that it will be hard to achieve both at the same time - there is no such equipment that is very good at stereo listening and is able do HT and doesn't cost a tons of money.
That is not true. There is an entire industry that lies on this false premises, the High End Audio industry, HEA, for short. I will go as far as posit that a good AVR or equivalent must be the center of
any AV system be it for 2-CH or MCH audio only or mixed use. There exist equipment that will acquit themselves of both with not the proverbial arms and legs. It begins with a good AVR aka Audio Video Receiver, these are marvels, the better ones at least, especially those with Pre-out and Audyssey or Dirac + DLBC ... I am not familiar with Dirac but will take other ASR -people word for it. I am an Audyssey user and enthusiast. If used properly , it is a ear-opening application. Takes time , takes reading but the tools are available to make it work in most people environment. In the scheme of things audio, those tools are downright , inexpensive (Audyssey smartphone APP at $20.oo), to reasonable, Audyssey PC App at 200.oo , 10 times more.... or free... Ratbudyssey. This comes with serious caveats: instability, not at the AVR level but on the PC, steep learning curve, you better read a lot and ask questions. There are people here that can help, e.g.
@peng and
@Chromatischism among many that know this bit of software (and others) and they will answer PM and forum questions... To sum it up, Audyssey is to me a necessity. They have a feature called Dynamic EQ that should be a requirement for any AVR or Processor audio or HT, I believe very few other companies have an equivalent: Monoprice had something similar, I am told on the HTP-1 and I wouldn't be surprised if the Trinnov or Storm have such ( at over $15,000.oo for those Prepro ... ).
so, No! There exist equipment that will provide with both a great HT and great 2-Channel if you choose to. My goto recommendation is the Denon AVR-X3700-H. reviewed here and on
@Amir recommended list. One of the best measured AVR on ASR. Has Pre-out for all its channels and all the latest Video codecs and ... is powerful enough at 105 /ch but is capable of providing a bit-more with 2 channels only being driven. Call it the heart of your system.
On speakers, it remain a personal choice but there is a Science behind our choices and these days, studio monitors seem to be where the better ROI is... I don't know much about the Polk L 600you mention but they seem to hover around $4,000.oo a pair. A price where there are some interesting choice in studio monitors, in particular the JBL 708p, The Neuman KH310... Formidable speakers, with the 708 quite capable in the SPL department and are DSP-driven thus ... 3 x 708 for LCR plus multiple subs... heaven...
It is my opinion and based on Science that best bass in most rooms
requires multiple subwoofers. Be it for HT or music. Multiple subwoofers provide smooth and extended bass response. This is a fact. Not easy to achieve but it is my observation that multiple subwoofers allow better bass response at the listening positions (yes plural) than a pair of full range speakers... and in general more SPL... and less distortion and lower reach and ... Interestingly the tools are almost free. One microphone the Umik-1
With patience and care, a system capable of excellent HT and 2-ch music can be assembled these days for pas-cher...
Not tooting my own horn. That is what I have done... and
and yes, I listen to music exclusively in 2-ch. The only concession I've made, is that I have 2 Audyssey settings, one for 2-Channel and the other for MCH. In both cases multiple subwoofers are used, same subs BTW ... The subwoofer integration with the mains, is handled by Audyssey but the subwoofers are controlled/set with a miniDSP 2x4 HD , that presents the combined subs as an unique subwoofer to the Denon/Audyssey.
Peace.
