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I have an Onkyo 875 plus Monitor RS6-AV speakers. If I want to add a CD player (looking at the Marantz 6002), am I better off just connecting this to the Onkyo or would purchasing the matching Marantz amplifier and bi-amping the speakers produce better results?

If the latter, do I just remove the plates from the speakers and attach cables from the speakers independently to each amp or should I use the pre-outs from the Onkyo to connect to the Marantz amp for the front speakers?

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Andrew Everard

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Mark Ellis:I have an Onkyo 875 plus Monitor RS6-AV speakers. If I want to add a CD player (looking at the Marantz 6002), am I better off just connecting this to the Onkyo or would purchasing the matching Marantz amplifier and bi-amping the speakers produce better results?

If the latter, do I just remove the plates from the speakers and attach cables from the speakers independently to each amp or should I use the pre-outs from the Onkyo to connect to the Marantz amp for the front speakers

The best route if you want to do this is to disconnect the front speakers entirely from the Onkyo, leave the jumper plates in place on the speakers, connect them to the Marantz, and then use the front-channel preouts from the Onkyo into one of a line inputs on the Marantz.

Then connect the CD player to the Marantz amp, and you'll have a system where the AV receiver is entirely out of circuit when you are listening to music from the CD player.

However... You still won't be biamping the speakers in any way, shape or form, and I'd wonder whether the PM6002 would give better results when used like this than the Onkyo receiver running in Pure Audio mode. You need to find a dealer stocking both, and try them playing music with your chosen CD player.

As an alternative, you could try biamping the speakers with the Onkyo receiver, assuming you're only running a 5.1-channel system. You'll find a description of how to do this in the Onkyo manual. I'd suspect this, in conjunction with the Pure Audio mode, would give the best results.
 
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Thanks Andrew - yes I am running 5.1 only - I'll have a chat with my dealer - he supplied me with the Onkyo and speakers (he recommended the Marantz CD player & I know he has the Marantz amp) so he should be able to help answer my questions...

emotion-1.gif
 

Andrew Everard

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Mark Ellis:
Thanks Andrew - yes I am running 5.1 only - I'll have a chat with my dealer - he supplied me with the Onkyo and speakers (he recommended the Marantz CD player & I know he has the Marantz amp) so he should be able to help answer my questions...

emotion-1.gif


If you're running 5.1, I'd try biamping the Monitor Audios, jumper plates out, and with twin runs of cable from receiver to speakers. See Onkyo manual page 23 for guidance on how to do this.
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:Mark Ellis:I have an Onkyo 875 plus Monitor RS6-AV speakers. If I want to add a CD player (looking at the Marantz 6002), am I better off just connecting this to the Onkyo or would purchasing the matching Marantz amplifier and bi-amping the speakers produce better results?

If the latter, do I just remove the plates from the speakers and attach cables from the speakers independently to each amp or should I use the pre-outs from the Onkyo to connect to the Marantz amp for the front speakers

The best route if you want to do this is to disconnect the front speakers entirely from the Onkyo, leave the jumper plates in place on the speakers, connect them to the Marantz, and then use the front-channel preouts from the Onkyo into one of a line inputs on the Marantz.

Then connect the CD player to the Marantz amp, and you'll have a system where the AV receiver is entirely out of circuit when you are listening to music from the CD player.

However... You still won't be biamping the speakers in any way, shape or form, and I'd wonder whether the PM6002 would give better results when used like this than the Onkyo receiver running in Pure Audio mode. You need to find a dealer stocking both, and try them playing music with your chosen CD player.

As an alternative, you could try biamping the speakers with the Onkyo receiver, assuming you're only running a 5.1-channel system. You'll find a description of how to do this in the Onkyo manual. I'd suspect this, in conjunction with the Pure Audio mode, would give the best results.

Hi Andrew

Can you possibly clarify a little further for the simple minded of us? In your opinion which is the best course of action to take? I have a hifi set I am happy with and want to get surround sound now.

If I want to use the same speakers for the AV fronts that I use for hi-fi is the best route to get an AV amp with pre-outs and do as descibed to take the AV receiver out of the loop when listening to hi-fi, or do you think bi-amping will provide best results? I don't know how to biamp at the moment but am not averse to learning..

I can guess that perhaps the kit will make all the difference to the answer, I have B&W 601's connected to a sony FB 9390 AMP. I do not have an AV receiver as yet as I am trying to work out the best way to achieve this before doing anything, If I can do it without pre-outs and still use the sony amp to drive the hifi then I am guessing I can buy a cheaper AV receiver and spend the saving on the centre and rears? Perhaps that is just wishful thinking though..

Can you reccommend a route to get good surround from AV without losing anything from my hi-fi while hi-fi speakers act as the fronts in my surround?
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:Mark Ellis:

Thanks Andrew - yes I am running 5.1 only - I'll have a chat with my dealer - he supplied me with the Onkyo and speakers (he recommended the Marantz CD player & I know he has the Marantz amp) so he should be able to help answer my questions...

emotion-1.gif


If you're running 5.1, I'd try biamping the Monitor Audios, jumper plates out, and with twin runs of cable from receiver to speakers. See Onkyo manual page 23 for guidance on how to do this.

Hi Andrew - I've checked the Onkyo manual, as you suggested, and it says that the method you are suggesting should only be attempted on speakers with impedance of 8 ohms & above or the A/V receiver could be damaged. The Monitor RS6 manual says they have an impedance of only 6 ohms.

This would suggest that it would not be such a good idea or am I missing something?
 

Andrew Everard

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I don't think you'll have any problem at all. Hardly any speakers have a stable 8ohm impedance, and most dip quite alarmingly with frequency. The MAs may only be 6ohm nominal impedance, but their impedance is relatively stable, with no savage dips, and they'll work fine in this set-up.
 
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Andrew Everard:

I don't think you'll have any problem at all. Hardly any speakers have a stable 8ohm impedance, and most dip quite alarmingly with frequency. The MAs may only be 6ohm nominal impedance, but their impedance is relatively stable, with no savage dips, and they'll work fine in this set-up.

Thank you Andrew. Whilst I have your attention, which is the best type of cable to use to connect the CD player to the amp (not brand - rather whether I should use optical, coaxial or an analogue connection)?
 

Andrew Everard

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SG79:Can you possibly clarify a little further for the simple minded of us? In your opinion which is the best course of action to take? I have a hifi set I am happy with and want to get surround sound now.

If I want to use the same speakers for the AV fronts that I use for hi-fi is the best route to get an AV amp with pre-outs and do as descibed to take the AV receiver out of the loop when listening to hi-fi, or do you think bi-amping will provide best results? I don't know how to biamp at the moment but am not averse to learning.

If you have a really good stereo amp and a fair-to-middling AV receiver, then the preouts to stereo amp route is the one to take. If you only have a so-so amp and are considering a high-quality receiver, it may be better to use that receiver for music, too.

SG79:I can guess that perhaps the kit will make all the difference to the
answer, I have B&W 601's connected to a sony FB 9390 AMP. I do not
have an AV receiver as yet as I am trying to work out the best way to
achieve this before doing anything, If I can do it without pre-outs and
still use the sony amp to drive the hifi then I am guessing I can buy a
cheaper AV receiver and spend the saving on the centre and rears?
Perhaps that is just wishful thinking though.

Unfortunately, unless you want to do a lot of cable-swapping, there's no way round this unless the receiver you use has preouts. And while I don't know the Sony amp you're using, I'd suggest that it may well be time to move on and invest in a high-quality receiver, some of which are around now at bargain prices.

You can pick up an Onkyo TX-SR875 for around £600 at the moment, which makes it a very serious bargain, and I think that is the way you should do with the speakers you have.

The alternative might be to pick up something like the Sony STR-DA1200ES, which has preouts and would work with your current amplifier. But it lacks the decoding for the latest formats you'll find on the Onkyo.
 

Andrew Everard

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Mark Ellis:which is the best type of cable to use to connect the CD player to the amp (not brand - rather whether I should use optical, coaxial or an analogue connection)?

Given the quality of the conversion in the Onkyo, I think I'd go for electrical (coaxial) digital.
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard:

Mark Ellis:which is the best type of cable to use to connect the CD player to the amp (not brand - rather whether I should use optical, coaxial or an analogue connection)?

Given the quality of the conversion in the Onkyo, I think I'd go for electrical (coaxial) digital.

Thank you for all your help today Andrew!
emotion-2.gif
 
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Anonymous

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Andrew Everard: Unfortunately, unless you want to do a lot of cable-swapping, there's no way round this unless the receiver you use has preouts. And while I don't know the Sony amp you're using, I'd suggest that it may well be time to move on and invest in a high-quality receiver, some of which are around now at bargain prices.

You can pick up an Onkyo TX-SR875 for around £600 at the moment, which makes it a very serious bargain, and I think that is the way you should do with the speakers you have.

The alternative might be to pick up something like the Sony STR-DA1200ES, which has preouts and would work with your current amplifier. But it lacks the decoding for the latest formats you'll find on the Onkyo.

Thanks for the repsonse Andrew, food for thought - I may have to audition the 875 against my amp for hi-fi. You have confirmed my fears though that I am going to have to spend a good bit of cash to get surround and not lose any hi-fi - I had half heartedly been hoping that there would be a decent AV receiver with pre-outs for around £200-£300 and that I could then use the saved cash to help buy the centre and rears I also need. If I spend £600 on a receiver then I'm going to need a fair bit of time before I can get the speakers to use it!

I might just have to get a dedicated av all on one package and leave my hi-fi alone - the thing with that is it won't be updgradeable and there's the space to consider.......

decisions, decisions and pesky budget constraints
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