connection query:oppo105/avr/MF3i integrated stereo amp

[GSB]

I'm adding an integrated stereo amp to my set-up.(not got it yet,MF3i)

Been trying to get my head round the connections.

The front L/R speakers hard wired into the int amp.Surrounds hard wired to the avr.Then for film duties and tv use the av bypass...get that.

My source for music is the 105,the dealer iv'e purchased from said leave all connections as are(to the avr via analogues)and use the av bypass for stereo playback...but will i be getting the best from the integrated amp?

Should the 105 be connected to the new amp,so the avr is not being used for 2channel?(worried about additional processing etc)If so should the 5.1 analogues go to the avr and then the balanced rca to the MF3i?

Bit confused now.... :rofl: :shifty:

 

[CnoEvil]

Here's what I did:

FOR 2 CHANNEL.

Connect up the Stereo Amp as if the AV amp didn't exist ie.

- Front L & R Speakers

- Stereo Audio Out from Source (Oppo).

- Works independent of AV amp, which can be left switched off.

FOR AV.

- Take the Front L & R Pre-Outs from the AV amp -> HT By-Pass connection of Stereo amp

- Rest of speakers connected to AV amp

- Take HDMI from Source -> AV Amp for multi channel or use the Analogue Audio Outs.

- Now both amps need to be on. The Stereo Amp's Power Section is now covering Front L & R; and the AV Amp drives everything else and does the processing.

- Because the Pre-Amp Section of the 2 Channel Amp is by-passed, the volume is controlled by the AV Amp.

I hope I've got that right! ray:

 

[GSB]

Thanks cno,your a star...will bookmark this for setup next week

 

[michael hoy]

Sounds right to me CNO.

 

[tomlinscote]

2 newbie qns about cno's reply......

1 how does this set up work if the stereo amp's and av amp's power amp gains are different say one is 31db and the other is 28db and

2 does it do the av amp any harm to have its front channels left unconnected, I was told ( a long time ago ) that amps MUST have something connected to their output stages to avoid damage ???

Cheers

Tommo

 

[Neuphonix]

2 newbie qns about cno's reply......

1 how does this set up work if the stereo amp's and av amp's power amp gains are different say one is 31db and the other is 28db and

2 does it do the av amp any harm to have its front channels left unconnected, I was told ( a long time ago ) that amps MUST have something connected to their output stages to avoid damage ???

Cheers

Tommo

The M3i has the home theatre bypass or unity gain feature. So when this is selected it esentially turns the 3i into a power amp, it's volume is controlled via the AV reciever.

You can hook up integrated amps without this feature but it can be a bit fiddly having two volume levels to manage. One way would be to set up the integrated volume to a fixed point (many use 12 o'clock) & then run the AV room equalising set-up (assuming that it has one).

I'm not sure about causing damage to amps without connections to their output stage. In this instance you would be connecting the output stages via RCA instead of speaker output. The instruction manual for my Yamaha states that you should only have one or the other connected not both, so presumably you could damage it that way?

I was told that it is actually good for your AV to run an external amp as it reduces the load on the power supply. May or may not be true, seems to make sense. Not necessary but an added bonus if you were thinking of going down this route.

 

[Native_bon]

Here's what I did:

FOR 2 CHANNEL.

Connect up the Stereo Amp as if the AV amp didn't exist ie.

- Front L & R Speakers

- Stereo Audio Out from Source (Oppo).

- Works independent of AV amp, which can be left switched off.

FOR AV.

- Take the Front L & R Pre-Outs from the AV amp -> HT By-Pass connection of Stereo amp

- Rest of speakers connected to AV amp

- Take HDMI from Source -> AV Amp for multi channel or use the Analogue Audio Outs.

- Now both amps need to be on. The Stereo Amp's Power Section is now covering Front L & R; and the AV Amp drives everything else and does the processing.

- Because the Pre-Amp Section of the 2 Channel Amp is by-passed, the volume is controlled by the AV Amp.

I hope I've got that right! ray:

Also if I may add.. When playing movies swtich Intergrated amp to HT BY-PASS Input.

 

[tomlinscote]

Yeah I get the bit about the HT bypass function my MF A3.5 has it, but my point was the stereo amp on HT bypass is acting as a power amp which might not have the same gain as the AV amps power amp, so there would be an imbalance between fronts and the rest, and the second point was if you do use the stereo amp for the fronts then the AV amps front channels are left 'driving' no load, would this be aprob (I get the point about less load on the power supply) imagine if you had a stereo amp and left it on without any speakers connected same idea and samne problem for the output stage???

Thinking this much on a Sunday morning can't be good for me!!

T

 

[Native_bon]

2 newbie qns about cno's reply......

1 how does this set up work if the stereo amp's and av amp's power amp gains are different say one is 31db and the other is 28db and

2 does it do the av amp any harm to have its front channels left unconnected, I was told ( a long time ago ) that amps MUST have something connected to their output stages to avoid damage ???

Cheers

Tommo

The M3i has the home theatre bypass or unity gain feature. So when this is selected it esentially turns the 3i into a power amp, it's volume is controlled via the AV reciever.

You can hook up integrated amps without this feature but it can be a bit fiddly having two volume levels to manage. One way would be to set up the integrated volume to a fixed point (many use 12 o'clock) & then run the AV room equalising set-up (assuming that it has one).

I'm not sure about causing damage to amps without connections to their output stage. In this instance you would be connecting the output stages via RCA instead of speaker output. The instruction manual for my Yamaha states that you should only have one or the other connected not both, so presumably you could damage it that way?

I was told that it is actually good for your AV to run an external amp as it reduces the load on the power supply. May or may not be true, seems to make sense. Not necessary but an added bonus if you were thinking of going down this route.

I dnt think any damage can be caused to both amps if set up properly.. The only problem will be not getting uniform sound across the front channels due to different tonal balance from different amps when watching movies. Or even more so when listening to music in sursound sound mode which i tend to do... So I tend to use My AV amp for both music & movies..the difference in SQ does not worry me that much.. Unless you go dwn the route of seven channel power amp.

Well thats just me..

 

[toyota man]

Yeah I get the bit about the HT bypass function my MF A3.5 has it, but my point was the stereo amp on HT bypass is acting as a power amp which might not have the same gain as the AV amps power amp, so there would be an imbalance between fronts and the rest, and the second point was if you do use the stereo amp for the fronts then the AV amps front channels are left 'driving' no load, would this be aprob (I get the point about less load on the power supply) imagine if you had a stereo amp and left it on without any speakers connected same idea and samne problem for the output stage???

Thinking this much on a Sunday morning can't be good for me!!

T

It is ok to run av amp without speakers connected I think its valve amps that do not like not having a load I run a 5 .0 surround with my m6i on the fronts set on ht bipass and its realy very good in fact I think its better than my main 5.1 system in the lounge

 

[toyota man]

Yeah I get the bit about the HT bypass function my MF A3.5 has it, but my point was the stereo amp on HT bypass is acting as a power amp which might not have the same gain as the AV amps power amp, so there would be an imbalance between fronts and the rest, and the second point was if you do use the stereo amp for the fronts then the AV amps front channels are left 'driving' no load, would this be aprob (I get the point about less load on the power supply) imagine if you had a stereo amp and left it on without any speakers connected same idea and samne problem for the output stage???

Thinking this much on a Sunday morning can't be good for me!!

T

It is ok to run av amp without speakers connected I think its valve amps that do not like not having a load I run a 5 .0 surround with my m6i on the fronts set on ht bipass and its realy very good in fact I think its better than my main 5.1 system in the lounge

 

[Neuphonix]

Yeah I get the bit about the HT bypass function my MF A3.5 has it, but my point was the stereo amp on HT bypass is acting as a power amp which might not have the same gain as the AV amps power amp, so there would be an imbalance between fronts and the rest, and the second point was if you do use the stereo amp for the fronts then the AV amps front channels are left 'driving' no load, would this be aprob (I get the point about less load on the power supply) imagine if you had a stereo amp and left it on without any speakers connected same idea and samne problem for the output stage???

Thinking this much on a Sunday morning can't be good for me!!

T

I don't find level matching or tonal qualities to be an issue.

I'm assuming that the AV reciever must be smart enough to recognise that if it is outputing from the RCA that it somehow switches off the output load from the speaker outputs. Either way it doesn't seem to cause it any dramas.

 

[Native_bon]

Yeah I get the bit about the HT bypass function my MF A3.5 has it, but my point was the stereo amp on HT bypass is acting as a power amp which might not have the same gain as the AV amps power amp, so there would be an imbalance between fronts and the rest, and the second point was if you do use the stereo amp for the fronts then the AV amps front channels are left 'driving' no load, would this be aprob (I get the point about less load on the power supply) imagine if you had a stereo amp and left it on without any speakers connected same idea and samne problem for the output stage???

Thinking this much on a Sunday morning can't be good for me!!

T

Well most Av amps these days if not all have speaker level upset menu were you can increase or decrease the volume for each channel.. So you can do this from the pre amp stage from the AV Amp. As per the channels driving on load I dnt think that would cause any problems either. In some cases people run 7.1 av amps in 5.1.. mode. So you still got 2 channels not working & that does not seem to cause any problems..

 

[GSB]

Sorry for re visiting an old thread but i have a question?

All set-up and working now...but my avr gives me the option to select the fronts as bi-amped...this is what i want(i think?)

Help :rofl:

 

[CnoEvil]

Sorry for re visiting an old thread but i have a question?

All set-up and working now...but my avr gives me the option to select the fronts as bi-amped...this is what i want(i think?)

Help :rofl:

I think they will sound better through the M3i than bi-amped through the AVR.

 

[tomlinscote]

This option usually means that you have a 7 channel amp and you can use the surround rear amps to bi-amp your front speakers, or if you have a powered zone 2 etc. If you are using a different (stereo) amp for your fronts you do not need this function so set it to NO then you can use poweered zone 2 to listen to things in a different room.

Tommo

 

[GSB]

so should i set it as normal 5.1?....i actualy thought by selecting bi-amp it would be better... :doh:

 

[GSB]

This option usually means that you have a 7 channel amp and you can use the surround rear amps to bi-amp your front speakers, or if you have a powered zone 2 etc. If you are using a different (stereo) amp for your fronts you do not need this function so set it to NO then you can use poweered zone 2 to listen to things in a different room.

Tommo

Thanks Tommo,sorry i didn't see your post and youv'e answered my question perfectly :cheers:

 

[CnoEvil]

This option usually means that you have a 7 channel amp and you can use the surround rear amps to bi-amp your front speakers, or if you have a powered zone 2 etc. If you are using a different (stereo) amp for your fronts you do not need this function so set it to NO then you can use poweered zone 2 to listen to things in a different room.

Tommo

Thanks Tommo,sorry i didn't see your post and youv'e answered my question perfectly :cheers:

Tommo is spot on.

You are sending the Front L&R signal "away" to the M3i..........though if you get 2 more speakers, you can have 7.1

 

[GSB]

oke: CNO.....

**** off.... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:twisted:

I kind of suggested to the Mrs that i need to get a better,more musical sub....the lump on my head is coming up a treat :doh:

 

[CnoEvil]

oke: CNO.....

**** off.... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:twisted:

I kind of suggested to the Mrs that i need to get a better,more musical sub....the lump on my head is coming up a treat :doh:

It's OK......if she hits you on the head enough, it will become a calloused lump (like mine), and doesn't hurt (as much). :twisted:

 

[GSB]

How many lumps did it take to build your ref system? :doh:

Although i'm no looker i have a feeling that i'm going to end up looking like the elephant man :shifty:

 

[CnoEvil]

How many lumps did it take to build your ref system? :doh:

This many..... :wall: