Is it worth separating Home Cinema from music?

[admin_exported]

I have been thinking of upgrading from my telly's built-in sound and wonder if it would be worth trying to combine my hifi setup with the AV receiver and some new speakers?

My existing Hifi separates are pretty old, but still produce a great sound - they are basically the 'Budget' award winners circa 1995! - Rega Planar 2 Turntable, Marantz CD52SE MkII, Rotel 930 amp and Mission 760i speakers.

To be honest, I value music quality much more than home cinema and I really just want to get a level up from the TV's own speakers, so I'd just been thinking of buying cheap and cheerful receiver and speaker set (don't need new DVD player as have PS3) but when I look at receivers I keep on thinking that for a few quid more it might be worth running the separates through it too.

Any suggestions/advice?

Cheers

 

[Andrew Everard]

I'd stick to two separate systems, running the receiver's frtont L/R pre-outs into a spare input in the stereo amp for the best of both worlds

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
I'd stick to two separate systems, running the receiver's frtont L/R pre-outs into a spare input in the stereo amp for the best of both worlds

[/quote]

Thanks for the reply
.

Do you mean, keep the existing hifi system as is, buy a new AV receiver, run its fronts through the stereo amp (as you suggest) but using the existing speakers, i.e. not getting a dedicated surround sound speaker set. Or perhaps using the existing speakers but adding new subwoofer +/- centre and rear speakers? Or am I just getting confused! Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I run my system as Andrew has suggested. You just need to run a centre, 2 rears & the sub from your AV receiver. This way you save on having to have 2 extra front speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

Can I expand on the original question please.

I'm looking to get a 2nd system to put in my back room, to accommodate my PS3 and Sonos, so 5.1 for gaming and movies are just as important as music.

I'm looking at the Monitor Audio Bronze package but with the BR5's instead of the BR2's and Bi-Wiring it, to partner the speakers was looking to invest in the Onkyo 875.

I like the idea of the AV Amp pre-out to a separate stereo amp, to power the BR5's. I'm coming around to what you are saying and now thinking of the Onkyo 605 and a dedicated Stereo amp, but in the near future when the HD Sound Formats are on Blue Ray, would the Onkyo pass this onto the dedicated Stereo amp and would I get the HD Sound through the 2 main speakers?