Question concerning audio chain in my hifi/AV set up

[Audioholic]

Hi all,

I would be grateful if any one more clever than me could clarify something.

I have a combined AV/ hifi set up.

I stream all my music using Apple TV, which has an optical out cable which runs from the Apple TV to my DAC, which then runs balanced to a preamp and power amp, and then to the front speakers.

However, when I'm listening to music I can switch on the receiver which seems to retain the same audio quality for 2 channel listening but also sends music to the rear speakers.

What I really want to know is, when I activate the receiver what exactly is going on in the audio chain. The receiver apparently is still seeing my front speakers, but the audio quality is such that it is definitely using the dedicated hifi equipment for the output to the front 2 channels. It seems to be adding the rear channels, but effectively ignorning the front 2 channels entirely.

How does the receiver step out of the way for the front 2 channels, and dish out audio for the other channels?

Thanks

 

[Audioholic]

I should clarify there are 2 cables going out of the Apple TV - optical out to the hifi (2 channel dac) and an hdmi cable to the receiver.

So when I switch on the receiver, the sound is being received via HDMI.

Thanks

 

[The_Lhc]

Which amplifier are the front speakers connected to?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Presumably the system is reverting to the sound provided via the AV receiver when you switch it on, but this would only happen if you selected the relevant input on your stereo amp to accept a signal from the receiver. So presumably all you're hearing is the extra speakers that are being processed by the AV receiver. This will have beeen processed, but that process will only really make sense if the front left and right channels are also passing through the processor (as it'll take out some information). So while you're lisyening to multi-channel audio, there is no way your stereo speakers can be unafected by the receiver.