Use of pre-out and speaker connections at the same time

[admin_exported]

Hello

I'm using the "Surround back" connections of my AV amp to bi-amp my front speakers , so that I'm unable to have a 7.1 system . My " Surround "connections go to my side speakers . My question is this : could I connect the Surround pre-out to my hifi power amp , connected to my hifi speakers ( which are well placed to be surround speakers ) so that I would get a 7.1 system ( knowing of course that the signal would be the same as for my side speakers ) ?

In other words , can you use the surround connections and the surround pre-out at the same time ?

Thank you

 

[chudleighpaul]

When you say side speakers, I assume you are referring to the main left and right.

If you set up the amp to bi amp the mains then I would have thought that the signal from the pre outs would be the same as the mains, so to send this signal to another pair of surround speakers would give you a most peculiar effect, which would not be 7.1

 

[Anonymous]

On my rear panel ( Onkyo NR-905 ) :

connectors : center to center speaker

front to front speakers

surround to side speakers

surround back to front speakers for bi-amping ( odd at first but many amps handle it )

now can I connect my surround pre-out to my hifi amp to use my hifi speakers as surround speakers ?

 

[chudleighpaul]

As you have set the amp surround backs to bi amp your front speakers, the signal from the surround back speaker terminals has been changed to the same as the front main speakers. So it is only reasonable to assume that the rear surround pre outs will be carrying the the same sound as for the front mains, so no you would not get 7.1 surround setting things up this way.

The only way you could enjoy 7.1 is to stop bi amping the front mains

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not bothered by the fact that the signal would be the same as my side speakers ; that would fill the room better ( even if , like you said , not a proper 7.1 ) .

My question was more the technical side of it : can you use the connectors and the pre-out ( both under the same label ) at the same time ?

 

[Anonymous]

For front speakers , that would be :

can you feed 2 front speakers with the front connectors ( usual configuration ) ;

and then 2 other front speakers with the front pre-out and a power amp ( though it would be strange to have 4 front speakers

)

 

[chudleighpaul]

If you are going to postion the two extra speakers at the front then yes, but the way you posed the original question looked like you were intending to use the pre outs to power rear surrounds with the same signal as the front mains

 

[Anonymous]

No , surround to surround ( side in my room ) ; "surround back" to front ( for bi-amp )

I don't have "surround back" pre-out ; it is surround pre-out so it corresponds to surround connectors

So my side speakers ( fed by my surround connectors ) , and my hifi speakers placed as back speakers ( fed by my surround pre-out + my hifi amp ) , would get the same signal ( hence not a perfect 7.1 ) . But is it technically advisable to do so ?

 

[Anonymous]

Anyway , thank you for trying to solve this with me

 

[Sorreltiger]

As Chudleigh said, if you want to try 7.1 I'd give up on bi-amping and connect everything properly. If you like it, fine; if not, go back to your present arrangement.

Forget the other scheme!