NeoNewbie---Using unused speaker channels?

No, that won't work, and would be likely to damage the amps. However, you may be getting somewhat more power on peaks than you would if you wer using the surround channels, since the limiting factor is likely the power supply.

Racarlson is exactly right. The signal from the front speaker channels and the surround channels isn't even the same.

NN,

It depends. Are your speakers bi-wirable, i.e., do they have 4 binding post (one pair for tweeter, one pair for woofer)? If so, you may be able to bi-amp your speakers using the rear surround channel outputs from your receiver.

Some receivers (Panasonic, for instance) support "party mode" which sends the L&R front stereo signal to the rear surround outputs and it is designed to bi-amp a pair of bi-wirable speakers. I would also think that it would work if your receiver has a 5-channel stereo mode which sends the same signal to the L&R surround outputs that it sends the the L&R front outputs.

This will only work if your speakers are bi-wirable (have 4 binding post). Do not connect front and surround speaker wires to a single pair of speaker binding post. You could damage the receiver and/or the speakers.

Use caution, if you don't understand the bi-wire/bi-amp setup, don't attempt it.....

Enjoy,

TIC

If it has pre-out and amp-in for all channels (I had an Onkyo like this) it may work as you could pull the rear channel jumpers...a Y-cable from the fronts would then feed the rear amps along with the front channel amps.

Agree with the above also.

Dave

I emailed HK and they say it can't be done. Thanks anyway.