Dbphd's setup is really the only type of setup that makes sense if one's pursuit is to maintain the highest level of fidelity for 2 ch duties -across a wide range of 2 ch audiophile setup budgets - when doing a single location/all in one system, really. You still get the relative level of performance desired out of the multi/HT setup, while maintaining the hi-fidelity 2 ch system. Because even going for a relatively modest budget 2ch preamp, mated to quality sources w superb analog out capabilities for the 2 ch part, is almost always going to yield better sonics across the board than the same or even more money spent on a more expensive higher end AV prepro set up that's doing both the music and HT multi in one standalone AV unit! (Likely all connected up n processed in the digital domain internally, typically, which you really need for processing DD/DTS multi, IMO)
If someone has a better concept for getting better overall results with two ch as a priority, I'd like to hear about it..
