2. amps-preamps
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Integrated with A/B Speaker Switch

I'm helping a friend put together a home system which is a bit complicated - existing home system is a receiver going into a impedence correcting selector box that supplies built-in speakers throughout the house. New improved system is a pair of Soliloquy 5.3 speakers and needs better quality amplification than the whole-house system. The most elegant solution would be to find an integrated that can look into 4 ohms with an A/B speaker switch - the A would go directly to the Soliloquy's and the B would go to the receiver. Any good candidates?

Another option is to get a preamp with two amplifier outputs, and use it to control the amplifier section of the receiver as well as a seperate amplifier for the Soliloquy's. But I'm mostly asking about the first (A/B) option.

Thanks very much. Peter S.
peter_s
rwwear
2,692 posts
 
You don't want go speaker level to the receiver with an integrated amp. You should just connect all of the sources to the integrated then go out of the tape outs into the receiver. This way the two systems can be independent. If you get an integrated with a record out selector you can play a different source in the rest of the house.
peter_s OP
1,088 posts
 
Hi Rwwear - I wouldn't go speaker level out to the receiver, just to the switch box that handles the whole house system on say the "B" side. But that being said, you are right about the tape out. I was thinking along those lines too - should have mentioned it as a third option. Another advantage is having seperate volume controls for the 2-ch and whole-house systems. However, it means keeping the receiver, or replacing it (it is clearly the nasty link in the whole system). Thanks for that suggestion.
rwwear
2,692 posts
 
I see, but the receiver would only be used for the whole house system and not the main listening room. It is nice to have separate zones even if only for one room. You can have the ability to play a different source in the main room if you get an integrated with a record out selector.
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