HTPC direct to active speakers/power amp and passive speakers - Page 3

rpo83 · **18th June 2007, 03:45 PM**

Hi MSurge,

What inputs on the sub are you using?

Does it have L,C,R and sub inputs, with LCR outputs?

I may be worth experimenting with telling your soundcard that you dont have a sub and large LCR speakers, that way it will redirect the LFE to the LCR channels, then your sub x-over will handle the rest. It is always difficult in these situations when you don't know what each piece of gear is doing, but try those settings and compare it to what you currently use.

MSurge · **19th June 2007, 10:10 AM**

rpo83

Up until your post at the start of this thread I had thought I was thinking in the wrong direction since all the other threads seemed to be pushing the whole optical output to a separate receiver to do the signal processing.

Now since your posting thinking along the same lines and since you seem to have experience in the audio field I'm happier with where I was going before and starting to pick it up again.

Until now I've left my system the same way that it was set up when I first purchased it all. The only change has been that my Yamaha DVD player and CD player (5 - disc) were packed away and have been replaced by the HTPC.

My amplifier only has analogue inputs, which were originally the DVD and CD player stereo outputs into the various stereo inputs on the back of the amplifier/receiver. My understanding is that the receiver then takes this stereo input, converts it through a Dolby surround processor and outputs to the analogue outputs (5.1) on the back of the amplifier/receiver.

Currently my HTPC outputs in stereo analogue which is connected to the inputs on the amplifier/receiver which is still left to do the processing and output to the 5.1 speakers. The audio output on the HTPC which is capable to output in various formats from stereo up to 7.1 is currently set to stereo I'm assuming that whatever stereo signal is output is still able to be converted successfully by the receivers processor to output 5.1 properly or it just may be creating some pseudo surround sound-stage effect if it's not getting the proper (encoded?) input .

From the back of the receiver the 5.1 audio outputs are for each of the rear effects, centre, sub, left and right (ie 5.1). When I got my sub it was suggested that the left and right cables were run from the receiver to the inputs on the sub (it only has L&R, not effects inputs) and the main L&R speakers then connected to the outputs on the sub. It was explained that then the main speakers are only being fed an audio signal in their optimum range and the bass is picked up by the sub. Without the sub in the line then the main speakers would also be receiving and wasting power on the bass signal which is outside their ideal range.

The amplifier has a low-pass output but I've never tried connecting it up this way and having the main L&R connected directly to their outputs on the amplifier, though I suspect this may give me a better bass sound since the main Richters (Harlequins) still handle the lower frequencies reasonalby well.

Ideally I would like to take the analogue outputs all from the back of the HTPC and output them to a multichannel power-amp and leave all audio processing being done in the HTPC since it has so many more options for bass level, equaliser settings that I don't even have on what was a higher end (in the Yamaha range anyway) unit in its day.

For now I think I may keep the analogue stereo outputs from the HTPC to the amplifier/receiver inputs and try a few configurations on how the sub can be connected up. I just hate pulling it all out of the cabinet to do this, but I want to make some big ventilation holes in the back on the cabinet anyway so I might do it while I've got it all out on the floor when I do this.

The plus side of my current stereo input to the receiver is that I have the audio output from the HTPC split so that it connects to the TV audio input and the receiver. For normal use it just uses the speakers in the TV but for "fancy" sound I just turn on the amplifier.

While I'm sure most people like lots of equipment (amps, stb's, DVD and CD players, etc) filling their lounge, I like a minimalist look and am aiming to have the power-amps hidden away and just a low profile HTPC case (thinking Hiper case) with the speakers and TV (obviously) visible. Since all my music and video is stored on HDD then the original discs are stored away in boxes I don't need a cabinet to be filled with these either.

Now thinking along this minimalist sort of setup and the fact that it's not an audiophile setup I was considering using the audio input on the TV as my centre channel. I already have a centre channel speaker as part of my setup so I can always replace it, but using the TV input would mean that I could get away with using a four channel (or two, 2 channel) power-amp. I'm thinking it's something I could try as I've got other plans in mind for outdoor and patio areas where I could always use these power-amps if it didn't work out so good.