[SpartanNate]

I have a receiver that can output to 7 main speaker channels. Currently, I am using only 5 (for 5.1). I am using the two reserved for the rear surrounds as a "B" channel as they are in a different location of the house and are not intended as the remaining speakers in a 7.1 setup.


I want to add one more speaker to this setup that will be in a different location. I would 'like' for it to replicate the center channel of the 5.1. Can I connect two speakers to my receiver's amplified output from the center channel? If I did do this, what should I expect would happen (e.g., damage to speaker(s), damage to receiver, decreased performance)? If it is possible to do without damage, I might try it, but I would like your suggestions before I wreck something!


I am guessing the above idea is not the way to add another speaker to the system...that being said, I do have pre-amp outputs that I can use, but I don't know what I would need in order to make this work. Would I have to get just an amp to run one speaker? How would I go about using the "pre-amp" outputs of my receiver? What type of additional hardware is required?


I'll start there...any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Let me know if you would like further clarification or if you need more information to make an appropriate response.


+Nate

 

[Kal Rubinson]

If you do what you propose, you will have to decide, a priori, whether the remote speaker will be used separately or at the same time as the main center channel speaker. This is because you will have to calibrate the 5.1 channel levels to balance and the presence or absence of the additional remote speaker will have a substantial effect on the output of the main center speaker. That said, a center channel is not necessarily a suitable mono channel as what it gets is dependent on the source format.


It might be better to get a remote amp for this and feed it with the combined output of the L/R channels from the main or remote preamp outputs.

 

[Jim Hef]

Can you explain why you would only want one speaker in the other area? As Kal stated, the presence of the other speaker will affect the amp's output, so your center channel will fluctuate as to the use of the other speaker. Why not combine the rear surround channels and output stereo to each area?

 

[SpartanNate]

Kal


I think I get your drift. I'll do some extra explaining here.


I have a 5.1 setup in the main area of my basement. I added two other speakers in the corners of my basement that make up my Zone "B". I only plan on using these for music, etc and not movie viewing where I'll actually have a 5.1 source.


The 8th speaker is going in a bathroom which is also in the basement, but back in our laundry area. My intention here is that when watching a sporting event, one could take a trip to the bathroom without missing any game coverage. My thought was using the center channel pre-amp output because I figured this would carry most of the commentators' dialogue which would be the most desirable part.


In addition, I was thinking of adding an on/off switch and separate volume control to the bathroom speaker. That being said, I won't be able to appropriately adjust the levels of my amplified center channel to work both with and without the extra speaker...it might be possible, but it sounds like a pain.


Jim


I do also like the idea of combining the right & left channels into a mono-channel for the other speakers (maybe I should switch my zone "B" speakers to that source as well). How could I accomplish this properly? I've never bought an external amplifier before...until this point, my receiver alone was enough. Any suggestions on a cheap/simple amp to do this with?


Thanks for your suggestions!


+Nate