How To Set Up Pioneer Surround Sound

How to combine stereo and surround audio in one AV system

How to combine stereo and surround sound in one AV system

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So yous're lucky plenty to accept the space, money and marital agreement to set upwards a environs sound arrangement at home. Fantastic news! But what most that how-do-you-do-fi organization you already own and love? Or what if hello-fi audio is just as important to you equally those environment sound movies?

The truth is that, when it comes to ii-channel music, even the best AV amplifiers can't concord a candle to the vast majority of stereo amps. And that's why the general consensus has e'er been that you need to determine whether your priority is stereo or surround sound, and sacrifice one for amend performance with the other.

But there is a way y'all can have your block and eat it. Information technology'due south not especially difficult either, though it can exist expensive if you're starting from scratch. Read on for full instructions and a listing of the best kit for the job.

What you need

The principle hither is that you have two systems that meet in the middle, but don't overly affect ane another. That means you need two amplifiers; 1 for surround audio and another for stereo.

The surround amplifier (or receiver) needs to accept pre-outs for the front-left and front-correct speakers that bypass the unit'southward ain power distension and output an analogue point to the stereo amp. Pre-outs are pretty common on AV amps above £500 (we've listed some current models below).

In theory, a system such as this can be set upward with any stereo amp that has standard RCA inputs, simply ideally y'all want one that has a dedicated input for the task – i that bypasses the unit's own volume control and other equaliser functions. On many amps this volition be labelled as an AV input, but some also utilize proprietary names for the feature – 'Chief In' on Onkyo amps, for case, and 'Power Amp Direct' on Pioneers. On Musical Fidelity amps, such equally the M2si pictured below, the advisable input is labelled 'HT'.

Why is this feature useful? By bypassing the stereo amp's own volume control the AV amp is in complete control of the volume and has more control over sonic character. All volume controls add a small amount of distortion and touch transparency, besides, so removing ane is almost e'er a good thing.

If you're set on using an amp that doesn't accept a dedicated AV input, yous can do then past setting the book control at the same level whenever y'all want to use information technology in tandem with your surround amp. That's a more fiddly and less precise way of doing things, but information technology works just fine.

Of course, you lot also demand speakers. Hither, it makes sense to cull a surround parcel that includes front-left and front-correct speakers with proper hi-fi credentials. There's no indicate in going down this route if you lot're but intending to employ pocket-size satellite speakers. We've recommended some suitable packages below.

How to set everything up

One time yous've got your AV amp and stereo amp, wiring is pretty straightforward. Simply plug your front-left and front-right speakers into the terminals on the stereo amp, and all of the other speakers (middle, sub, surrounds and tiptop speakers, if using) into the relevant terminals on the AV amp. Then utilize standard counterpart interconnects to connect the front-left and front-correct pre-outs of the AV amp to the AV input of the stereo amp.

Now y'all demand to calibrate the speakers using the AV amp's built-in, mic-driven ready-up. In most cases, you lot'll need to tell the AV amp the speaker configuration you're using, whether that'due south 5.one or 7.1, or fifty-fifty 7.one.4 (for Dolby Atmos), only with many amps you lot won't demand to specify that you're using the pre-outs at all. On some AV receivers, particularly higher-terminate ones, y'all'll find an selection called something like "amp assign". Use this to tell the AV amp that you're using an external amp to power the front two speakers. Consult the transmission if you're non certain.

One time done, you can begin the automated speaker calibration every bit normal, checking that the test sounds are coming out of all speakers as expected, and that at that place are no error messages that might indicate a mistake in the wiring or amp consignment.

At the finish, you should have a perfectly balanced, volume-matched surround sound arrangement, just as you would if all of the speakers were continued directly to the AV receiver. Now connect all video sources (Blu-ray actor, Heaven, PS5, video streamer, etc) to the AV amplifier every bit normal, and all two-aqueduct music sources (turntable, CD player, music streamer, etc) to the stereo amp.

The benefits

The major benefit here is a large one: considering all 2-channel sources are connected to the stereo amp, which exclusively powers the front end-left and front-right speakers, they completely bypass the surround components. This is pure, unadulterated hi-fi, but you besides have a full surround sound system for a properly cinematic feel.

Besides, in some cases, by using an external amplifier for two of your speakers, your AV receiver's own internal amplifiers tin be directed to power other speakers, opening upwardly the choice for a surround arrangement with more speakers. The Denon AVC-X4700H, for case, has nine built-in amplifiers (plus two subwoofer outputs), which you tin can deploy in a maximum 7.2.2 configuration. Have responsibleness for powering the front-left and front end-right speakers away from it, though, and it can use those 2 'spare' amplifiers to add 2 further Atmos speakers in a vii.2.four arrangement. Nice.

The drawbacks

One issue with a organization such equally this is that, while the auto scale of an AV receiver is designed to balance the volume and tonality of different speakers in a surround packet – and will apply the same principle to the speakers existence powered by the stereo amp – in that location are limits to what's possible and some of the stereo amp'due south graphic symbol is likely to come through.

This can issue in slight sonic inconsistencies betwixt the speakers running through the stereo amp and those that aren't, which you might notice (peculiarly across the front three). All the same, this can exist minimised with judicious system matching and, for many, any slight flaw here is more than fabricated up for past the purity of the hi-fi experience.

The other drawback is cost. Stereo amplifiers with dedicated AV inputs actually start at reasonable prices (Onkyo'southward A-9130 is just currently only £330, for example), but you're even so talking about paying that on top of the price of an AV receiver. Some may argue that if you've got, say, £1500 to spend on an audio system, y'all should get the best AV receiver or stereo amp y'all can afford, rather than compromise on both.

Just there aren't many AV amplifiers out in that location that do a really good job with stereo music. And a 2-channel hullo-fi patently can't do surround audio at all. That's why this best of both worlds approach is so appealing.

Verdict

If you've got the money, appetite and a picayune fleck of patience, building a arrangement that includes both an AV amp and a stereo amp makes all sorts of sense.

Convinced? Below you lot'll find a list of current products that offer the necessary features from some of the biggest manufacturers in hi-fi and dwelling cinema. Good luck...

The kit list

AV amplifiers with pre-outs that can be used to connect a stereo amp:

Denon: AVC-X3700H, AVC-X4700H, AVC-X6700H, AVC-X8500H, AVC-X8500HA, AVC-A110
Marantz: NR1510, NR1710, SR5014, SR6014, SR7013, SR8012
Onkyo: TX-NR696, TX-RZ740, TX-RZ1100, TX-RZ3100, TX-RZ3400
Pioneer: VSX-LX504, SC-LX701
Yamaha: RX-V685, RX-A880, RX-A1080, RX-A2080, RX-A3080, RX-V6A, RX-A2A, RX-A4A, RX-A6A, RX-A8A

Stereo amps with inputs that featherbed book control:

Arcam: SA10, SA20 and SA30
Audiolab: 6000A and 8300A
Cyrus: All electric current pre-amps and integrated amps (almost affordable integrated is Cyrus One)
Denon: PMA-2500NE
Marantz: PM8006, Model 30, PM-KI Ruby, PM-10, PM-12SE
Moon: Entire current range of amps, which starts with the Moon 240i
Musical Fidelity: All electric current pre-amps and integrated amps (eg. M2si)
Naim: All current (and many recent) pre-amps and integrated amps (eg. Nait 5si)
Onkyo: A-9130, A-9150
Pioneer: A-30, A-40AE, A-50DA, A-70DA
Rega: Elicit-R, Aethos, Osiris
Roksan: K3
Yamaha: A-S1200, A-S2200, A-S3200

All-in-one music systems with pick to bypass volume command:

Arcam: SA30
Audiolab: 6000A Play
NAD: Masters M10
Naim: Uniti Cantlet, Uniti Star, Uniti Nova

Some recommended surround packages with hello-fi-quality front speakers:

Dali Spektor two v.1
Dali Oberon 5 5.1
Elac Debut two.0 5.one Abode Theatre System
Fyne Audio F302 AV
JBL HDI five.1
KEF Q350 AV 5.1
Mission QX-2 Home Picture palace Package
Monitor Audio Silvery 200 AV12
PMC Xx 23 5.i
Q Acoustics 3010i 5.i Movie theater Pack
Q Acoustics 3050i five.ane Cinema Pack

Tom Parsons has been writing almost TV, AV and howdy-fi products (not to mention plenty of other 'gadgets' and even cars) for over 15 years. He began his career as What Hi-Fi?'southward Staff Writer and is now the TV and AV Editor. In between, he worked equally Reviews Editor then Deputy Editor at Stuff, and over the years has had his work featured in publications such equally T3, The Telegraph and Louder. He's also appeared on BBC News, BBC World Service, BBC Radio 4 and Heaven Swipe. In his spare fourth dimension Tom is a runner and gamer.