Building AV system: Risk of sum being less than parts

Main music system is Exposure New Classics 22 CD, 23pre, 28 power. Presently own integrated AV amp which works amazingly for the money. Idea: buy new and better stand alone processor , use Exposure 23/28 for left/right AV and buy cheaper Exposure power amps for centre and surround. Assumptions : the processor will be better than what I've got, ditto the extra power amps. Reservation : Any mis-match in electrics i.e. input/output sensitivities/impedences could result in a stifled, wasted sound. I don't know what I'm talking about here so I'm asking for help. I think I read somewhere about Exposure impedences on power amps being atypical or something, but maybe thats the old stuff. Ideally, I thought I could use the thousand pound Rotel processor, probably second hand. Another thing I should mention: as regards left/right in AV, I'd be going from processor to Exposure preamp before power amp, rather than directly into power amp. This is because the primary function of the 28 power would be for music, connected to the 23 preamp. Although the 28 power has both XLR and phono inputs, I believe unfortunately I can only have one in use at a time. A pity, as I'd have liked to connect with XLR for music and have phono inputs direct into it from the processor for AV, just making sure that either 23 preamp OR AV processor is switched on at one time. But I believe I'm not supposed to do that. Exposure would open up a whole lot more integration if they would only make their poweramp switchable between XLR and phono input at the flick of a switch. So, I'll have to go through 23 pre amp first for left right AV, using an aux input and setting the volume control at the same remembered place each time. Of course, for centre and surround, I'd have direct connection from AV processor to the extra Exposure power amps. So, before I go out and buy my cheaper extra Exposure power amps, advice please as to electrical matching problems. You see what I'm saying? An integrated AV amp may in its parts be inferior to the equipment mentioned here as an alternative, yet we know it will work well at what it does. I want to avoid "upgrading" to a mis-matched dog's breakfast. Or, am I worrying too much ?

 

Cloth Ears

Do you really need Exposure amps for all the surrounds, you could entertain the idea of an good quality AV Reveicer/Amp with a pre-out option (such as an Arcam AVR200 - shameless plug - I have one in the classifieds or an AVR300 or your preferred brand) and if you want some rears and centre WM has some decent gear available in the classifieds as well.

If you 'must' go down the all Exposure route, don't rule out the s/h Meridian processor option a 565 or 568 should be in your be in your s/h Rotel budget, but the later 568.2 won't be (perhaps) - also offers XLR for the centre-channel. The Meridian kit is really well made and should have better 'audiophile' qualities than the Rotel stuff. BTW I recently bought an ex-demo 568.2MHR for 45% of its retail new price.

There should be no real level issues as you will be able to set up all the levels on the processor/receiver to match where you have set you main pre-amp.

Don't worry, if you buy well s/h then if you don't like it you can always shift it on.

Mr Perceptive

PS try and locate the CR key on your keyboard, a few line breaks (paragraphs)will make your text much easier to read!!!

 

I thought Meridian would be a bit tame for movies, and always over priced. My worry about electrical mismatching was based on a worry that Exposure's electronics are maybe quite at odds with typical values between pre and power amps, working great with each other but maybe dodgy with other marques. Yes I could do that thing with the Arcam. Basically thats the same as what I can do at present i.e. take pre out for left right only , to the main Exposure amps, leaving centre and rears powered by the AV amp. However I keep getting told that you ought to have good homogeniety across the front certainly. Anyone actually disagree with that? I don't think my Harmon would be much different from the AVR 200. There is a big step up to the 300, which is based on trickle down , they say, from the higher ups. No, I'm really looking at a processor, but I still think the question remains about electrical mismatching. Does anyone know ? By the way my mention of XLR is not to do with making a thing about XLR, I was just saying there are two pairs of inputs on the main Exposure power amp. Ideally, I would have the Exp pre connected at the same time as the av processor, one using XLR the other phono, but only one inputting unit switched on at a time. But I believe I must not do this, so I would feed the processor left/right output through the Exp pre first.

 

Cloth-Ears

Firstly please find the carraige return key and insert some paragrahgs, trying to read one large slab of text is difficult.

Don't underestimate Meridian, I'm a bit of a fan of Meridian kit, but it is built very well, they can service it for years and after the initial depreciation hit they hold their value very well. It also sounds amazing and is highly configurable (laptop setup program on my 568.2!)

It certainly isn't tame on movies and is light years ahead of the AVR200 in control and detail and movies are certianly exciting, but the way dialogue and the mid-range is handled is amazing. I was stunned at all the new information I was hearing from DVDs when I first used it.

I'm also using Meridian Power Amps, so I don't have any mismatch worries, but as I said before I'm sure you won't have a problem, as you can adjust the levels for each channel in the processor to compensate.

I also currently run a phantom centre as my omnidirectional speakers are at the base corners of my projector screen, so I don't have any mismatch issues with homogenity across the front.

I have a friend with a top end Naim olive system and he is using a Yamaha DSPE800 to drive centre and rears, again his system sounds very good, but the Yamaha is not very refined and is quite aggressive so the the latter part probably matches the Naims quite well.

Good hunting with your system

Mr Perceptive

 

that yamaha 800 is very old tech but anyway i will be using a centre and i am told that it is important to keep the amps and speakers same or very similar while you can maybe get away with the rears a bit different I must say I have noticed quite different impedences quoted for Exposure power amps compared to say Rotel power amp that would work with the Rotel Av processor and then I wonder what the effect of routing left/right av through an Exposure preamp also might be and I know I can adjust for level for each channel but I believe that if you have an electrical mismatch between units it can fundamentally muck up the sound that level re-matching can't compensate for now as I'm set on Exposure amps I won't be going a Meridian route other than say a processor oh I take your word that it actually sounds exciting with movies and I suppose its good to be able to get the unit updated but I believe the Rotel does that as well and will always be cheaper oh well we'll see anywayif anyone can answer my question about electrical mismatching I'd be greatful oh and as regards your Arcam good luck in selling that but for me it would be somewhat a sideways move anyway thanks for replying anyway p.s. how's my layout now?

 

True - but it's still good vfm if you mainly watch DVDs/digital-sourced dolby prologic - admittedly it's not "all that" with VHS surround.

The one thing I hate about mine is that there's no mono-3 mode (so the front L/C/R speakers all run on a mono source).

Oh - and my source selector's getting flakey too - thank god for remotes...

 

awful!

 

Just a bit of leg pulling there. I think that post qualifies for the longest sentence ever on Zerogain !

 

...or at least it might if it was a sentence

Sleeping in a basket is clearly affecting your mind