Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo 2 stereos for no real reason just thinking out lou

So right now, I have 2 stereos on adjoining walls. (90 degrees from each other)

One I consider the "audio" stereo, which now has my NEW M50's and is powered by a Sansui G-7700 which is near and dear to my heart. There is a cheap DVD player for use as Cd player, music from either of my Macs via Airport Express, which is connected to a Maverick (Chinese made) DAC by optical cable, which then goes by RCA cables to the AUX in on Sansui.

Then the OTHER system now has my M3's along with an Infinity 8 in floorfiring sub, that, to me, provides what I need for TV watching. Powered by a newish Harman-Kardon 80wpc receiver. Today a co-worker was asking me why I don't just ditch the Harman-Kardon and run it all into the Sansui, if it's all 2 channel anyway.

It boggled my mind when he first suggested this. Because I couldn't immediately think of a good reason!
I guess the reason is the HK, even though it has no HDMI, offers more connectivity. Has lots of inputs, and a remote. It has a matching HK DVD48 that works really well with it. PLus! it has a sub output.

But it is beginning to bug me - having 2 stereo receivers - I guess the redundancy bugs me.

Maybe the next step will be to at least put it all on one WALL. Although in a sense, it's kind of interesting, keeping the listening experience separate from the viewing/listening experience. But in another sense, it seems stupid.

I guess what I WISH would happen is that I'd run into a (used and therefore reasonably priced) surround AV receiver who's amp section(s) make power as nice as what the big Sansui is giving me in my "listening only" system. I would still miss it though. And it's too big to place in another room.

You know there aren't many things from the early 80's that I'm attached to - but that receiver is a big exception.

I wish the Harman-Kardon would just magically replace itself with a surround receiver. I could keep the M50's on the Sansui, and use the M3's, sub - plus some other small speakers I have as rears and, so, have a 2-channel system AND a surround system.

Question: In a pinch, could I use one single stereo speaker (one of the pair) as a "center"?
Just asking - on the off chance that I wake up one morning and the HK has replaced itself with a surround unit.

It occurs to me though, it sure is nice to have OPTIONS.

For tonal match, 3 of the same speakers across the front is the best choice. But this doesn't always work because of looks or space considerations. But the M3 should match up tone-wise with the M50's, so this should not be a problem, to use M50's as L/R and an M3 as Center.

well I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to split up a good pair of M3's to use one as a center.
...but you never know.

Anyway, silly thread. Sorry.

Always worth a try. You can always put it back the way it was.

true dat! thanks for the input CatBrat.

I don't think it's silly, at all.

You should just arrange all that stuff in whatever way makes you feel happy.

I can understand why you'd want to retain the Sansui; that's a pretty piece.

Personally, I rather like music in multichannel and also enjoy the Dolby surround effects present in a growing number of modern TV series (as delivered to me via DTV and decoded by my Onkyo 805). So, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably have an itch to see what M50's as L/R and an M3 as a center sounds like.

You can get pretty nice deals on Onkyo refurbs at Accessories4less and shoponkyo.

Most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the time you have with what you've got.