On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 13:01:23 +0100, John Russell
wrote:



If you don't want two sets of speakers you need to seperate the front
speakers from any surround stream for use by the hi-fi part of your
system.
A digital output would just send all the stream to another device,
without
extracting the front left/right audio.


A digital output to a decoder is exactly what is needed. A professional
decoder would then output all the channels on balanced connectors like the
original poster is already using so he would only need to purchase the
extra active speakers needed. With a decent decoder stereo material would
pass through as before while the decoder would route the multichannel
audio to the additional speakers when needed.

Cheers.

James.

"James Perrett" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 13:01:23 +0100, John Russell
wrote:



If you don't want two sets of speakers you need to seperate the front
speakers from any surround stream for use by the hi-fi part of your
system.
A digital output would just send all the stream to another device,
without
extracting the front left/right audio.


A digital output to a decoder is exactly what is needed. A professional
decoder would then output all the channels on balanced connectors like the
original poster is already using so he would only need to purchase the
extra active speakers needed. With a decent decoder stereo material would
pass through as before while the decoder would route the multichannel
audio to the additional speakers when needed.

Cheers.

James.

If it costs £1000 just for a digital monitor card I dread to think how much
a pro-quality decoder is going to cost!

In message , John Russell
writes

"James Perrett" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 13:01:23 +0100, John Russell
wrote:



If you don't want two sets of speakers you need to seperate the front
speakers from any surround stream for use by the hi-fi part of your
system.
A digital output would just send all the stream to another device,
without
extracting the front left/right audio.


A digital output to a decoder is exactly what is needed. A professional
decoder would then output all the channels on balanced connectors like the
original poster is already using so he would only need to purchase the
extra active speakers needed. With a decent decoder stereo material would
pass through as before while the decoder would route the multichannel
audio to the additional speakers when needed.

Cheers.

James.

If it costs £1000 just for a digital monitor card I dread to think how much
a pro-quality decoder is going to cost!

Are we talking about a DVI card/monitor here?
--
Tony Morgan
http://www.camcord.info

"Tony Morgan" wrote in message
...
In message , John Russell
writes

"James Perrett" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 13:01:23 +0100, John Russell
wrote:



If you don't want two sets of speakers you need to seperate the front
speakers from any surround stream for use by the hi-fi part of your
system.
A digital output would just send all the stream to another device,
without
extracting the front left/right audio.


A digital output to a decoder is exactly what is needed. A professional
decoder would then output all the channels on balanced connectors like
the
original poster is already using so he would only need to purchase the
extra active speakers needed. With a decent decoder stereo material
would
pass through as before while the decoder would route the multichannel
audio to the additional speakers when needed.

Cheers.

James.

If it costs £1000 just for a digital monitor card I dread to think how
much
a pro-quality decoder is going to cost!

Are we talking about a DVI card/monitor here?

Nope a digital audio output card for a very esoteric piece of Hi-FI!

I think James hit the nail on the head. I need a "professional" decoder
that takes as input, the digital output from the CD/DAC/preamp Wadia
861 player. The DVD player is plugged into the Wadia and the decoder
sits between the Wadia and the existing power amps, and also connected
to a 3 channel amp for the other rear and centre speakers.

The decoder would "pass through" via balanced connectors the front L&R
speakers which the Wadia is driving, but when playing DVDs, the decoder
picks up the digital signal and adds in the additional 3 channels via a
separate amps and speakers.

Given the price of the existing kit involved (the RRP for my balanced
leads is over £1k) this is going to get extremely expensive!! I'd need
the decoder (£££s), another set of XLR leads (£1k), digital output
card (£1k), 3 channel amp and 3 speakers.

Can anyone point me to a "professional decoder" so I can investigate
its specs and price?

Thanks, David

On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 15:24:39 +0100, John Russell
wrote:


"James Perrett" wrote in message
news

A digital output to a decoder is exactly what is needed. A professional
decoder would then output all the channels on balanced connectors like
the
original poster is already using so he would only need to purchase the
extra active speakers needed. With a decent decoder stereo material
would
pass through as before while the decoder would route the multichannel
audio to the additional speakers when needed.

Cheers.

James.

If it costs £1000 just for a digital monitor card I dread to think how
much
a pro-quality decoder is going to cost!


A genuine Dolby decoder is going to cost around 3000 pounds (from HHB) and
I would guess that a DTS decoder would be a similar amount. I can't help
thinking that there are better ways to achieve the same thing but the
original poster seems attached to his setup.

I'd maybe suggest talking to a company like Crookwood to see if they could
build a custom system to exactly match the requirements.

Cheers.

James.

On 5 Aug 2005 05:35:01 -0700, deja wrote:

I think James hit the nail on the head. I need a "professional" decoder
that takes as input, the digital output from the CD/DAC/preamp Wadia
861 player. The DVD player is plugged into the Wadia and the decoder
sits between the Wadia and the existing power amps, and also connected
to a 3 channel amp for the other rear and centre speakers.

The decoder would "pass through" via balanced connectors the front L&R
speakers which the Wadia is driving, but when playing DVDs, the decoder
picks up the digital signal and adds in the additional 3 channels via a
separate amps and speakers.

Given the price of the existing kit involved (the RRP for my balanced
leads is over £1k) this is going to get extremely expensive!! I'd need
the decoder (£££s), another set of XLR leads (£1k), digital output
card (£1k), 3 channel amp and 3 speakers.

Can anyone point me to a "professional decoder" so I can investigate
its specs and price?

Thanks, David



To be honest - if you want a good sounding surround system then I would
talk to someone like Crispin at Crookwood who will probably be able to
build you a decoder/speaker control system that will sound as good as you
can get without ripping you off as badly as you've been ripped off so far
with those cables.

If you just want a professional Dolby decoder then talk to the people at
HHB (http://www.hhb.co.uk) in London or another audio post-production
supplier. They'll also be able to supply top quality XLR cables and
reasonable prices - you really don't need to spend that much money.

Cheers.

James.