Split Pre-amp output

[36Hz-20kHz]

Is it possible to use Y adapters and split my stereo preamp output to provide two L/R inputs for two different power amps?

Ex.: Carver preamp out, to Crown power amp and to Acurus power amp.

Or, what type of preamp equipment could I use, which would provide multiple outputs?

How do you disconnect the power amp section of a 5.1 or 7.1 AV receiver?

[wuzzzer]

Yes you can use Y adapters exactly as you're describing.

As far as disconnecting the power amp section of a receiver some receivers will let you manually turn the speakers off, especially if they have an A and B output for main speakers. They'll usually let you select A, B, A+B, or Off.

What and how are you trying to set up with the Y adapters?

[36Hz-20kHz]

Hi thanks,

One example is the preout section of my old Carver stereo receiver, to my Crown amp for my Choruses and the same preout signal to my Acurus amp for my RC3II's. The Choruses don't have quite enough brilliance, i.e., drum cymbals, sound dull and flat. ( The Chorus tweets are working ) I have supplemented the Choruses with a pair of RC 3 II centers, set up as additional left and right front mains. They sit atop the Choruses. This may sound a little extreme, but it works... This is a temporary fix, until I can further determine the cause of 'lack of brilliance' in the sound, weather it be the speakers or even possibly the old stereo receiver.

Another example would be using one preamp signal to drive the Choruses with the Crown amp and one preamp signal to drive my Quartets with the Acurus amp.

My Carver receiver has the removable preout / main jumpers, to isolate the preamp and amplifier section.

[RockOn4Klipsch]

Yes you can use the y-adapter/splitter to achieve what you are setting out to do. The one issue you might have while running both speaker at the same time is that you may loose output gain from the preamp to the AMPS resulting in a not so full sound, depending on the output gain of the carver preamp you may or may not have a problem, you may have to turn the volume up a little more than usual to compensate for the lack of output gain when split.

The other issue you might have to deal with is the input gain of each amplifier, this same issue applies as above, if either input gains on the amp are low the output gain of the preamp may cause additional problem. Also there will most likely be a difference in sound quality between the 2 speakers since amplifier design and specs are different, you will most likely have issue matching SPLs of the 2 speakers having one play louder than the other depending on the speaker effecienies as well as the output gain of each respective amplifier.

I hope that all makes sense.

The best option depending on your equipment is to use both A+B channels on a reciever , place speaker side by side (or on top in your case) and run both A and B channels together, this will allow you to match SPL and maintain the exact same amplifier specs.

If you have multi channel amp you could use the y-splitter going into that one amp so amplifier design stays constant and then you only have to deal with being unable to match levels.

[36Hz-20kHz]

Got it thanks, I understand the A+B channel combination switch selection, but there is only one L & R preamp output connection on the back of the Carver. I am only using the preamp section of the Carver. The Crown amp has variable independent L&R level controls, while the Acurus level is controlled with variable input volume from the preamp.

Maybe I just need to find a multi -channel preout receiver, if there is such a thing?