Can You Use A Pod Hd 500 With Home Theater Amplifier?

[gman71882]

I am putting together specs for my first complete home theater audio system, and am very curious about the possibility of running my Pod HD 500 through a 7.1 home theater amplifier with in-wall Polk audio speakers (or comparable)

 

I'd like to hook up into an auxiliary input on the home theater amp in lieu of using a separate guitar amp or a PA System (which I don't have)

 

Has anyone here ever done something like this?

What issues should I take into consideration when choosing a home theater amplifier and speakers that would work alright with this setup?

[silverhead]

Yes you can do this. Connect the HD500 outputs (XLR or 1/4") to the theatre amp's aux inputs as you say. Be aware that you will only get a simple stereo signal - the HD500 doesn't know anything about 7.1 audio. Also, for best results try to keep your theatre amp's signal processing as flat/neutral as possible. In other words, turn off any of your amp's onboard DSP FX (e.g. reverb), and set the EQ controls at neutral. Let the HD500 DSP do the processing - keep your amp's processing out of the way as much as possible.

[GTLazer]

Any half decent amp should have a Direct switch, which will bypass your EQ and such; as far as I'm concerned this switch should always be on.

 

I would use a 2 TS to 2 RCA lead to connect the 1/4" outs to one of your Aux inputs. They're preferable to the XLRs as they're at line level, which your amp will be expecting, whereas the XLRs are at mic level, which will make them much quieter than any of the other inputs on your amp. It might also be worth checking to see if your amp has a co-ax spdif input which you could use.

 

Like silverhead says, you'll only get a stereo signal, but it'll still use all the speakers, obviously, so I would imagine sitting in the middle of the room noodling on a nice glassy clean tone will sound quite marvellous.

[panaman]

surround highly recommended

 

dont know why the 2 posts above would suggest to disable the surround amps features, no need to get one then.  you`ll have 8 speakers sitting there, with sound coming from the front 2 only. what a waste. so i suggest to get one with good pseudo surround programs. these will output certain portions of your signal from different speakers, depending on the stereo effects used in the HD. many phase and delay  related effects, as well as dimension, will produce good results. (a mono effect in the chain will more or less kill it)   in fact, ive been thinking about removing the mono L resistor from the HD output to make the effect (stereo separation) even stronger. 

using a center speaker is usually for speech, mine is always turned off for better stereo .  with the subwoofer, you have to be considerate towards the neighbours.

 

the only thing is: unless you mic the  x.1 speakers, each individually, since surround amps dont usually output their dsp processed signal for recording, you will be the only 1 to hear the effect, it will not be reproducable on anybody elses  setup unless they use the same amp/settings.

also, you may be disappointed hearing your patches in stereo-only afterwards

i have not tried the xlr outputs, and cannot comment on the HD300/400.

results may vary.

 

still highly recommended, you will not want to go back.

also good for your hifi music experience. you will wonder how you did without.

 

[GTLazer]

dont know why the 2 posts above would suggest to disable the surround amps features

Feel free to actually read my post before commenting.

[panaman]

hi gtlazer,

i did (again) and find nothing offensive.

if you set to direct, a spdif signal will be routed directly to the power stage (probably digital), while a analog signal will be a/d`d and then goes the same route. in this case, surround effects don`t affect the signal, they are bypassed.

if you have a dolby-surround source like dvd, bluray or sat receiver, AND have selected surround audio tracks as output, you`ll get surround coming from the speaker it was mixed for, meaning all speakers will be active.

the HD is not a surround source, thus sound from the front left and right speakers only, mono or stereo depending on the HD signal chain, with both analog or spdif. there may be amps that use all speakers on a stereo signal, but none i know of.

there are artefacts in the stereo signal though, which can be interpreted by the dsp in the amp as surround information, much like the quadraphonic record players did for vinyl.  

mono signals usually cannot be surroundized.  

a glassy clean tone will not do much. (a delayed, flanged, dimensioned and otherwise modulated tone surely will)

from stereo audio, with the amps built in effects processor/dsp, you often get pianos from the rear speakers (probably from the natural phasing of the 3 strings per key) and anything which is placed to the extreme left and right in the mix or has heavy effects applied.  

there are additional improvements like spatializers, which i also use, both for the HD and listenung to music.

 

please note:  gman talks about a  home theater audio system, not a hi-end amp. so i think he`s a bit like me,  likes effects and will not want to go direct.