Incorporating Supernait and Spendor A5's into a 5.1

You need an av receiver with front channel pre-outs.  Then you can use the av input on the SN that turns it into a power amp.  Depending on budget many makes have at least these pre-outs in full size 7.1 or 9.1 units.  if you want a slimline unit, checkout units from Marantz, Pioneer and Yamaha.

Thank you Judge, that info is grateful....With regards to speakers, do I just add/buy centre, rear and subwoofer speakers. Then connect them to the AV? Also, what kind of cable connects the AV front channel pre outs to the Supernait?

Thanks

You obviously never looked in the forum faq section.  There you'll find the one I wrote on Stereo and av integration. Go read it.

Just found it, and nicely explained. Thank you.

I just need to work out how to re wire the Bose Acustimass speakers and sub/module. As the speakers don't plug directly into the AV amp. The go into the rear of the Sub/module, then out to the AV.

Downloaded the Acoustimass manual.  It would seem that the Acoustimass needs you to connect the satellite speakers (front, rear, centre) to the subwoofer, and then connect the subwoofer to your AV amp inputs.  I assume this is because the satellites have a crappy bass response, and need to have that supplemented by the subwoofer.

The effect of having the Bose sub in the speaker lead pathway would, IMO, be detrimental to the sound of your Spendor/Naim stereo, as it would add extra signal processing into that your normal stereo path even when not using them for AV purposes (i.e. bass boost to the front stereo pair, i.e. your Spendors!)

You may have to bite the bullet, and change your Bose system to something more conventional with fuller range satellite units, which does not require routing all the speakers via the subwoofer.

I think you are absolutely right. On their own, they a very good 5.1 system. But as you say, introducing the Spendors and Supernait, I would end up with a rather strange sound. It is a shame really, because the Acoustimass go for peanuts on the 'bay', and it's almost impossible to post, as it weighs a ton! Buying replacement rear, centre and subwoofer speakers would work out quite expensive. I'll have to think of a plan 'B'.

Thanks for your advice.

You might consider a 4.1 system.  If you get a good imaging from the front pair, a centre might not be necessary - I don't use one in my system.  Further I suspect the Spendor's give you reasonable bass, so you might, for a while at least, do without a sub.  You could always add that if turned out to be required.  Finally, some Kef " egg" rears, second hand, could do rear duties down to about 100hz.

I hadn't thought of that. But wouldn't the sound be all over the place, as the audio track on most films is decoded in 5.1, unless you go for the 2 channel PCM option?

The Spendors do give a very good bass. Some members on the forum say Spendors give too much!  I use them when listening to DVD/Blu-ray concerts (2 channel PCM). I think the imaging is probably average. The Spendors are 2.3 metres apart.

I'll Google the eggs!

Thanks

Did my last post in a hurry, as SWMBO was hassling me to go to Cambridge to attend grandson's nativity play (interesting, as we are all atheists!).  So, a slightly fuller (and possibly more helpful) reply ...

You could connect up the Acoustimass, for AV use with your Naim/Spendors, assuming your AV amp has preamp out sockets.  If so, try ignoring the bit about connecting all the satellites to your subwoofer and just connect your Spendors using the method as in my FAQ.  Connect the rear and centre satellites as per Bose instructions.  This is unlikely to damage the subwoofer's amp (IMO), and would avoid the bass hump to the Spendors.  However, you may find the Bose centre a poor acoustic match to the Spendors.  If your AV amp does have preamp outs, I assume they will be RCA phono types, so you will need an appropriate lead to connect the AV amp to your Naim amp.   Fastback cables are a useful source for that if you don't have one already.

I am assuming that your AV amp will allow you to just relative levels for the connected speakers.

If that works to your satisfaction, then all well and good.  However, as I said, I suspect that the Bose Centre will be a poor acoustic match for the Spendors.  The rears are less critical IMO.   You could try using a 'phantom centre speaker' (i.e. no Centre Speaker).  Your AV amp will probably have a setting to allow this.  Provided you are not sitting too far off centre, this usually works very well.

If you do need to get a new Centre Speaker to replace the Bose one, I would suggest taking ONE of your Spendors to the shop, and using it as part of Stereo pair, with the trial centre speaker as the other half of the pair.  Set the demo amp to mono, and use its balance control to switch from left to right.  That way you can see if the Centre speaker is a good tonal match for the Spender (that's what I did when I was using Royd speaker for my AV system, having rejected the Royd Centre speaker because of its reported poor shielding.  I finished up with a B&W centre which matched quite well acoustically)

The other thing I should mention, is that if you do persevere with the Bose system for rear/sub/(centre), then you could probably use the redundant Bose satellites to make it up to a 7.1 system!

Good luck.  

Thanks very much for your detailed reply. At present, I don't have a SWMBO . I think I understand what you mean. My Sony AV does have preamp out, so I can definitely connect it to the Supernait.

So, as I see it...disconnect the front speaker cables from the Accoustimass and the Sony AV, which is no problem, then try with and without the center speaker. If rubbish, get a new center speaker and connect it to the Sony AV, but not the Accoustimass Sub. 

You are correct, the Sony AV is very versatile with regards to individual sound from each speaker, so they can be adjusted accordingly.

Thanks again for you help 

Further to my last message...Did you mean Flashback? I Googled 'Fastback', and it came back with cables for cars. Also, I need a cable which is about 3.5 metres long, as my AV amp is under my TV, away from my Naim components. Various online retailers sell a short coupler (20cm) 2 RCA female, to Din, which means having to buy a length of 2 RCA to 2 RCA. Is that the best way? Didn't really want to spend a huge amount of money on this particular type of cable.

Thanks

Someone mentioned Yamaha AV amps earlier in the thread. I would be wary of Naim/Yamaha combination in an AV setup. I tried this many years ago and ended up with a  buzz I couldn't shift, Ended up switching to Denon and all was well. There seemed to be some form of incompatibility in the grounding arrangements. To be fair something may have changed since I tried it.

Yes, my mistake.  Should have typed Flashback.  Sorry.

In general is best to avoid links in cables if possible.  However, I tend to regard AV as a less critical source, so the extender RCA cable would probably be OK (and possibly cheaper)

Just make sure that your DIN to 2 RCA has the correct pins connected  otherwise your Supernait will think you are trying to record from the AV amp!  If in doubt, just get a DIN>RCA tape lead and use the appropriate 2 RCA bits.  Don't ask me which colours those bits are, because I would have to pull out the lead from behind my Nakamichi CR7 to check, and I'm feeling a little idle ATM

Thanks for the info.

Interestingly there's a Spendor C5.2 centre speaker in oak currently listed on a certain auction site just now.

Cheers, Just viewed that...Blimey, £399!! Would not pay that for a centre speaker.

Thanks for letting me know though.

When I had my Spendor A5's and a 5.1 setup I used Monitor Audio Radius speakers for centre and rears. 

I had a 180 for the centre and the small 45's for rears. The 45's are not much larger than your Bose speakers. I have one of the Bose Acoustimass systems in our conservatory, great for a difficult space but not very accomplished. I believe the crossover for the small cube speakers is located in the subwoofer so I think you are best starting over.

For a sub I had a cheap Kef. I don't think it is necessary with the Spendors, they have plenty of bass so you could forgo that.

I used an NV-i which worked well, albeit a bit buggy. 

I don't have a 5.1 setup now, I sold it on which funded a Fraim and I don't miss it at all. The Spendors made way to Kudos C20's.

Richard

Thanks Richard...I have to say, I don't really watch as many Blu-ray/DVD films as I used to. It's probably about 3 months since I watched one. Gladiator I think...again!

I play more live concerts in PCM stereo, which sound great on the A5's. Most bands have their main speakers either side of the stage.

I'll check out the MA & Kef's. Cheers.