ok, can't do this for a while until i start working again and figure out where i'm moving, but help me out a little bit.
as I read your post, I need to add (aside from a sub--that comes later, there is no place to really put one right now) a 2 channel pre w/HT passthrough and a 2 channel amp. now would the 2 channel amp always be active (ie, it would still be used even during HT usage) correct?
That is correct. You add a 2-channel pre w/theatre passthrough and a 2-channel power amp. And you are correct--the signal during HT usage would go DVD > Receiver (pre-out L/R) > 2-channel pre > 2-channel power amp.
what suggestions do you have to get this set up? I would like to do it for less than $1500 if possible.
Some of the 2-channel preamps that I know of with theatre passthrough are the McCormack RLD-1, any newer Audio Research pre (see arcdb.ws for specifics), and some Carys. I am sure there are others. You absolutely couldn't go wrong with the setup I had: McCormack RLD-1 > McCormack DNA-125. I ran it for years with my B&W N805's, and then later with my ProAc D25's. The McCormack gear was an asbolutely SMASHING match for B&Ws. It has plenty of grip (B&Ws seem to like to be taken by the scruff of the neck and shaken), and McCormack's stuff is an awesome combination of the musicality of tubes and the dynamic prowess of solid state.
does anything about HT performance or 2 channel performance? 2 channel performance would be more important, obviously, but i don't want to totally sacrifice HT performance.
HA! Think about it--you are now using your HT Receiver as a DAC... And bypassing the subpar preamp section and usually limiting amp section by sending the signal to two excellent separates. HELL YEAH it makes it sound better. And the great thing is--you get this sound on HT *and* 2-channel. It's a win-win all around for those of us who value music...
any thoughts, comments, suggestions would be appreciated. I don't know all that much about this and I do find a lot of this stuff pretty intimidating and this forum isn't always the most friendly...
EDIT to note that I would like to add a 2 channel DAC at some point, but it's not a priority, I like the DAC in the onkyo and the DAC in the marantz is adequate for my DAT right now.
Just a quick note here... If you do what I do, you have your DVD player digital out hooked up to your HT Receiver. This is used for movies and 24/96 as described above. Then you take the ANALOG outs of your DVD/SACD/CDP and run them straight to your 2-channel preamp. Now you're not using the passthrough at all for music--just using the 2-channel pre as in a dedicated hifi.
I hope this is all making sense--it is a bit confusing at first but if you saw my rig you'd go "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I get it!"
HTH