# Stereo (speakers A & B) from a 5.1 or 7.1?



## TheBobmanNH (Oct 23, 2012)

Of course. You'll have to dig through all the settings to make sure it is in "stereo" mode -- it may be a mode, or you may have to manually turn off each channel you're not using. Otherwise the receiver will be stripping channels out so you won't hear them as they are designated for channels you don't have connected. But if you set it up correctly -- and EVERY multi-channel receiver will have a way to be set up this way, it's just going to be a pain to find sometimes -- it will work fine.


----------



## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

You got the answer in the other thread, so why ask again?



Yamaha Aventage AVR, set the main to stereo, room two will be stereo.

They'll work independently, and you're good to go.


----------



## El Buey (Jul 31, 2007)

Actually, ktkelly, the "other" post was posted first and got no answers until today, so I asked again. May come as a surprise to you but not all of us are geniuses. But I still appreciate your input.


----------



## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

El Buey said:


> May come as a surprise to you but not all of us are geniuses.




You calling me a genius? 


Hot damn! :laughing:


----------



## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

TheBobmanNH said:


> Of course. You'll have to dig through all the settings to make sure it is in "stereo" mode -- it may be a mode, or you may have to manually turn off each channel you're not using.


You can easily turn off channels you're not using on any receiver. But I don't believe that is the question (unless I'm mistaken)... 

You can not treat the rear speakers as a speaker set "A" (stereo) and the front speakers as a speaker set "B" (stereo) with any conventional receiver. Now there are more expensive systems that will allow you to do that. It's a multi room feature and I have that and use it. But with a conventional (cheaper) receiver you have to use an A/B switch connected to the mains.

Now maybe I'm misunderstanding and you simply want to run stereo mode on a 5.1 receiver? Any 5.1 reciever has a stereo mode.


----------



## El Buey (Jul 31, 2007)

Thanks Bob. I just want 4 speakers in the same large room playing the same thing. The simplest answer (at least for me) is to go with the 2 channel A/B splitter. I'll get a 5.1 receiver...connect the "front stereos" to the splitter in, then my four speakers to the splitter out. Even a newbie like me can accomplish that. I think.


----------



## ktkelly (Apr 7, 2007)

El Buey said:


> Thanks Bob. I just want 4 speakers in the same large room playing the same thing. The simplest answer (at least for me) is to go with the 2 channel A/B splitter. I'll get a 5.1 receiver...connect the "front stereos" to the splitter in, then my four speakers to the splitter out. Even a newbie like me can accomplish that. I think.




Not a good idea if you're going to run four speakers off of the "A" connection, into an outboard switch, and then to the speakers.

Do so, and you're placing a load on the amp that it's not designed for. The result can be pretty bad.

If you're just wanting to run four speakers, simply wire two to the "A", and two to the "B".

Still not great, but it _should_ cause no harm.

Although, the internal amp may well shut down at higher volumes, and possibly suffer an early failure.

Another option is to use one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Russound-Ss...241?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c4bda3a39


Impedance matching will allow all speakers to be connected to the "A" or primary speaker out, and will protect the amplifier.

Old product, but it should work well.


----------



## TheBobmanNH (Oct 23, 2012)

Oh. I guess I misread something or didn't see the other post about this. I thought he was just trying to run a receiver in stereo mode, not DUAL stereo mode.

Plenty of receivers have A & B "zones" where they can both output the same thing in stereo, just do research.


----------



## PD_Lape (Nov 19, 2014)

TheBobmanNH said:


> Of course. You'll have to dig through all the settings to make sure it is in "stereo" mode -- it may be a mode, or you may have to manually turn off each channel you're not using. Otherwise the receiver will be stripping channels out so you won't hear them as they are designated for channels you don't have connected. But if you set it up correctly -- and EVERY multi-channel receiver will have a way to be set up this way, it's just going to be a pain to find sometimes -- it will work fine.


this pretty much solves it. it is rather simple to switch 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound to stereo though. you can change the settings on the audio driver installed in your computer. it is usually situated near the desktop clock and you will only need to change the modes.


----------



## El Buey (Jul 31, 2007)

Thanks all. Thanks KT for the warning. Haven't bought anything yet so I'll check out the link you gave. What a pain. If somebody (besides Onkyo) offered a stereo receiver with USB input (iPod) I wouldn't have to go through this.


----------



## El Buey (Jul 31, 2007)

http://www.amazon.com/Speaker-Selec...m_sbs_e_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M9YH9YJT6QBR73V8QAW


----------



## carmusic (Oct 11, 2011)

can do that with mine (denon), every 7 channel can be playing the same thing at the same level, they all have the same power rating (in fact even if amp is 7 x 100w, you cant get 7 x 100w simultaneously (power is shared between amplifiers), power supply may be able to do 7 x 30-35w! or 2 x 100w rms)


----------

