Hello friends

All these cables cause me to bump up against the edge of my intelligence.

Here's the question - I'm using an Onkyo 797 as a preamp/processor, an outboard 5 channel amplifier, an Outlaw ICBM-1, and a Toshiba DVD Audio player with Front (LR), Surround (LR) and Center channel outputs.

I want to stack them vertically. What would you say is the best way to hook these fellas together? Sure is a bunch of cables, eh?

OK, here's what I'm planning to do. If anyone sees a better way to do this, please don't be shy, let me know!

First of all, an outboard multichannel amp, an ICBM and a DVD Audio (or SACD) player means a BOAT LOAD of inteconnects.

From bottom to top:

Kenwood KA9100 amp to Outlaw ICBM-1 - 2 interconnects into Y adaptor

Anthem 5 channel amp to Outlaw ICBM-1 - 5 interconnects

Outlaw ICBM-1 to Onkyo 797 - 5 interconnects, 2 Y adaptors into 4 ICs

Onkyo 797 to Toshiba SD9200 DVD Audio Player - 5 Interconnects.

That's 21 Inteconnects!!!

I haven't hooked the Anthem PVA-5 into the system yet, so the number of ICs is based on doodling and reading the manuals.

The number of ICs I need bumps up hard against my frugal nature, so I checked out the AR interconnects, but my local Best Buy doesn't carry them in 3' lengths. I thought about the Fusion series of ICs from Radio Shack, but these are $25 a pair. I ended up buying a boat load of Tara Labs Prism 300i's from AudioVideoMan (found him on ebay) 15 pair for $200. I'll have some ICs left over toward another system.

I have some of the beautiful pearly Outlaw interconnects, but don't like the locking connectors - they're too tight and I'm afraid they'll pull the guts out of my components.

So this amp is for surround back speakers, presumably (split from the one center surround output and going to both channels of the amp). That is fine.



Left, right, center, and both surrounds from ICBM to amp. Again, all is well. You've also got a cable from the ICBM to your sub (or two of them, if you are running two subs).



I'm a little unsure of this step. There should be seven interconnects: left, right, center, left surround, right surround, surround back, and subwoofer. The Y-adapters should not be needed. You do not want to combine two surround back channels to one input; to connect the surround back channel(s) through the ICBM, you probably want to configure the Onkyo to think that it has only one surround back speaker and connect that single pre-amp output (probably the left, but you'll want to check the manual to be sure).



Don't forget the sub -- that'd make six interconnects. Also, you will want a digital audio cable between the Toshiba and the Onkyo.



Revised count is 20 analog interconnects, one digital audio cable, and one Y-adapter.

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gonk -- Saloon Links | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | 950 Review

Gonk wrote:

quote:
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Originally posted by 2x6spds:
From bottom to top:
Kenwood KA9100 amp to Outlaw ICBM-1 - 2 interconnects into Y adaptor


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So this amp is for surround back speakers, presumably (split from the one center surround output and going to both channels of the amp). That is fine.



quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anthem 5 channel amp to Outlaw ICBM-1 - 5 interconnects
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Left, right, center, and both surrounds from ICBM to amp. Again, all is well. You've also got a cable from the ICBM to your sub (or two of them, if you are running two subs).



quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outlaw ICBM-1 to Onkyo 797 - 5 interconnects, 2 Y adaptors into 4 ICs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm a little unsure of this step. There should be seven interconnects: left, right, center, left surround, right surround, surround back, and subwoofer. The Y-adapters should not be needed. You do not want to combine two surround back channels to one input; to connect the surround back channel(s) through the ICBM, you probably want to configure the Onkyo to think that it has only one surround back speaker and connect that single pre-amp output (probably the left, but you'll want to check the manual to be sure).



quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onkyo 797 to Toshiba SD9200 DVD Audio Player - 5 Interconnects.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Don't forget the sub -- that'd make six interconnects. Also, you will want a digital audio cable between the Toshiba and the Onkyo.



quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's 21 Inteconnects!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revised count is 20 analog interconnects, one digital audio cable, and one Y-adapter
=======================================

Thanks Gonk!

Glad to hear from one of the Outlaw wise men. I have about a week before the cables arrive so I can generate a few more headaches trying to figure out the best way to do this.