# Adding 2 more front speakers



## Blainetsuds

Hello, this is my first post,thankyou for your paitience. I would like to add 2 more front speakers for 2 channel listening. I am presently using a pioneer vsx-521-k receiver ( entry level 5.1) I would like to add a new amp maybe Emotiva. My two present fronts are Polk tsi 400s. Would add 2 more tsi 400s. How do I run 4 fronts with new amp and still maintain a 5.1 option.Thanks for any advice.


----------



## AudiocRaver

To be sure that I understand your question: Are you planning to have a 5.1 setup that includes 2 tsi 400s as the mains, and have a separate pair of tsi 400s that will only be used for 2-channel listening?

By the way... Welcome to Home Theater Shack.


----------



## jackfish

Well, those are 8 Ohm speakers, so they could be run together in parallel from a two channel amplifier, possibly connected to your SURR BACK/FRONT HEIGHT preamp outputs. But those preamp outputs would then have to be able to be configured as FRONT which I don't know if they can be. It is likely that that cannot be configured in that way. That receiver does not have any FRONT preouts so adding an amplifier will not work. Further, you could not connect all four speakers to your front speaker terminals as that receiver cannot withstand a 4 Ohm load. In addition, multi-channel systems have their own issues with comb filtering effects of all the different drivers in close proximity potentially emitting the same frequencies, that having two pairs of front channel speakers might just create more distortion than you could bear.


----------



## Blainetsuds

To clarify I would like to add 2 tsi400s for a total of 4 fronts. I would like to add the right amp to power 4 fronts for 2.1 channel. But judging from early replies, this sounds difficult.


----------



## JoeESP9

OK, I'll ask what no one else did. Why four front speakers? Are you going to stack them ala the way some do with Advents?? Or, do you just want four front speakers? If so, that leads back to my question. Why? For what purpose and to what end?


----------



## AudiocRaver

Having four fronts will let you go louder, but getting them to work together in a way that doesn't cause a frequency response mess and/or horrible soundstage and imaging can be difficult if not impossible. Stacking them would be the least problematic approach, but you would still have difficulty with driver timing and phase issues which would stand out when the listeners head moved up or down even a little.

If you want your mains to look bigger and sound louder, an additional power amp and pair of speakers is one way to get there. I would spend the money trading up to more efficient main speakers that give higher acoustical output with the same power in.

Best of luck.


----------



## jackfish

If you procede as you have indicated you would need to replace the Pioneer VSX-521-K receiver with an AV receiver with complete preamp outputs for all channels, and then get a power amplifier which can handle a 4 Ohm load to run the two pairs of loudspeakers as your front/main loudspeakers.


----------



## Blainetsuds

Good day. Being new to audio assembly I thought if 2 front speakers are good, 4 fronts would be awesome. I am happy with the tsi400s. I have , recently added a 2nd powered sub. This made a great improvement for both music and movies. This fourm site is awesome , thanks to people like you,who responded. I will continue watching and learning. Thanks.:hsd:


----------

