Center and rears
 

My current system is a combination of 2-channel and HT surround sound using my preamp's HT bypass. My fronts are Monitor Audio PL500, Monitor Audio Gold C350 center channel and Dynaudio C20 rears. The matching center for my speakers is 6K. I only use my surround for movies and watching television. Will there be significant benefits to changing the center to the Monitor Audio PLC350 II and the rears to Monitor Audio PL100s?

Tough question.
What is significant to me could be insignificant to you.
When I upgraded my B&W fronts (quality was comparable to Monitor Audio Gold) to Vivid Audio, I kept my B&W center and rears for a while.
I was quite happy... until my Vivid Audio center and rear speakers arrived.
Even with the Pioneer receiver I had back then, the difference was not subtle.
I'm happy that the sound signature of all 5 speakers in my system is the same now.
Mind you, I'm listening to a lot of multichannel music, which demands more from a system than movies and TV.

Bart,

Thanks. I'll have the opportunity to hear the Monitor Audio PLC350 II with my own ears on the 19th. I found a guy that's 20 minutes from me that has it. I'm very curious to hear how it sounds on movies.

I heard the PLC350 I in a system with PL 300 I fronts and I almost bought a full Monitor Audio system in 2009.
You're in for a treat! :yes:

Finally I have an all Monitor Audio surround sound system: PL500 II fronts, PLC350 center, and Gold 50 rears. To provide adequate power I purchased the new ATI 3-channel amp.:banana:

Congrats!
I'm happy for you.
It's really important that the center speaker is of the same level as the fronts.
You reached that goal! :thumbsup:

Bart,

Thanks!:) I currently have a Marantz AV7702 mkII. How do you like the AV8802A? Did you have an older Marantz AV preamp prior to the 8802A? If so, what differences do you hear?

I went from a Pioneer receiver directly to the Marantz.
A significant upgrade.
The 8802A is a very good processor, the preamp quality is not too far behind my stereo preamp.

I think your system is resolving enough to earn this upgrade.
But I guess the 7702 might suffice until next year (the 8803?). https://www.audioaficionado.org/images/icons/icon12.gif

Do you think it's possible to have an AV Preamp and Multi-channel amp to match the sound quality of 2-channel components? If so, what do you recommend?

I'm only able to give you a partial answer.
For movies and multi-channel music I use the Marantz as pre/pro.
My Halgorythme amps do the amplification work.
The stereo preamp has a bypass function.
Sometimes I listen in Pure Direct Mode, sometimes in Auto Mode (with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction).
I listen in 5.0 about 25% of my listening time.

For stereo, my Halgorythme preamp and my mono blocks do a terrific job.
It is still a notch above the multi-channel quality in my system.
Logical, because most of the music I love doesn't exist in surround.

The flavour of my stereo preamp is a little bit different from the Marantz (more detail although it is a tube device!).
But I don't mind.
For rock, I sometimes use the Marantz as pre, because the room correction gives me 2 dB more bass.