Using 2 speakers on a 5.1 amp question

[MarioMark]

I've just acquired a decent 5.1 amp off the father in-law and I want to use it in stereo. I only have the amp at the minute so can't test it with speakers. I don't want all the clutter of 5.1, just 2 decent floor standing speakers. If I do this will I still get the BASS running through the two speakers and will I be missing out on the rear and centre audio if I set my equipment to output in 2.1?

Thanks in advance.

[Baseley09]

Typically you can force stereo, or more than likely select that your source only outputs stereo...you shouldn't have a problem.

[smouty]

Normally you can set surround and sub speakers to off in the setup.
I used my Yamaha amp like this but with a sub and two small mains.

[MarioMark]

OK thanks!

[randombs]

If there's no obvious way to force stereo mode on your amp, you can try what I did with my cheap 5.1 speaker system:

The system had different surround modes like 'theatre' and 'disco' that I could flick through. One mode was called 'matrix' which cut the center speaker and sent that to the left and right speakers. I used to use it when watching 5.1 concerts because I didn't like the music coming through the center and just wanted 4-speaker surround. On a friend's amp it was called phantom or something spooky like that.

Of course, you did say your amp is decent so you'll probably have no trouble but just in case...

['Press Start']

Definitely tell the amp you have no sub attached as Smouty said. This will force the full audio range through the speaker outputs instead of the .1 channel.