Best way to power a pair of Bose 501 series IV

[mrbuttonmonkey]

Hi, I wasn't sure where to post this (first time poster long time reader of reviews) but I have a pair of Bose 501 series iv speakers which I have connected to the sub/amp of a logitech x-540 5.1 speaker set. (I just run the pair of bose from it nothing else)
Now I was wondering whether it would be better to purchase a sound card (what I have in mind is the asus xonar stx) or just purchase a used av receiver and power the speakers.
I used an old H/K AVR-45 receiver with the speakers quite a long time ago but it broke so I know the x-540 sub/amp isnt doing justice to the sound that can be produced from the speakers.
Any help would be great!

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

That's resourceful of you to use that amp to power your speakers - great stuff. Sounds like you're not content with how it's performing, though. That's almost surely due to it being underpowered for you. The front left/right channels of the Logitech system are rated at 7.4 W into 4 Ohms. That equates to about 3.7 W for your 8-Ohm Bose speakers...which isn't much.

That said, a new sound card isn't going to do anything to fix that. Depending on your existing computer audio, that Asus might significantly improve the source material - but it's not going to help power those speakers better. A better amp is where I think you should start, so the option of a used receiver is a great choice. Heck, for less than the cost of that Asus card, you can get a solid stereo receiver such as the Onkyo TX-8255 ($150 at Amazon).

[mrbuttonmonkey]

Firstly, thanks for such a speedy reply. The Audioholic Slumlord designation is well deserved
Yea, I'm located in Canada so I'll give kijiji a whirl and see what comes up thanks for the help!

[BoredSysAdmin]

Firstly, thanks for such a speedy reply. The Audioholic Slumlord designation is well deserved
Yea, I'm located in Canada so I'll give kijiji a whirl and see what comes up thanks for the help!

or Craigslist... if you live in or near big city....
http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/ca

Vintage receivers (if in good working condition) would do good job if stereo is all you care about. Make sure to test it before showing green bucks papers with image of queen ?

[mrbuttonmonkey]

Thanks for the tip!
I think I've found one that may suit my needs and more
toronto.kijiji. ca/c-buy-and-sell-electronics-Yamaha-HTR-4063-5-1-Channel-AV-Receiver-W0QQAdIdZ306828404
(My post count is too low to post a link but i think you get the idea haha)
A Yamaha HTR 4063 for $160
What got me was the hdmi ports which would be nice to connect my ps3 and blu-ray player to ofc. the main reason I'm getting the receiver is for the speakers but those additions make it seem more interesting of a buy.

EDIT: I've come across another receiver Yamaha Amplifier Audio/video tuner (HTR-5650) it lacks the hdmi ports but the seller is much closer to home and the price is $10 less (which really doesnt matter)

Is there anything else I should consider between the two? I don't mind giving up the hdmi for the convenience of a 5 or so minute drive compared to the 30+ minute trek but if theres something else I may be ignorant of between the two I would take the drive down to get it.

[Brad Rodgers]

I had a pair of Bose 501 speakers as a teenager. They were fantastic but they were 4 ohms. And at that time most amps and receivers were 8 ohms. What I did was, I fused the speaker wire, and I used an AKAI Quadraphonic Receiver to power the speakers. These speakers lasted for 10 years through my teenage years not to mention the 5 years prior that the original owner had them. I traded them to a friend and he bought a new woofer, ( Drunken friend crashed into one speaker putting a hole in the woofer) and they still sound good after over 30 years.

[gmichael]

How about something like The Dayton Audio DTA-100?
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...Number=300-383

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