Adding a 5 channel amp

B

bruin62

Full Audioholic
im using a Marantz SR 5008 an I was thinking about adding a 5 channel power amp but I was told to make sure the pre-outs are balanced(XLRs) how do you know if there balanced on this unit? I was told if there not there won't be any improvement
 
tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
Why do you need 5 channel amp? Don't you get loud enough volume with your avr?
 
TheWarrior

TheWarrior

Audioholic Ninja
im using a Marantz SR 5008 an I was thinking about adding a 5 channel power amp but I was told to make sure the pre-outs are balanced(XLRs) how do you know if there balanced on this unit? I was told if there not there won't be any improvement
You don't have XLR out put on the SR 5008, so it does not matter.
 
tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
I was told with a 5 channel amp I can go back to a 7.1 setup an still have my height channels
SR5008 is 7.2 channel receiver so you can use 7.1 without adding amp. I haven't experienced with height channels myself so can't say anything about them.
 
H

herbu

Audioholic Samurai
im using a Marantz SR 5008 an I was thinking about adding a 5 channel power amp but I was told to make sure the pre-outs are balanced(XLRs)
bruin62, you were told wrong. You don't need balanced pre-outs. Most AVRs don't have them, and most people wouldn't use them if they did, at least not for a common Home Theater setup.

Your 5008 has 7 amps built in. So you can drive 7 channels with just your 5008. That could be the normal 5.1 plus the 2 Front Height channels. Or it could be a more traditional 7.1 w/ Rear Surrounds instead of Front Heights. Your call.

Now, about the amp. You don't need one, but most people here, in your position, would get one anyway. I did. My AVR is 7-channel like yours, and I got a 5-channel amp.

Instead of the speaker outputs on my AVR, I use the pre-outs for Left/Center/Right/Left Surround/Right Surround, and run them to the amp... then speaker wire from the amp to those speakers. I only use the AVR speaker outputs to run speaker wire directly to the Rear L/R Surrounds.

This means the AVR is only actually powering the Rear Surrounds. The amp is powering the other 5. Can I hear any difference? Probably not... but I am positive my system has more than adequate power for my speakers. It's kind of an Audioholic thing. ;) That's why you'll see people questioning you about whether you really need an amp or not. A perfectly acceptable answer is, "Probably not, but I want one". That is the answer most of us here have used. :D
 
B

bruin62

Full Audioholic
I had a 7.1 setup going but than I decided to add the height speakers not knowing I had to sacrifice the SBL an Right channel.so after buying two height speakers running cable under my floor than back up which was a lot of work I really don't see much difference. So I guess what I'm. Saying is the best route to go is sell my 5008 an buy a 9.1 receiver if I want to keep all the channels
 
DD66000

DD66000

Senior Audioholic
The fact you heard no improvement by adding height channels should tell you not to spend more money on a 9 channel unit.

I have long taken the view, if one has the LCRs setup properly, height channels are a complete waste of money.
 

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