Whats inside a HTIB receiver?

[Methost]

I have upgraded from a cheapo Aiwa receiver to a nice marantz SR8400 receiver. When I built the addition on my home, I left wires for outside speakers to be hung. My marantz supports 2nd room speakers, but has no amplification for them (unless I don't use my rear surrounds, and thats not an option). So my question is this ... untill I can afford a nice amp for my outdoor speakers, can I use my old reciever to do the job? I mean I think I can (its a 5.1 receiver), but are there like ... 5 amps in it that can be ... played with? Can I crack it open and maybe bi-amp a couple channels together to get more power on just the 2 channels that I want to use?

Anyone ever do this with a receiver like this?

 

[Resident Loser]

What's with all the...

I have upgraded from a cheapo Aiwa receiver to a nice marantz SR8400 receiver. When I built the addition on my home, I left wires for outside speakers to be hung. My marantz supports 2nd room speakers, but has no amplification for them (unless I don't use my rear surrounds, and thats not an option). So my question is this ... untill I can afford a nice amp for my outdoor speakers, can I use my old reciever to do the job? I mean I think I can (its a 5.1 receiver), but are there like ... 5 amps in it that can be ... played with? Can I crack it open and maybe bi-amp a couple channels together to get more power on just the 2 channels that I want to use?

Anyone ever do this with a receiver like this?

...Frankenweenie questions? Seems like lotsa' folks wanna build a Sherman tank from a Yugo!

You will need to have pre-outs on your Marantz and power-in jacks on the Aiwa...unfortunately, such niceties are all but extinct these days, so I doubt you will have them. If you do, however, it's really a piece-of-cake.

OTOH, if you know what you are doing and have schematics for both units, you can do practically anything with them, but really...when all is said and done, why bother...Wait a while, save up and spring for a second amp...you won't have risked blowing up your units and you will have another amp to play with (or sell if need be), instead of some cobbled-together nightmare.

FWIW, bi-amping is a thoroughly misused term these days...do yourself a google (and a favor) and get some insight into (and a feel for what's really involved in) the practice.

jimHJJ(...just my 2cents...)

 

[Methost]

Oh I do want an amp, but I have the thing laying around and its not work selling. And it sounded like a fun project to try. My marantz does have pre-outs btw.

I was under the impression that "bi-amping" meant to combine to amp channels in to one to increase the power.

 

[Resident Loser]

As a P.S. to my previous post...

...if the 8400 has the same options as the current model, the multi-outs may be user-optioned as either fixed or variable, with what looks to be an additional "level-set" option.

If this is the case, you may be able to set and fix that level as an output to feed an "aux' input on the Aiwa...maybe.

Without access to the 8400's Owner's Manual, I'll have to leave it to you to investigate that possibility...Start out cautiously as the Marantz zone two/multi may not be able to be fixed at a low enough level. You don't want to overdrive the Aiwa's input stages.

jimHJJ(...again, that's even if they are comparable...)

 

[Resident Loser]

No, it's not that simple...

I was under the impression that "bi-amping" meant to combine to amp channels in to one to increase the power.

There are terms such as "division of labor"...but to make a long, boring story short and sweet, suffice it to say, it's not a simple thing to be done correctly...you can't just double-up on the power outputs...unless you are fond of a brief lightshow and the lingering odor of burning epoxy and ozone.

Sticking with a two-way system for simplicities' sake, your loudspeakers need to present you with access to the woofers and the tweeters; two sets of terminals on each loudspeaker (usually strapped out for conventional use)...one amp drives the lower freqs to the woofers, the other the higher frequencies to the tweeters...and even that's not the real deal...For that, you need to use an electronic crossover unit fed out of your pre-amp which separates the frequency bands, which then feeds ths amps, which drives the loudspeakers...and it comes out here. The loudspeaker's internal, passive crossovers must be disabled in this arrangement and crossover points, levels and slopes must be arrived at using some math and some test gear...not a real simple deal.

Rod Elliott has a really informative website on this and other audio subjects. You might even check this site for similar info.

jimHJJ(...clear as mud, eh?...don't worry, it's only a hobby...takes time and effort...)

 

[markw]

Listen to what RL said but, FYI,...

I was under the impression that "bi-amping" meant to combine to amp channels in to one to increase the power.

..I think you're refering to "bridging" an amp which, unless carefully and correctly done only to amps that can handle it, can guarantee a new amp (or no amp at all, depending on the money situation) in a very short period of time. ..and a lingering smell of smoke.

IOW, RL defined the correct eactions for term you used. I provided the correct term for the actions you described.

 

[Resident Loser]

An option/possibility I hadn't...

..I think you're refering to "bridging" an amp which, unless carefully and correctly done only to amps that can handle it, can guarantee a new amp (or no amp at all, depending on the money situation) in a very short period of time. ..and a lingering smell of smoke.

...even considered given the, shall we say, less than robust build quality of most entry-level HT gear...Heck...make that most any gear these days...

In addition to your description of "bridging" I'd also include designed for that possible application...

jimHJJ(...my HK Citation 19 bridges with a flick of a switch...shame I din't buy two of 'em...)

 

[markw]

Well Jim, you know how it works nowadays.

Knowledge, skills and experience are not needed anymore. All that can be transferred in a post on the internet.

Someone picks up a buzzword on the 'net and thinks that they can learn everything they need to know about it by posting a question in the 'net. All the answers will come flowing and, before you know it, you have done in one or two simple steps what it takes everyone else years of training and practice to accomplish.

Now, I need to perform a root canal on myself. Where is it? Ah, THERE'S my 3/8" Black and Decker. Anybody know a good dental forum?

 

[Methost]

Knowledge, skills and experience are not needed anymore. All that can be transferred in a post on the internet.

I feel the same way. I have learned how to do a lot of things reading forums. I'm not silly enough to think I can tune my TV or HV as well as a professional, but I like to do things myself and if I can do a good enough job without blowing anything up, well then I am a happy man.

 

[adwilk]

I'm confused... i read i should use a 7/16 drill for a DIY root canal.. maybe that was the triple bypass that my brother in law needed. God rest his soul... anyway.. i'm still confused... I thought if the main amp had a line level output, why cant you just hook it up to an aux in on the other amp? This has always worked for me... You could also use a speaker level to line converter, correct?

I agree with them OP, dont even think about Bi-amping or bridging or arson or whatever it was you were planning on doing with that solder-prod-thingy...