Matching AVR with Power amp

[AlMatter]

Hi guys,

I need your help for the best configuration of my setup.

I've newly bought the Marantz SR 7010 AVR and bought an used amp from ebay (Yamaha MX-2). As for the speakers I have 2x towers as front with bi-amp connection and 4 bookshelf speakers.

The point wehre I am really confused is combining the AVR with the amp. The input sensitivity for the Yamaha amp is 1,26 v; whereas the preamp outs of the Marantz AVR are rated at 1,2 V (I guess )

Is there an advantage if I connect the frontspeakers to the power amp and connect the power amp the the preamp outputs of the receiver and connect the other shelfspeakers to the AVR? or should I connect all the speakers to the AVR and try to sell the Yamaha amp? is there any gain buy connecting the frontspeaker to both the AVR and the power amp in bi-amp configuration? (is such a thing actually possible?)

The Marantz has pro channel:
125 W + 125 W (8 Ω/Ohm, 20 Hz – 20 kHz mit 0,05 % Gesamtklirrfaktor)

The Yamaha Mx-2:
Minimum RMS Output Power per Channel (20 Hz ~ 20kHz) 0.008% THD 8 ohms =150W 0.03% THD, 4 ohms = 190W 0.09% THD, 2 ohms = 230W

My frontspeakers are Canton Vento Reference 5 (I can't post the links, so here are the specifications):
Nenn- / Musikbelastbarkeit:
280 / 440 Watt
Wirkungsgrad (1 Watt/1m)
88,5 db
Übertragungsbereich
20...40.000 Hz
Übergangsfrequenz
220 / 3.000 Hz

I would really appreciate any help here

Thanks in advance

 

[herbu]

AlMatter, you have a marvelous AVR. It has 9 built-in amps that each put out 125w into 8 ohms. You say the Yamaha puts out 150w into 8ohms. The Yamaha website says 190w into 8 ohms. I would go ahead and run the Front L&R thru the amp. (Forget about bi-amping.) Depending on your listening habits and future speakers, you may hear some improvement. Maybe not. But you have it... use it.

 

[AlMatter]

Herbu thank you very much for the quick response.

The logics dictate that the Yamaha amp ist much better than the built in amp of the Marantz AVR (150w or 190 vs 125w; 20 kilograms vs 14 kilogram; made in Japan vs in Vietnam )

But what I am not sure about is whether the preamp outputs (1,2 v) of the Marantz AVR are sufficient to drive the Yamaha amp reasonably (1,26 v input sensitivity).

Thanks again

 

[herbu]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. Hook it up.

 

[PENG]

AlMatter, you have a marvelous AVR. It has 9 built-in amps that each put out 125w into 8 ohms. You say the Yamaha puts out 150w into 8ohms. The Yamaha website says 190w into 8 ohms. I would go ahead and run the Front L&R thru the amp. (Forget about bi-amping.) Depending on your listening habits and future speakers, you may hear some improvement. Maybe not. But you have it... use it.

AlMatter is right, it is 150W into 8 ohms, the 190W is Yamaha's favourite marketing spec, i.e. dynamic power output. For comparison, the RX-A2050 has the following dynamic power output (copies/pasted from Yamaha website):

Dynamic Power per Channel (8/6/4/2 ohms) 165 / 210 / 285 / 405 W

So while I agree with you the AlMatter should try and use the amp because there is nothing to worry about unless the used amp is defective, he should not expect audible improvements. The AVR will probably have the same dynamic performance if not slightly better but the addition of the amp will defintiely help the AVR to stay cooler and last longer.

If he listens to compressed rock music in a larger than medium sized room, listen loud and for long period of time, the amp could even save the AVR from shutting down or getting it and/or the speakers damaged.

 

[AlMatter]

I appreciate the thorough explanation and your are right, the sound seemed a little bit more voluminous using the AVR alone but I will follow your advice and stick to the amp for the front speaker in order to save the life expectancy of the AVR (it was not cheap at all )


As for the configuration: In the AVR settings I couldn’t find where to change the output from the built in amp to the preout. Does the AVR recognize it automatically or is there any specific parameter that needs to be changed? I just plugged an RCA cable to both the AVR and the amp and connected the speakers to the amp leaving the front L&R speaker plug in of the AVR empty.


Thanks again for helping and Please excuse my English

 

[PENG]

I appreciate the thorough explanation and your are right, the sound seemed a little bit more voluminous using the AVR alone but I will follow your advice and stick to the amp for the front speaker in order to save the life expectancy of the AVR (it was not cheap at all )


As for the configuration: In the AVR settings I couldn’t find where to change the output from the built in amp to the preout. Does the AVR recognize it automatically or is there any specific parameter that needs to be changed? I just plugged an RCA cable to both the AVR and the amp and connected the speakers to the amp leaving the front L&R speaker plug in of the AVR empty.


Thanks again for helping and Please excuse my English

That is correct, the pre-outs of that AVR is always hot. Connect them as you described, run YPAO and it will balance the levels of all the channels for you.