HELP: Connecting Emotiva XPA-2 to Onkyo tx-nr 747

G

gabrive1

Audiophyte
Sorry, I'm kind of new to this. So, I recently bought an Emotiva xpa 2 channel amp to connect to my 7.2 channel Onkyo TX-NR 747. The Question is - do I connect the receiver's "line out" L-R to the L-R in on the Emotiva?

I did so, but when I clicked "Zone 2" on the receiver - the volume was pretty high from the get. As a newbie, I was looking for knobs on the XPA - to contfrol the sound... But there's no volume control on the power amp.

So after looking through the Onkyo manual and searching online, I understand that I'll have to set up the Zone 2 on on the receiver and configure from there. Is that correct???
 
BryceH

BryceH

Enthusiast
Sorry, I'm kind of new to this. So, I recently bought an Emotiva xpa 2 channel amp to connect to my 7.2 channel Onkyo TX-NR 747. The Question is - do I connect the receiver's "line out" L-R to the L-R in on the Emotiva?

I did so, but when I clicked "Zone 2" on the receiver - the volume was pretty high from the get. As a newbie, I was looking for knobs on the XPA - to contfrol the sound... But there's no volume control on the power amp.

So after looking through the Onkyo manual and searching online, I understand that I'll have to set up the Zone 2 on on the receiver and configure from there. Is that correct???
I'm pretty new to this too, but I do have an external amp hooked up. Does the Onkyo YX-NR 747 have pre- outs? I looked it up and don't think it does, which would mean you can't use an amp with your receiver.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Yes, Zone 2 line out to the amp. The volume control is only in the receiver, sometimes a separate control on the remote and sometimes only accessible via a menu; not familiar with your exact model.
 
G

gabrive1

Audiophyte
I'm pretty new to this too, but I do have an external amp hooked up. Does the Onkyo YX-NR 747 have pre- outs? I looked it up and don't think it does, which would mean you can't use an amp with your receiver.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Thank you for your feedback - but yes it does have a pre out and line out. I set it on the line out and the radio played but at a high volume and I couldn't lower it. I believe it has something to do with access the menu and configuring the volume there.
 
Last edited:
G

gabrive1

Audiophyte
Yes, Zone 2 line out to the amp. The volume control is only in the receiver, sometimes a separate control on the remote and sometimes only accessible via a menu; not familiar with your exact model.

Thank you! - I'll try it again tonight and update.
 
G

gabrive1

Audiophyte

Thank you - I saw this yesterday when I was experiencing the problem but I think this is without using an added amp. With the amp connected to the line out I was wondering if the receiver can control the volume of the amp. I will try it again tonight to see if it controls the volume of the external amp... in theory it should.
 
BryceH

BryceH

Enthusiast
Thank you for your feedback - but yes it does have a pre out and line out. I set it on the line out and the radio played but at a high volume and I could lower it. I believe it has something to do with access the menu and configuring the volume there.
Sorry!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Thank you - I saw this yesterday when I was experiencing the problem but I think this is without using an added amp. With the amp connected to the line out I was wondering if the receiver can control the volume of the amp. I will try it again tonight to see if it controls the volume of the external amp... in theory it should.
A line out normally is a fixed level, ideally you would want at least main L/R pre-outs on your avr for your purposes, so you'll have to make-do via zone 2 pre-outs if you want volume control (and as was said you'll have to operate in zone 2 mode; zone use may limit digital source playback fwiw).

Why did you get the amp?
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Yeah, I was thinking that too that the zone actually says LINE out on it, so not 100% sure it can be controlled, but I setup two older Onkyos for people and there was an option to adjust zone 2 level via the setup menu. Not sure if the 747 is the same, but it looks like since it has speaker level for zone 2 and 3 that it may only control the speaker outs for the zones.

The only pre-outs from this one appear to be sub only.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Yeah, I was thinking that too that the zone actually says LINE out on it, so not 100% sure it can be controlled, but I setup two older Onkyos for people and there was an option to adjust zone 2 level via the setup menu. Not sure if the 747 is the same, but it looks like since it has speaker level for zone 2 and 3 that it may only control the speaker outs for the zones.

The only pre-outs from this one appear to be sub only.
I guess I didn't look close enough now that you mention it, assumed they were preouts for the zone 2. Can't imagine zone use without a volume control, though and that does appear to be the case as the manual specifies the connection to a pre-amp on the line outs. Volume control in zone 2 is only via the speaker outputs it appears. Just not a good avr to connect an external amp to :)
 
G

gabrive1

Audiophyte
A line out normally is a fixed level, ideally you would want at least main L/R pre-outs on your avr for your purposes, so you'll have to make-do via zone 2 pre-outs if you want volume control (and as was said you'll have to operate in zone 2 mode; zone use may limit digital source playback fwiw).

Why did you get the amp?
On the Onkyo's initial set up menu you can configure the Zone 2 out to make it active or powered or variable (something like that). But I believe what you said about the line out on a fixed level. It had sound but I wasn't able to control the volume or it could be that I didn't actually go in the menu phase to try to control it...

I'll bought a set of Polks TSI500 and they're about 250 W RMS - I bought the Emotiva as a xmas gift for me just for head room and deep sounds when enjoying music - not to blast it - but if need ever be, I would like to know that I can put them up. I have nice Polk bookshelf speaks for the 5.1
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
On the Onkyo's initial set up menu you can configure the Zone 2 out to make it active or powered or variable (something like that). But I believe what you said about the line out on a fixed level. It had sound but I wasn't able to control the volume or it could be that I didn't actually go in the menu phase to try to control it...

I'll bought a set of Polks TSI500 and they're about 250 W RMS - I bought the Emotiva as a xmas gift for me just for head room and deep sounds when enjoying music - not to blast it - but if need ever be, I would like to know that I can put them up. I have nice Polk bookshelf speaks for the 5.1
Speakers' max wattage ratings are mostly junk information (maybe their melting point is useful but that doesn't mean they can actually produce listenable sound with that much power applied). If their sensitivity is really 91dB the amps in your avr should be fine for your purposes. I'd return the amp or at least get an avr with pre-outs.
 
G

gabrive1

Audiophyte
I guess I didn't look close enough now that you mention it, assumed they were preouts for the zone 2. Can't imagine zone use without a volume control, though and that does appear to be the case as the manual specifies the connection to a pre-amp on the line outs. Volume control in zone 2 is only via the speaker outputs it appears. Just not a good avr to connect an external amp to :)

The fun part will be tonight messing with that option. I did see it on initial set up when I first turned on my receiver. I would need to get back there again.

By the way - I noticed that there are a L & R output for the "line out", but only one out for the pre-out (directly under sub out). Could I use the one pre-out if I chose to use that for the amp? Is that possible?? And if so it only one hole...
 
G

gabrive1

Audiophyte
Speakers' max wattage ratings are mostly junk information (maybe their melting point is useful but that doesn't mean they can actually produce listenable sound with that much power applied). If their sensitivity is really 91dB the amps in your avr should be fine for your purposes. I'd return the amp or at least get an avr with pre-outs.

I'm thinking about doing that - Maybe I jumped the gun on this one. :(
 
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