Do I Need More Power

[BriReeves629]

Hi guys. I am trying to determine whether or not to add external amplification to my AV Receiver. First, I have a very large space 4800 cubic feet that opens up to our kitchen behind. I don’t listen at extreme volumes. I have an Integra DRX-5 AVR and I am running a 5.2.2 speaker arrangement. My LCR is a Paradigm Millinia Trio (https://www.paradigm.com/products-current/model=millenia-20-trio/page=overview) with (4) Paradigm in-ceiling speakers for my rear surrounds and Atmos channels. I do not run full range. All of my speakers are crossed over to my Paradigm in-ceiling subwoofer system (2x drivers). This may seem unorthodox to the purists out there, but not having a dedicated theater room in our house leaves me at the mercy of WAF! I am about 50/50 music/movies. Any comments and/or recommendations would be helpful. I want good sound and headroom, but don’t want to spend money on something that will have no noticeable difference in sound quality either.


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[BoredSysAdmin]

I'd say - you don't need more amps. You possibly could add in-wall sub.
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/paradigm-millenia-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures
What's you xover point? Millenia's 20 recommended to xover at 120hz. that would mean you need to rely heavily on the sub to be very capable and linear.

 

[BriReeves629]

90 hz for the center and 100 hz for the L and R. That is what my AVR calibration set it to.


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[BoredSysAdmin]

90 hz for the center and 100 hz for the L and R. That is what my AVR calibration set it to.

Different xpoints for different speakers makes sense. Different xpoints for same LCR doesn't.
Try setting same 120 xpoint for all of them and doublecheck the distances while you were.

Not long ago Onkyo switched without providing a good reason from Audyssey to AccuEQ. I suspect it was the cost-cutting measure, thus I would be on the side of taking AccuEQ results with a grain of salt.

 

[BriReeves629]

That worked really well. Surprisingly, these in-ceiling subwoofers do a great job. I built my own back boxes that are sealed and filled with damping material. I do wish my receiver had a more accurate calibration system. That is the only think I don’t like about my AVR.

One question: How do you equate decibels to watts in determining power requirements? In other words, how can you determine how much headroom your system has?


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[M Code]

How much output power U require is based on multiple factors:

• Room size/cube
• Room furnishings, for glass, carpet..
• Loudspeakers specs; impedance & sensitivity
• Source material; compressed, uncompressed
• Target volume SPL level

There are some inexpensive SPL apps available for smartphones which can tell U the average SPL. In our AV installs we always go to higher power amplifier channels, as we like to have reserve headroom available. But this typically means more budget $ and the AVR/controller needs to have pre-outs and use an external component, power amplifier.

Just my $0.02..

 

[BriReeves629]

In our AV installs we always go to higher power amplifier channels, as we like to have reserve headroom available. But this typically means more budget $ and the AVR/controller needs to have pre-outs and use an external component, power amplifier.

Just my $0.02..

Which amp would you recommend and Do you typically amplify all channels or just the front sound stage?



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[M Code]

Which amp would you recommend.

Best watts per $ value are the Crown amplifiers.

Do you typically amplify all channels or just the front sound stage?

Depends upon room size, loudspeakers used but in small to medium rooms typically amplify the FR,C,FL.
If the room is larger and/or user expects higher volume levels we amplify all channels...

Just my $0.02...