Emotiva amp overkill for my situation?

[Squishman]

My primary HT setup is a 5.2.2 system with Klipsch Forte II's as my mains. My receiver is a Yamaha RX-A1060 that is 110 wpc. My mains are hooked up to an Emotiva A300 (2 x 150 wpc). Seems overkill and unnecessary. I am moving in a couple weeks. I was thinking I should sell the Emotiva amp and use that dough to buy a bedroom AV receiver. Any thoughts on that? I originally had speakers that needed more power. I don't think the Forte's do.

 

[everettT]

More than likely, yes. The difference between the Yamaha and the Emotiva is not an audible difference in sound.

 

[Squishman]

Thx Everett.

 

[PENG]

My primary HT setup is a 5.2.2 system with Klipsch Forte II's as my mains. My receiver is a Yamaha RX-A1060 that is 110 wpc. My mains are hooked up to an Emotiva A300 (2 x 150 wpc). Seems overkill and unnecessary. I am moving in a couple weeks. I was thinking I should sell the Emotiva amp and use that dough to buy a bedroom AV receiver. Any thoughts on that? I originally had speakers that needed more power. I don't think the Forte's do.

It is better to use an online calculator to figure out the power you need in the place you are moving to, and then decide.

http://myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html

http://www.acousticfrontiers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Max-SPL-Calculator-v6.xlsx

The calculator in the second link has an Excel spreadsheet calculator that you can down load.

You can also use the Crown Audio calculator that ignores any room gain and number of speakers.

https://www.crownaudio.com/en/tools/calculators#amp_power_required

 

[Squishman]

Thx! Going to a smaller living room, so I think I won't need it. And the Forte' II's are pretty efficient I think. What are the chances Peng that the calculators would tell me different? Thx for your input!

 

[lovinthehd]

If you use Klipsch's sensitivity figures in a calculator it would probably confirm your position that they don't need additional amplification beyond that your avr provides. Besides, Klipsch's advertised sensitivity is a bit overstated. Keep in mind that 150W to 110W is merely a 1.3dB difference....

 

[Squishman]

Thx lthd.

 

[PENG]

Thx! Going to a smaller living room, so I think I won't need it. And the Forte' II's are pretty efficient I think. What are the chances Peng that the calculators would tell me different? Thx for your input!

As HD said, should just confirm what you know already. Even if you discount the 99 dB/1W/1m, by 9 dB, you still have 90 dB/1W/1m. Since the spec was given in 1W/1m instead of the more commonly used 2.83V/1m, de-rating it from 99 to 90 is also an overkill, the real world sensitivity would likely be at least 93 dB/2.83V/1m. In a smaller room, your ears will clip well before the amp or the speakers.

 

[Squishman]

I don't understand a whole lot of that!

 

[lovinthehd]

I don't understand a whole lot of that!

Time to ask questions then. Sensitivity of your speakers, their impedance range, the volume you like to listen at and at what distance is what's being referred to...

 

[PENG]

I don't understand a whole lot of that!

The articles linked below should help you understand those terms.

https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-connection/connecting-an-external-amp-to-a-receiver

https://www.audioholics.com/room-acoustics/the-decibel-db

 

[Steve81]

I don't understand a whole lot of that!

TLDR version: Klipsch Fortes are very efficient speakers that require relatively little power to get VERY loud.

 

[TechHDS]

More than likely, yes. The difference between the Yamaha and the Emotiva is not an audible difference in sound.

Excellent comment, took me quite some time with experimenting between add on amps. There really isn't much difference between 200 x 2 as opposed to 100 X 2 @ 8 Ohms. The thing I did find out was my ears would ring not good. Now if your room is large and your sweet spot is 20 ft away fron your L/R Mains, yeah get the add on amp. Other than that spend the money on better speaker's Mains especially.

 

[Montucky]

NO such thing as overkill! But then again, I'm the guy who would squeeze in giant monolithic towers into a studio apartment if I could, so maybe don't take my word for it. I'm all about absurd amounts of headroom.