When is it time to replace your AVR.

AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
My volume is set to 0-98 so my wife understands it better.
Movies 65
Music I do 75 even 80
How does having to set the volume at 82% of Maximum make you FEEL?

(You're lying on a chair in a psychiatrist's office :D)
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
My volume is set to 0-98 so my wife understands it better.
Movies 65
Music I do 75 even 80
That is kinda loud and the speakers aren't all that sensitive, so maybe you are a candidate for the power amp addition. Just curious, what sub do you have?

It's not 82% of maximum power, just 82% of the number on the volume dial which is meaningless math. Difference in power from 74 to 80 would be 6dB or 4x the power.
 
G

Grandzoltar

Full Audioholic
Shouldn’t running your avr at 82% volume be harsh
 
G

Grandzoltar

Full Audioholic
Great analogy. Even though the speed limit is sixty (volume) I want a car with 600 hp so I can efficiently go 60 that’s how I feel
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Nothing wrong with as much headroom as you can afford. A 600hp engine doesn't necessarily run efficiently at 60 just because it has 600hp....
 
G

Grandzoltar

Full Audioholic
True but the 600 hp car shuts of unused cylinders until the throttle is mashed
 
P

PENG

Audioholic Slumlord
My volume is set to 0-98 so my wife understands it better.
Movies 65
Music I do 75 even 80
80 for music could be very loud assuming the level trims were set to near 0.

Did you use the calculator to find out how much power you need?
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
1) When it stops working and it costs too much to get it fixed.

2a) When new features are added that you just can't live without,

2b) You get nee speakers that require much more power.

3) You have the money, just want to, and the spouse won't rag on you about it.
 
Phase 2

Phase 2

Audioholic Chief
My volume is set to 0-98 so my wife understands it better.
Movies 65
Music I do 75 even 80
Umm...yeah I never like that 0 to 98 thing. Really I don't know why the manufacturers even use that. Cause it's just like it says a Dial not ideally. They should just go back to the VU meters!! You see back in the old days you had a volume dial, and VU meters so when you saw you see you can see how much power is hitting your speakers;). When the lil arm hit that Red zone, you knew you had to turn that volume down some. :p man them where the day's. ;)
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
That is kinda loud and the speakers aren't all that sensitive, so maybe you are a candidate for the power amp addition.
Now we can all agree that increasing the trim levels doesn't mean increasing the power in itself.

Here's the question.

What if he increased the trim levels and then his master volume is now at 20, instead of 80 (out of 98 max)?

Just because it's loud, doesn't mean his Denon is unable to produce sufficient power, right?

IOW, he could add a 300 WPC amp and his master volume could still be at 80 unless he increases his trim levels or unless the amp has a higher GAIN level than the Denon.

I've played the Phil3 in full-range (set to Large) with my Denon 3000 series in a 20' x 18' x 10' room sitting 15 ft away for a while. And at loud volume. I mean LOUD. And the Phil3 has a sensitivity of 85dB.
 
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AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
My volume is set to 0-98 so my wife understands it better.
Music I do 75 even 80
Keep in mind that if the new amp has the same GAIN as the Denon (probably 28dB), your volume setting will still be 80 like before.

So unless you increase the trim levels or the new amp has a higher gain (like 32dB), the master volume will not change.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Now we can all agree that increasing the trim levels doesn't mean increasing the power in itself.

Here's the question.

What if he increased the trim levels and then his master volume is now at 20, instead of 80 (out of 98 max)?

Just because it's loud, doesn't mean his Denon is unable to produce sufficient power, right?

IOW, he could add a 300 WPC amp and his master volume could still be at 80 unless he increases his trim levels or unless the amp has a higher GAIN level than the Denon.

I've played the Phil3 in full-range (set to Large) with my Denon 3000 series in a 20' x 18' x 10' room sitting 15 ft away for a while. And at loud volume. I mean LOUD. And the Phil3 has a sensitivity of 85dB.
If he increased trim levels I'd think the number would be lower a bit (not 80 to 20, tho, more like 80 to 79 or 80 to 75 from some of the suggestions here). If the volume isn't calibrated then the specific number doesn't matter as it doesn't really relate to anything. I do wonder why so many "audiophiles" tend to put so much importance on the position of the volume knob, tho (or a number it might point to) on gear that isn't calibrated.

Not sure where you're going with your example of loud with the Denon 3000....
 
G

Grandzoltar

Full Audioholic
I think when using audessy xt32 on the x3400 it’s test tones measure to achieve a specific dB. So it’s numbers reflect at said distance with these speakers the levels should be set to “-4.5db” to get to audessy’s spl
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I think when using audessy xt32 on the x3400 it’s test tones measure to achieve a specific dB. So it’s numbers reflect at said distance with these speakers the levels should be set to “-4.5db” to get to audessy’s spl
Just a reflection of where the gain on the sub was set, you can alter the result of Audyssey by adjusting gain (higher on the sub to lower the trim level, lower the gain to raise the trim level)
 
G

Grandzoltar

Full Audioholic
Before audessy starts it has me adjust the subs amp gain. To get it with in the threshold I have to turn half way between min and the hash at 9 o’clock. Seems really low to me and I’m still getting around a -5db trim level
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Before audessy starts it has me adjust the subs amp gain. To get it with in the threshold I have to turn half way between min and the hash at 9 o’clock. Seems really low to me and I’m still getting around a -5db trim level
I have several Audyssey avrs so am familiar with it. Many plate amps don't need much gain to be set well. The -5dB trim is a good spot OTOH, as it gives you some room to bump it up if needed (as many prefer), better than in positive territory....
 
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