Receiver or Separates for my speaker choices

[mazersteven]

FYI,
Either the receiver or seperates would be more than adequate for those speakers. Both are pretty easy to drive and 8 ohms. You would probably be just is happy with a $4-500 receiver like the Yamaha RX-V663 or Onkyo 606. The Yamaha has pre-amp outputs so you could add an amp in the future if necessary. Use the extra money for a BluRay player, room treatments, better sub, etc.

I totally agree with jcPanny.

With all due respect. What would someone need with a ULTRADRIVE PRO DCX2496 in there system?

 

[PENG]

- Wattage: The Yamaha is rated at 135W and the LPA at 125W. Now I heard before for example that you can't compare a receiver's power output with that of a separate (the person was talking about Rotel). What is the difference? Does that only apply to Rotel and other high-end brands?

Thanks again everybody!

One way to find out more than just what the advertised specs say is by searching for lab measurements.

Here is a link to one.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/receivers/2708/test-bench-yamaha-rx-v1800-av-receiver.html

The 1,2 channel driven outputs (into 8/4 ohms) from the Yamaha look quite solid and will probably be competitive with the Emo but in the all channel driven test it will not do too good due to the relatively smaller power supply. Depending on your needs the all channel driven rating may not matter much for you. Even if it does, you can easily add a 2 or 3 channel external amp.

Here's one for a comparable Onkyo receiver:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/receivers/2463/test-bench-onkyo-tx-sr875-av-receiver.html

If you are talking about power output only, this one (the Onkyo 875) will come close to the 125 W LPA you are referring to, even in terms of the all channel driven rating.

 

[mtrycrafts]

KEF is certainly a bigger name, ....

The KEF just says 40Hz-40KHz without any tolerance, so it could very well be 80Hz-20kHz +/-3dB. Who knows? You might want to email KEF and ask for a more detail frequency response - on and off axis, +/-3dB, +/-6dB, etc.
.

Yes, they have been in business for a very long time
If this test on one of their other speaker is any indication of their quality, then the OP's Kef should be pretty good too, but who knows. Too bad there is no similar test on it:

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/measurements/speakers/kef_201-2/

 

[mtrycrafts]

...or if you just want to have a seperate amp and another cool piece of gear to stare at in your rack. ~!

Yes, but then you will miss the movie

 

[Adam]

Yes, but then you will miss the movie

Yeah, but you don't need the movie when you can stare at your beautiful gear.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Not hardly true. I don't listen to my system all that loud, as I live in a condo, and my room is fairly small. I went from using my 661 to power my speakers, to using a separate amp and there was a very noticeable difference. My system sounds cleaner, with better mid-bass response now.

Do a levels matched DBT, then see what is.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yeah, but you don't need the movie when you can stare at your beautiful gear.

Why didn't I think of that. My bad

 

[mtrycrafts]

... Bottom line, it really all depends on the individual.

Like homeopathic meds?

 

[mtrycrafts]

....I think so far I'm just going to wait for now. I'll be moving in a house soon and with that my living room will drastically change. Once this happens I will buy all the stuff mentioned above.

Yes, by all means, wait for the new place as speakers and the room has the most effect on the sound, not the other components.

....What I take from all the post so far:
- Separates (more power) are better for bigger rooms, so once I know the size of my new living room I'll ask again and see what you guys say...

Again, that depends. Speaker impedance and sensitivity, how far away will you be sitting from the speakers, and how loud will you be listening to the sounds.

....Some more questions:
- Bi-amping: Now the KEF's can be bi-amped. Will it make a difference having the 2 more channels on the LPA to bi-amp the speakers? Or is it the same to use the Yamaha's extra channels?

I would recommend not to bother with this at all.

 

[PENG]

Like homeopathic meds?

I guess.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

It is amazing how myths never die. A receiver is a tuner, preamp, and power amp (and these days, typically also a processor) all in one box. With separates, these things are in separate boxes. Counting boxes is no way to determine quality.

Also, extra power is only useful if actually used. If you have speakers that are difficult to drive (e.g., low impedance, inefficient), or you listen at literally deafening levels of sound, then lots of power may be called for, but otherwise, any difference heard with typical equipment will be a result of lack of level matching and the placebo effect (i.e., in the person's head, not real). If you doubt this, do some double blind listening with level matched equipment with speakers that do not require lots of power.

Very well put, and entirely correct.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yes, they have been in business for a very long time
If this test on one of their other speaker is any indication of their quality, then the OP's Kef should be pretty good too, but who knows. Too bad there is no similar test on it:

http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/measurements/speakers/kef_201-2/

According to KEF, the 201/2 has a freq resp of 55 Hz - 60 kHz +/- 3dB:

http://www.kef.com/products/reference06/GLOBAL/productRange_201_spec/default.aspx

But according to Soundstagenetwork.com, it's 70 Hz - 20 kHz +/-3dB. That's a pretty big difference, isn't it?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Are the speakers that you are now using with the Onkyo ever hooked up to the Carver? How loud were you playing them?

I had the same speakers before and after making that change. (Obviously. how else would I know how the two amps compare?)
I play my system as loud as I can get away with in my apartment, and I always have.

 

[3db]

I had the same speakers before and after making that change. (Obviously. how else would I know how the two amps compare?)
I play my system as loud as I can get away with in my apartment, and I always have.

If thats the case your imagining you can hear the lower noise floor. both systens have inaudable noise floors

 

[3db]

It is amazing how myths never die. A receiver is a tuner, preamp, and power amp (and these days, typically also a processor) all in one box. With separates, these things are in separate boxes. Counting boxes is no way to determine quality.

Also, extra power is only useful if actually used. If you have speakers that are difficult to drive (e.g., low impedance, inefficient), or you listen at literally deafening levels of sound, then lots of power may be called for, but otherwise, any difference heard with typical equipment will be a result of lack of level matching and the placebo effect (i.e., in the person's head, not real). If you doubt this, do some double blind listening with level matched equipment with speakers that do not require lots of power.

There are advantages of seperates over receivers if one's wallet can afford it.
Seperates offer better flexability, better bass management than their receiver counterparts. You can upgrade either the pre/pro or the amp without replacing everything.

Like you eluded too, seperates also doesn't limit your speaker choice as much as receivers do. You don't have to shy away from low impedance speakers.

So are seperates better than a/v receivers? It depends on what one's requirements are.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

If thats the case your imagining you can hear the lower noise floor. both systens have inaudable noise floors

Not true. The Carver was old, and had an audible hiss. The Onkyo has zero background noise.

 

[3db]

Not true. The Carver was old, and had an audible hiss. The Onkyo has zero background noise.

Thats old age, possibly a poor design from carver but saying that receivers have a lower noise floor than seperates like you implied is a generalization.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Thats old age, possibly a poor design from carver but saying that receivers have a lower noise floor than seperates like you implied is a generalization.

I made no generalizations. I described a specific case. Besides, you missed the real point, which is that I went to a much lower wattage with no loss of performance whatsoever.

 

[3db]

I made no generalizations. I described a specific case. Besides, you missed the real point, which is that I went to a much lower wattage with no loss of performance whatsoever.

no loss given that speaker load. Hook up a pair of low impedance speakers and rerun the test.

Like I said, seperates have their place depending on the environment and the load that is presented.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...

Like I said, seperates have their place depending on the environment and the load that is presented.

But of course
Cannot expect a component to operate outside its design limits