Adding channels by adding Amp

[OBX Pirate]

Hello all, this is my first ?, now that I am out of the acedemy.
I have read here and watch the videos that adding amp to receiver adds power and I get that part. I want to know if it adds channels besides power.
Basically I'm looking at 7.2 receivers to run a 5.2.2 Atoms set up speakers in ceiling not bouncy ball. But Down the road I would like to move to a 5.2.4 or even 7.2.4 set up. So down the road I buy an amp to get more power (Scotty) but does it also give me the additional channels.
Thanks, I like Star Trek and Star Wars and both Munsters and Adams family

 

[TLS Guy]

Hello all, this is my first ?, now that I am out of the acedemy.
I have read here and watch the videos that adding amp to receiver adds power and I get that part. I want to know if it adds channels besides power.
Basically I'm looking at 7.2 receivers to run a 5.2.2 Atoms set up speakers in ceiling not bouncy ball. But Down the road I would like to move to a 5.2.4 or even 7.2.4 set up. So down the road I buy an amp to get more power (Scotty) but does it also give me the additional channels.
Thanks, I like Star Trek and Star Wars and both Munsters and Adams family

It will not add any channels.

 

[herbu]

So down the road I buy an amp to get more power (Scotty) but does it also give me the additional channels.

TLS Guy is right.
You have 2 ways to get channels, both are from your receiver.

1) Your AVR has some number of built-in amps. A 5.1 AVR has 5. A 7.1 AVR has 7. An 11.1 AVR has 11. These all provide amplified channels, meaning you can connect speakers directly to the AVR.

2) Some AVRs also have "Pre-Outs". These are unamplified outputs, meaning you have to connect them to some kind of amp, then the amp to your speakers. (Note: In a 5.1 AVR, the ".1" is for the subwoofer and is always unamplified. A 5.2 AVR has 2 subwoofer outputs that can be individually controlled.)

So if you want to prepare for 5.2.2 or 7.2.4, just be sure your AVR has either enough built-in amps, or pre-outs, to supply your desired number of channels. A 7.2.4 setup would need 11 amps or preouts, (7+4), plus the 2 subwoofer outputs.

 

[lovinthehd]

Welcome but what academy?

Do you also understand that it takes a doubling of amp power for an additional 3dB? Keep that in mind when thinking of amp needs.

Depends, avrs can matrix 2.0 content to multich or matrix 5.1 to 7.1 with something like Dolby Pro Logic IIx....but the avr has to have sufficient processing on board for such, might not have on board amps (like my 11ch avr with 9ch of amps, need external amp for 11)

 

[OBX Pirate]

Ok, I get it but it seems the answers are contradictory unless or I'm just a little slow to catch on or I failed to state my question correctly. People here so smart and presice.
Here is what I want to do due to my budget. I am going to buy a 7.2 receiver. But let's say a year down the road I want to add more channels to bump up to a 9 or 11 channels.
A) I know I can buy a new receiver with all the channels I want, OR
B) I can buy a amp with the extra channels and hook them up to my pre-outs on my current receiver?

In aunt shell, I want to get a receiver that I can add chenneks hence speakers down the road without buying a new receiver.

Thanks a bunch and I get the subwoofer .1 or .2 part

 

[slipperybidness]

Ok, I get it but it seems the answers are contradictory unless or I'm just a little slow to catch on or I failed to state my question correctly. People here so smart and presice.
Here is what I want to do due to my budget. I am going to buy a 7.2 receiver. But let's say a year down the road I want to add more channels to bump up to a 9 or 11 channels.
A) I know I can buy a new receiver with all the channels I want, OR
B) I can buy a amp with the extra channels and hook them up to my pre-outs on my current receiver?

In aunt shell, I want to get a receiver that I can add chenneks hence speakers down the road without buying a new receiver.

Thanks a bunch and I get the subwoofer .1 or .2 part

Nope, if the receiver is 7 channel (or 7.2), then you will never get 9 discrete channels out of it, no matter what you do!

You need to purchase a receiver that already has the 9 channels there, even though you may not use all 9 at first.

Now, some receivers may have 9 channels and 9 amps. Or you may see 9 channels but only 7 amps, if you see that then you would have to add external amps for the extra non-amped channels.

 

[markw]

The answers were not contradictory. They are simply not the ones you wanted to hear.

I'll put this in as simple terms as possible.

You CAN NOT add more channels to a unit than it was made with.

You can possibly add external power amplifiers to channels that already exist (If your unit has pre-outs) but you CAN NOT add/create more channels than your unit already has.

Doe that clarify things a bit?

 

[OBX Pirate]

@markw
Gee wiz, easy! Yes I get it.
TLS guy made it clear and herbu agreed. It was his (2) and last paragraph that seemed to suggest it could be expanded.

You made it very clear but your delivery was uncalled for. I guess your not the warm and fuzzy type. I hope you feel better and superior for the day. After all, I merely asked a question and sought clarification.

 

[Latent]

Most entry level units have the same number of amps as they can process. So if it is 7.1 then it will only ever be 7.1 most of the time. There is a slight exception for zone 2 sometimes as on some units the zone 2 is independent so you can get 2 more channels from this while still using full 7.1 but this requires an external amp and it is a separate zone so will not help you add speakers to you 7.1 or 5.1.2 setup.

Then in the higher end amps they have pre-outs and some of them can process say 9.2 channels but because of several factors they only put 7 amp units inside the box so you need to add a stereo amplifier to get the extra 2 speakers. It is often best with these units to get a good 2 channel power amp and use this for the front L/R main speakers as they use the most power which allows the smaller 7 channels of built in amps to power the surround and center speakers.

Then at the high end there are units that can process 11.2 channels for 7.2.4 and 9.2.2 setups but their is just not enough room or power for 11 channels of amps without cutting too many corners so they provide only 9 built in amps.

having more processing then amp channels is great for expandability in the future but you do end up paying a lot more for this feature. It is normally only the top 2-3 units in a range that have these options.

My advise is that if you know you are going to go to this many channels in X months time then get the higher end unit that will save you the hassle in the long run. But if you are not really sure then shop around for a great price on a unit that does what you need now. You may spend $400 instead of $1200 this way (saving you $800). Then in 1 year when you really want those extra channels you can sell your current unit and you may get $200-$300 for it if you purchased it discounted to begin with. Add on the $800 you saved earlier and you now have enough to buy last years discounted model ($1000) that you would have paid $1200 for anyway so you come out either on top or about even.

But please note that these more expensive units have other advantages as well as just more channels as they normally have better room correction options and other features which you would not get in the $400 unit.

 

[markw]

@markw
Gee wiz, easy! Yes I get it.
TLS guy made it clear and herbu agreed. It was his (2) and last paragraph that seemed to suggest it could be expanded.

You made it very clear but your delivery was uncalled for. I guess your not the warm and fuzzy type. I hope you feel better and superior for the day. After all, I merely asked a question and sought clarification.

Somewhat sorry about that but many "newbies" keep fishing for a different answer when they don't like the only true answer.

And, Herb was fairy clear about what adding an amp could do, and when you can use it. Perhaps it was worded to complexly for an academy graduate so I simply restated what could and could not be done in as plain and simple a manner as I could.

And, warm and fuzzy, not really. I can be jovial and jocular but I don't suffer fools gladly.

 

[lovinthehd]

Somewhat sorry about that but many "newbies" keep fishing for a different answer when they don't like the only true answer.

And, Herb was fairy clear about what adding an amp could do, and when you can use it. Perhaps it was worded to complexly for an academy graduate so I simply restated what could and could not be done in as plain and simple a manner as I could.

And, warm and fuzzy, not really. I can be jovial and jocular but I don't suffer fools gladly.

Herbu was wrong actually in his answer in that an 11.1 channel avr he mentioned doesn't necessarily need to have on-board amps for all channels, it may require an outboard amp to take full advantage of the processing in the avr.....I know as I have one.

 

[herbu]

Herbu was wrong actually in his answer in that an 11.1 channel avr he mentioned doesn't necessarily need to have on-board amps for all channels

That's true. The OP seemed pretty ignorant about AVRs and amps, so I tried to keep it simple. It's what I do.

 

[herbu]

Herb was fairy clear

I beg your pardon?

worded to complexly for an academy graduate

For just $9,048/year, (plus "registration, resource and capital" fees), you can attend the North Raleigh Christian Academy. Every year they graduate well qualified students from kindergarten to the 12th grade. I'll hazard a guess that many of them would not have understood my post.

 

[markw]

I beg your pardon?


For just $9,048/year, (plus "registration, resource and capital" fees), you can attend the North Raleigh Christian Academy. Every year they graduate well qualified students from kindergarten to the 12th grade. I'll hazard a guess that many of them would not have understood my post.

Perhaps, but they don't go bragging about it.

Ultimately, several people gave him the exact same answer and even after saying he "got it", he restates the exact same question with slightly different wording, implying that we didn't "get it" the first time.

 

[OBX Pirate]

As a wrap up, the Acedamy graduate was Star Trek humor. (I might know a little but not arrogant enough to not ask questions of the experienced officers aboard my new assignment in the Enterprise with you all) I know a little about receivers and my Denon AVR-231CI 7.2 was destroyed in a basement flood within one year of purchase.
Getting ready to buy a newer receiver and just wanted to make sure, that there was NO way to add channels via some piece of equipment I was not aware, some secret splitter cable ect, before I seek the replacement. I don't use multiple zones.
I want to be future proof as to how many speakers I may have or want.
Thanks to the advice here, I now know FOR SURE, if I plan on a 7, 9, or 11 channel receiver, I will get the channels locked in forever on the receiver I buy so I need to make up my mind in that part moving forward.
Stay tuned to my next question shuck I will post in a new thread which will be more subjective/opinion in nature

 

[JOHN FICKEL]

Buy yourself an 11 channel receiver, This way you'll be future proof for a long time. Make sure the unit has preamp outputs for all channels, this way external amplification can be added down the road.