Advice on a used amplifier or new...

[Mani-aX]

I'm wanting to bi-amp my klipsch RF-7 towers and was considering this method...

using my Yamaha HTTR-5990 reciever to power the highs.

and buying a seperate amplifier to power the 4 - 10" woofers in the towers to increase my bass response.

I have considered buying used.

Looking into ADCOM, CARVER TFM Series, or OUTLAW.

Outlaw would be a new buy of course. but a lot more than what i was planning on spending.. i would like to stay in the 4-500.00 range for a stereo amp.

Using two Outlaw 2200 mono amps (one for each tower) would be sweet! seeing these towers are rated at 250watts rms / 1000w Peak

Ideas/Suggestions are open to the audience!! thanks

 

[mulester7]

I'm wanting to bi-amp my klipsch RF-7 towers and was considering this method...Ideas/Suggestions are open to the audience!! thanks

.....here's 600 watts a channel at 4 with the name Crown on the front....XLR inputs also.....

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/481579X/

.....you'll probably end up with the halves of the speakers paralleled, and the Crown amp pushing the whole speaker at 4 ohms....the fan won't be a problem unless you mic it......

.....edit....whoa,......

http://www.americanaudiocenter.com/crxlam5.html

 

[Mani-aX]

That is a first...

I have never had anyone recommend to use a PA amp on home equipment.

In that case i can go grab my QSC RMX 2450 w/ 500wpc @ 8ohm and hook it up.

I really would like to stay away from using something that big not to mention HEAVY to put in the rack.

And try to keep away from something with handles or ears that stick out for the handle mounts due to space.

Really, would you use an PA amp for home audio?

 

[mulester7]

That is a first...

I have never had anyone recommend to use a PA amp on home equipment.

In that case i can go grab my QSC RMX 2450 w/ 500wpc @ 8ohm and hook it up.

I really would like to stay away from using something that big not to mention HEAVY to put in the rack.

And try to keep away from something with handles or ears that stick out for the handle mounts due to space.

Really, would you use an PA amp for home audio?

.....an amplifier is made to cleanly, hopefully, amplify whatever signal it is fed.....frequency response is frequency response....unless it's not clean....some very expensive amps add color to what they are fed....go for clean and transparent....Mani-Ax, "PLEASE" hook up the QSC and give a report....I don't care if you hate it, either.....an amp is clean and has a low +/- db top to bottom, or it doesn't....Crowns are and do...I suspect QSC's are great amps also, for SURE, for the price.....

 

[mulester7]

Really, would you use an PA amp for home audio?

.....Mani, I'm using four Crown K2's, and could end up with 7....try the QSC 2450, and get ready to enjoy the low end....please hook up the QSC pushing your mains and report....(bended knee)......

 

[tdeluce]

.....Mani, I'm using four Crown K2's, and could end up with 7....try the QSC 2450, and get ready to enjoy the low end....please hook up the QSC pushing your mains and report....(bended knee)......

What is the THD and frequency response for those Crown's?
How is the noise floor and SNR?

I just ordered the Earthquake Sound Cinenova Grande 3 for my LCR:
http://www.earthquakesound.com/cinenova grande.htm
which has the following specs ( my Outlaw's are not quite cutting it
at reference level for movies like War of the Worlds so am going
to use them to drive my surrounds ):

Number of channels: Three discrete monaural blocks.
Power rating per channel:
(8-ohm load), all channels driven: 300 watts.
(4-ohm load), all channels driven: 600 watts.
(2-ohm load), all channels driven: 1000 watts.
Freq. Response (@1 W w/ ±0.1dB: 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
Channel separation: greater than 95 dB.
Max. input voltage: 1.9 volts.
Input impedance: 27,000 ohms.
Total harmonic distortion -THD:
1 kHz, 8-ohm load: 0.001%.
20 kHz, 8-ohm load: 0.003%.
1 kHz, 4-ohm load: 0.003%.
20 kHz, 4-ohm load: 0.006%.
1 kHz, 2-ohm load: 0.005%.
20 kHz, 2-ohm load: 0.006%.
Signal to noise ratio:
@ 1 kHz, 112 dB.
@ 5 kHz, 111 dB.
@ 10 kHz, 110 dB.
High-pass / low pass variable filter, range 20 Hz to 5 kHz (one/ channel).
High-pass/Full range/Low pass operation via 3-way switches (one switch per channel).
Dimensions: 9.25" x 18" x 21" (H x W x D).
Gross Weight : 119 lbs .

 

[Doug917]

Tony,

What speakers are you running and how big is your room. I remeber reading your posts here and on Outlaw's forum and you seemed to be pretty happy with the Outlaws not so long ago.

 

[tdeluce]

Tony,

What speakers are you running and how big is your room. I remeber reading your posts here and on Outlaw's forum and you seemed to be pretty happy with the Outlaws not so long ago.

I am driving Polk LSi15s and LSiC for the LCR and LC265i in-ceilings for
the rears. The room is almost 3000 cubic foot and opens to a kitchen
about 75% of that size. The outlaws were a big improvement over the
Denon AVR-4802. But for a few movies ( including the War of the Worlds ),
they have tripped into protection mode whenever a sustained high SPL
scene is played at reference level - 75 dB at 9 feet from my LCRs ).

For those who don't listen at reference levels, the Outlaws should work
just fine. For me, I believe I need something substantially more powerful
so I am going to try out the Cinenova Grade 3 from Earthquake Sound.

 

[mulester7]

What is the THD and frequency response for those Crown's?
How is the noise floor and SNR?

.....plenty good on the Crown K2's, TDeluce, plenty good....they thrill me with clean transparency....I hope you are thrilled with the Earthquake purchase....those specs look real good, and to go well into being inaudible is very good for noise....what will a new one set you back?......

 

[mulester7]

.....TDeluce, I hope you are happy with the purchase....I found it for 26 hundred plus....I believe I would have tried a small plastic fan on low, blowing over the Outlaw mono-blocks, but hey, it's our choice and our money.....

http://store.yahoo.com/800stereohometheater/earsouncin3.html

 

[tdeluce]

.....TDeluce, I hope you are happy with the purchase....I found it for 26 hundred plus....I believe I would have tried a small plastic fan on low, blowing over the Outlaw mono-blocks, but hey, it's our choice and our money.....

http://store.yahoo.com/800stereohometheater/earsouncin3.html

I found it for half that price, brand new in the box, from an authorized
Earthquake sound dealer ( are we allowed to post links here )?

 

[Buckle-meister]

...are we allowed to post links here?

Yes.

Regards

 

[Mani-aX]

ok, hooked the QSC up, the bass seems to be a bit on the boomy/flat side.

i bought an ADCOM GFA-555, and plan to use it with this setup. it's THD is 0.03 @ 200wpc / 8ohms. -vs- QSC 500wpc / 8ohms @ 1%THD

The adcom is a two channel amp. i haven't decided if i will use it to power my main's totally or bi-amp with it. i think i will just have to do some tinkering and some fine tune listening...

ok, here are some pics...

sorry if i broke the tables too badly here...

 

[mulester7]

ok, hooked the QSC up, the bass seems to be a bit on the boomy/flat side.

i bought an ADCOM GFA-555, and plan to use it with this setup. it's THD is 0.03 @ 200wpc / 8ohms. -vs- QSC 500wpc / 8ohms @ 1%THD

.....fair enough on the QSC, and we'll go for clean....the lighted glass fish is killer....only saw one sub....you poor?.....

 

[Mani-aX]

.....fair enough on the QSC, and we'll go for clean....the lighted glass fish is killer....only saw one sub....you poor?.....

sub?

who needs a sub when i have a set of RF-7's with dual 10" in each tower. i don't even use my sub to listen to music anymore, i let it function on dolby digital/DTS signal only...

 

[mulester7]

sub?

who needs a sub when i have a set of RF-7's with dual 10" in each tower. i don't even use my sub to listen to music anymore, i let it function on dolby digital/DTS signal only...

....good report, Mani-aX, would appreciate hearing about the Adcom amp.....

 

[tdeluce]

Yes.

Regards

Here you go ( @ $1399 ): http://www.federalstereo.com/federalstereo/earsouncin3.html

 

[Mani-aX]

....good report, Mani-aX, would appreciate hearing about the Adcom amp.....

I really didn't get a good chance to feel the QSC amp out real well. in other words, different types of media. i think i will tune it out a bit more with some music/movie tonight. when i first hooked it up it seemed real boomy. though it is rather difficult to match the mid-bass level with the tweeter level when bi-amping with such a beast... lol any-who, as soon as i get the adcom in and see how it competes, i will drop a line or two..

 

[WmAx]

i bought an ADCOM GFA-555, and plan to use it with this setup. it's THD is 0.03 @ 200wpc / 8ohms. -vs- QSC 500wpc / 8ohms @ 1%THD

The Adcom GFA-555 actually measured typically about 240wpc @ 8 ohms in 3rd party measurements/reviews. Apparently, Adcom was conservative with the power rating. I have driven 2.8 ohm nominal loads with low sensitivy to very high SPLs with that amplifier in the past with no problems or obvious overheating. It can also be bridged to 600wmono @ 8 ohms. It seems to be a versatile device for the going price.

-Chris

 

[MacManNM]

I would skip the Bi-amping, and run the RF-7's with the QSC or the Adcom. When you bi-amp it can be difficult to level match if you arent using the same amps. The RF-7's are really sensitive, it should sound great.