Amp for LSI15's under $800

[wp7456]

Okay so before I was planning on a separate 2.1 and 5.1 setup in the same room, using a cheaper 5.1 system, and the nice 2.1 music setup. They would be sharing the same sub. However.... I started thinking, why not integrate the LSI15's into the 5.1, and just buy some decent rears and a center that would not be overpowered by my sub (polk dsw pro 500 12") and my towers. Now is it crucial to get the same amount of power to every speaker? The towers will get 200 at the very least from a dedicated amp, should I buy a 5.1 receiver and give the remaining center and 2 rears 100 watts?

Also, is 7.1 worth it over 5.1?

Is it even possible to run my setup with my towers off a dedicated amp, and the others off the receiver? Will that sound awkward? Should I buy a 7.1 and bi wire the towers and go 5.1? There are tons of options... what do you guys think is the best option, because I really don't want to spend a whole ton on the other speakers. Thanks again!

 

[davidtwotrees]

You aren't off base at all. I run 5.1. I have a big Parasound three channel amp running the fronts and center..........I had a two channel amp for the surrounds, but will unhook that shortly as I just started using a receiver as a pre pro and will run the surrounds from the receiver's amps. So.........I have a powered sub, an amp for my fronts and center, and the receiver runs the smaller speakers. You can run the center off the receiver, too and be just fine.......I have my Parasound set up right under the center speaker between the two towers and it just made sense to get a three channel amp to run the center channel two feet above the amp......the pic is kinda dark but it shows the amp proudly displayed between the Two Towers!
Oh, I got the amp on ebay for under $900 delivered to my door.

 

[wp7456]

thanks! okay, so what do you guys think as far as timbre matching and getting speakers of the same brand for HT? Is it okay to use 2 off brands (ex. hometheaterdirect) rears while using LSI15's and maybe a similar polk for my center? Or will it be important to make sure my rears are polks as well?

Still not sure if it is worth it to go 7.1 or not... trying to decide before I look at which receivers to buy.

 

[davidtwotrees]

Timbre match the fronts and center. The surrounds can be off brands......In a perfect world all five speakers would be identical, (and that would be mostly for hi rez music), but for real world situations surrounds can be different. I have Mordaunt Short DiPoles that don't match my front three Canton's and it sounds fine.
As for 7.1, do you have room behind the sweet spot? I have a small listening room and I would have to place the rear surrounds on the ceiling facing down so I really haven't done it. Many here are satisfied with 5.1, while others have room and the inclination for the 7.1. General consensus is that you are not leaving anything on the table sonically by running a 5.1 system..........hth.

 

[darien87]

Ouch!

Is that a verifiable fact?

Seems like it. There's a thread about this very question at the Emotiva forum.

 

[darien87]

Funny, i wasnt aware that because something is made under the same roof as another product its quality is also the same.

I wouldn't say it makes them exactly the same, but I would venture that they're pretty similar.

 

[cfrizz]

If you intend to stay with the LSI series for the rest of your speakers you will need to get a 5 channel amp to run all of them since all are 4ohm.

You might get away with different rears but you have to get the LSIC. Otherwise it will really sound different. A fella on Club Polk had LSI 9's for mains and a CSI center & he couldn't stand it. He had to get the LSIC to match.

thanks! okay, so what do you guys think as far as timbre matching and getting speakers of the same brand for HT? Is it okay to use 2 off brands (ex. hometheaterdirect) rears while using LSI15's and maybe a similar polk for my center? Or will it be important to make sure my rears are polks as well?

Still not sure if it is worth it to go 7.1 or not... trying to decide before I look at which receivers to buy.

 

[WmAx]

I wouldn't say it makes them exactly the same, but I would venture that they're pretty similar.

How is this so? Each product is built/manufactured to the specs that were contracted. Higher QC costs more(more labor, more waste, etc.). This means two products made under the roof can easily vary in quality immensely.

-Chris

 

[gus6464]

Sunfire Cinema Grand 5 $850
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampsmult&1233455067&/Sunfire-Cinema-Grand-Five-200w

This beast doubles it's power at 4ohm and doubles it again at 2ohm. You will probably not have to buy another amp for a very long time with this amp.

 

[wp7456]

That sunfire looks like a good option, could I go with the LSIC and the 2 LSI 15's, which are all 4 ohm, and then go with 2 rears that are 8 ohm? So I will give my front 3 400 watts each and my 2 rears 200 watts? This seems like the best deal so far.

 

[wp7456]

I thought I was going to use a cheaper 5.1 so I had already bought a pair of these: http://www.htd.com/in-wall-ceiling-speakers/multi-purpose/MP-W50

Now I need to look for some beefier rears, and somewhere I could buy the LSiC for maybe $400 or less if even possible. Then I can grab a 5.1 that will give 4 ohms to my front 3 and 8 ohms to my rears, or do all channels have to be an equal impedance?

 

[zumbo]

That sunfire looks like a good option, could I go with the LSIC and the 2 LSI 15's, which are all 4 ohm, and then go with 2 rears that are 8 ohm? So I will give my front 3 400 watts each and my 2 rears 200 watts? This seems like the best deal so far.

Yes, it does.

 

[wp7456]

Are there any 5.1 receivers I could buy new instead of used for under a grand that are capable of at least 200 wpc at 4 ohms?

Also I can't find a good price on an LSiC... any others that would sound nice for maybe $300 new/used?

I need to find some beefier rears as well if I am going to get an amp that is doing 200 at 4 ohms. I just want to get some 8 ohm rears so that would mean I need something that can roughly handle 100 wpc. I want to be pretty cheap on the rears too.

 

[zumbo]

Are there any 5.1 receivers I could buy new instead of used for under a grand that are capable of at least 200 wpc at 4 ohms?

No.No.No.No.No.

 

[wp7456]

only option is an amp then, and that means for blu ray and such I will need a pre pro, and not a preamp, for blu ray decoding and such. Is that it? If thats the best option then I will more than likely grab the emotiva pre pro, and something along the lines of the sunfire. Then my only problems are looking for an affordable center that will sound good with the towers, and some nice cheap rears capable of ~ 100 wpc. What do you guys think of that

 

[zumbo]

only option is an amp then, and that means for blu ray and such I will need a pre pro, and not a preamp, for blu ray decoding and such. Is that it? If thats the best option then I will more than likely grab the emotiva pre pro, and something along the lines of the sunfire. Then my only problems are looking for an affordable center that will sound good with the towers, and some nice cheap rears capable of ~ 100 wpc. What do you guys think of that

Dude, you need an A/V receiver. How many times do I have to tell you. Make sure you select an A/V receiver that has pre-outs, and add a 2-channel amp to run the speakers. That is what the rest of us do.

I use an A/V receiver for a pre-pro. I don't even use the amp in the receiver. I purchased it just for the use of a pre-pro. My last unit was a Yamaha 1400. I used it as a pre-pro. My new unit is a Yamaha RX-Z7. I use it as a pre-pro. There is a separate 5-channel amp connected to it. I used the same 5-channel amp with the 1400.

Is this starting to make any sense to you?

 

[zumbo]

tv

I didn't even stop to think about your tv. To experience blu-ray, you must first be more concerned about the picture. Do you have a 1080P tv?

For most of us here, the blu-ray player was the LAST piece we purchased for our HT.

 

[wp7456]

Oh i am set with my TV, just picked up a 52" Sony XBR6 from sound advice the other day.

I need to use an a/v receiver for my pre-pro, (maybe use that power for some speakers in adjacent rooms?) and then I will connect a 5 channel amp for my surround sound/2 chan music. Is this correct? Sorry I think I am starting to get it, gotta learn sometime. thanks again for all this help

 

[zumbo]

Oh i am set with my TV, just picked up a 52" Sony XBR6 from sound advice the other day.

NICE!

I need to use an a/v receiver for my pre-pro, (maybe use that power for some speakers in adjacent rooms?) and then I will connect a 5 channel amp for my surround sound/2 chan music. Is this correct? Sorry I think I am starting to get it, gotta learn sometime. thanks again for all this help

I use a 5-channel amp for two reasons.

1) All five of my speakers are 4ohm, 87dB.

2) I got a good deal on the amp.

Seeing as how you will need pre-outs, and the latest audio decoders, you will be up the chain high enough that your receiver choice will have enough power for the rest of the system. You will just need to add a 2-channel amp for the 4ohm mains you already have.

 

[zumbo]

Many high-end A/V receivers are rated to handle 4ohm loads on the mains.

My Yamaha RX-Z7 does. This could save you some cash, and you may would end-up with a simpler, better sounding system.