Amp or new Recv?????

[sanoel]

I am about to add a 55"+ RPTV to my HT setup. I am also moving this setup to a much larger room. Current room is 12x15 and the new room is 20x20 with 10' ceilings. With my current setup do you think i would be better off adding a amp or amp's to my system or just getting a HK AVR635?

What benefits do you get by adding amps?
Can you really tell the difference from going from 50WPC to 75WPC?

I was thinking of a 7 channel Outlaw amp or the Crown amps 202 or 402.

Any advice would be great.
Thanks

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

I am about to add a 55"+ RPTV to my HT setup. I am also moving this setup to a much larger room. Current room is 12x15 and the new room is 20x20 with 10' ceilings. With my current setup do you think i would be better off adding a amp or amp's to my system or just getting a HK AVR635?

What benefits do you get by adding amps?
Can you really tell the difference from going from 50WPC to 75WPC?

I was thinking of a 7 channel Outlaw amp or the Crown amps 202 or 402.

Any advice would be great.
Thanks

No, you don't need a power amp with BIC Acoustechs. They should play plenty loud ,especially with the subwoofer and bass management.

There would be little difference in 50wpc to 75wpc. You'd only recognize it at reference levels, and even then those are only for fractions of a second.

The larger 635 may survive a bit longer if you ever decided to throw a house party and play your system at concert levels over an extended period of time.

Why are you considering external amps? Does your system not play loud enough?

 

[sanoel]

Oh its plenty loud, i was just told that adding amps would make things even better. That the speakers would really sing and come alive. Im just looking for the best choice.

 

[brendy]

Since you are going to a much larger room (4000 cu ft) a outboard amp is a good idea.Then you 235 can serve as a very good pre-amp.Depending on how big of an amp you get,you will have much increased headroom.40wpc is not much for such a large volume of space,especially with today's very dynamic movie soundtracks.You will not hear the difference between 50 & 75wpc.Doubling wpc will only get a 3db increase in spl.Outlaw amps are an excellent choice.

 

[Leprkon]

You might look at getting just a two channel amp and using it to drive your mains. that would free up other power in they system for the other speakers.

I use an ATI 1502 (2 channel 150 wpc) as the back end of a Yamaha RX-V2500 receiver and it works pretty well.

There are quite a few options for this depending on your budget. Outlaw makes some solid one-channel amplifiers, so you could start with two and buy more later if you're not happy with the results.

this is a moderate start (105 wpc x 2) for under $ 200 that has gotten some decent reviews

http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?sHist=12-138&menu=true&Sort=lowPrice&Page=-1&id=11959

here's a decent 125x2 Adcom unit for less than $ 500

http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?sHist=12-138&menu=true&Sort=lowPrice&Page=-1&id=10568

 

[sanoel]

I have also considered replacing the HK AVR235 with a Denon 4806. Does Denon rate there WPC like HK does?? The video conversion would be agreat addition also. Plus THX would be nice also. As you can already see, a budget is not a issue. Im just trying to figure out the best configuration possible. The only local place here that i can go to i dont trust the owners. So any help i get here is greatly apprieciated. The Acoustechs are rated for 10-150watts with a 96db sensitivity

 

[zumbo]

http://audiophileliquidator.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=35_24_25&products_id=567&osCsid=28e7b232a2bdc643a46b8da8900ab476

http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/TSTO.storefront/43dcf93f0079e9362740ac1003410643/Product/View/1747

5-channel
http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/TSTO.storefront/43dcf93f0079e9362740ac1003410643/Product/View/2466

http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/TSTO.storefront/43dcf93f0079e9362740ac1003410643/Product/View/2482

http://www.hometheaterbythesea.com/BK-ST1252-Series-2-125-Watts-Two-Channel-Amplifier-P9026C1006.aspx

http://www.hometheaterbythesea.com/Anthem-PVA-2-MultiChannel-2-x-125-Power-Amp-P9377C984.aspx

 

[ruadmaa]

Adding Amps Would Make Things Better????

Oh its plenty loud, i was just told that adding amps would make things even better. That the speakers would really sing and come alive. Im just looking for the best choice.

Unless you are overdriving your current receiver (clipping) a new amp will not make a bit of difference, nor will it make your speakers "Sing". I suspect that you will be buying a lot of expensive gear no matter what advice you get here, but don't expect it to make your system sound better, it won't.

 

[sanoel]

Now if i wanted to go out a purchase expensive equipment then i guess i would, but since i have posted for help here then i guess maybe im trying to avoid that. Wouldnt that make sense to you. Why ask if im not going to take the advice. Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[zumbo]

Unless you are overdriving your current receiver (clipping) a new amp will not make a bit of difference, nor will it make your speakers "Sing". I suspect that you will be buying a lot of expensive gear no matter what advice you get here, but don't expect it to make your system sound better, it won't.

If I have read correctly, a 50wpc receiver is being used. An amp of 100wpc or more will MOST DEFINATELY make a difference.

 

[sanoel]

That is what i would of thought also. I realize that in the A/V forums you get al kinds of people asking what to do here and what to do there. But for someone like myself that dosnt really know it is always best to ask someone that is not sellng you the item. Getting advice from here is the best way i think cause there is no 3rd factor involved. YOu guys could care aless what i buy cause it dosnt matter to you. But your experience is what i am looking for.

So for everyone that has provided some helpfull advice i greatly appreciate it.

 

[zumbo]

My receiver is a Yamaha 1400. It is rated @ 110wpc.

My amp is an Adcom 7605. It is rated @ 125wpc.

My speakers are 4ohm with a sensitivity of 87dB. They are hard to drive. So, even though I didn't double my power, I achieved a major improvement at high volume levels. And, I took the strain off of my receiver. The music remains clean and detailed as the volume increases, instead of loosing detail and becoming distorted.

 

[ruadmaa]

A Definite Difference???

If I have read correctly, a 50wpc receiver is being used. An amp of 100wpc or more will MOST DEFINATELY make a difference.

Zumbo, the man is using an HK receiver. They highly underrate their amplifier power. Chances are, his receiver is putting out as much power as most 100 WPC receivers.

 

[zumbo]

Zumbo, the man is using an HK receiver. They highly underrate their amplifier power. Chances are, his receiver is putting out as much power as most 100 WPC receivers.

I think the real term is that many other receivers overrate their product using the @1k spec. I believe if HK states 50watts, then a true 50watts is what you get. They also give you a 65w x 2, and a 50w rating in surround, which is more honest as well.

So, yes, a definite difference will be noticed with a 100wpc amp or better.

 

[ruadmaa]

You're Wrong Zumbo

I think the real term is that many other receivers overrate their product using the @1k spec. I believe if HK states 50watts, then a true 50watts is what you get. They also give you a 65w x 2, and a 50w rating in surround, which is more honest as well.

So, yes, a definite difference will be noticed with a 100wpc amp or better.

If his amp is not clipping (which I doubt that it is) he will notice no difference. He could add 1,000 watts of extra power and it would make no difference at moderate listening levels. Most amps are loafing along at 2 or 3 watts most of the time.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Guys, don't forget what he told us:

The Acoustechs are rated for 10-150watts with a 96db sensitivity

Does he really need an amp or $3500 receiver? Maybe with all that square footage, he could buy a second Acoustech 12" sub and a Behringer Feedback Destroyer for perfect HT bass.

Since he's investing in a 55" RPTV, I'd assume he's going to want impressive low end to back up his efficient horn loaded Acoustecs.

He may be better off investing in a Blu-ray player to compliment that 55" tv this summer, rather than adding power to speakers that can run off a 30 wpc receiver.

 

[ruadmaa]

You Are Absolutely Right Buckeyefan 1

Guys, don't forget what he told us:

Does he really need an amp or $3500 receiver? Maybe with all that square footage, he could buy a second Acoustech 12" sub and a Behringer Feedback Destroyer for perfect HT bass.

Since he's investing in a 55" RPTV, I'd assume he's going to want impressive low end to back up his efficient horn loaded Acoustecs.

He may be better off investing in a Blu-ray player to compliment that 55" tv this summer, rather than adding power to speakers that can run off a 30 wpc receiver.

His very best investment would be for a decent quality powered subwoofer. It would be the perfect companion for that new tv. The powered sub is an area that I would guarantee would be a highly worthwhile investment and improvement.

 

[zumbo]

If his amp is not clipping (which I doubt that it is) he will notice no difference. He could add 1,000 watts of extra power and it would make no difference at moderate listening levels. Most amps are loafing along at 2 or 3 watts most of the time.

LOL. If you say so. My amp has peak indicators that let you know when you get close to clipping. It is rated @ 175w @ 4ohm. I push it until the indicators light up, and back off a hair. They flicker every now and then. So, I assume this means while I am watching a concert dvd I am using the whole 175w. Not 2 or 3 as you so wrongfully state.