Amp / preamp / receiver

[dmlee57]

I have an 'old' Yamaha RX-V995 and a HK PA5800 amp that adds about 80w per channel.

My question to whomever that may respond; Since I run rca cables from my receiver to the HK amp and speaker wire from the HK to all speakers, is the receiver considered a pre-amp or viseversa.

But more importantly, are the rca cables carrying current and if so shouldn't I get the best avaliable as you would with speaker wire? I've always thought that the rca cables just carried a signal but in this application, I have considerable more power (like 180w per channel) so they must carry current from the receiver to add to the PA5800. Am I making any sense?

 

[Nick250]

I have an 'old' Yamaha RX-V995 and a HK PA5800 amp that adds about 80w per channel.

My question to whomever that may respond; Since I run rca cables from my receiver to the HK amp and speaker wire from the HK to all speakers, is the receiver considered a pre-amp or viseversa.

But more importantly, are the rca cables carrying current and if so shouldn't I get the best available as you would with speaker wire? I've always thought that the rca cables just carried a signal but in this application, I have considerable more power (like 180w per channel) so they must carry current from the receiver to add to the PA5800. Am I making any sense?

The way you are set up your receiver is doing the preamp duties. The signal from the receiver to the amp is very small. No high end RCA cables needed. Also, any decent 14 gauge speaker wire from your amp to speakers will be fine as well. High end speaker will not improve the sound. I happen to use Radio Shack speaker wire myself.

Nick

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have an 'old' Yamaha RX-V995 and a HK PA5800 amp that adds about 80w per channel.

But more importantly, are the rca cables carrying current and if so shouldn't I get the best avaliable as you would with speaker wire? I've always thought that the rca cables just carried a signal but in this application, I have considerable more power (like 180w per channel) so they must carry current from the receiver to add to the PA5800. Am I making any sense?

Interconnects transfer signals by voltage variations not as a current source as the input impedances are usually well over 10k Ohms. The current is miniscule as Nick mentioned.

I thought you mentioned 80 watts per channel from that amp. Where the the 180 come from?

 

[ndangrd]

yes, your yamaha would be considered a preamp.

i also have a hk pa5800. i spent a little more to buy better interconnects but i can't say the sound is better because of them. i just wanted some well-built interconnects that will be secure & that i'll never have to worry about or replace again. sometimes the cheaper ones don't fit as good & have a tendency to break more easily if you have to move your equipment around...i've learned this the hard way. so i just wanted to do it right the first time when i bought my 5800.

btw, the 5800 is rated at 80Wx5 at 8 ohms & 110Wx5 at 4 ohms. like traditional hk products, they are all underrated. i used to have an article that had the true power ratings of the 5800, but i lost it. anyway, i know the dynamic power of this amp could exceed 180W/channel (not 5-channels drive of course) based on that article. also, the 5800 weighs about 30 lbs. & has a high-current capability of 73 amps!!! many 100 + watts/channel 7.1 receivers these days don't even weight that!!!

 

[agarwalro]

Make sure you use the "Pre-Out" connections on the receiver and NOT the speaker connections to transfer signal from the receiver to the amplifier's "RCA In" connections. From the amp you will use the speaker level connections to take signal to the speaker. The connections should be done as follows,

Receiver Pre-Out connection -> RCA cable (line level signal, low current) -> Amplifier RCA In connection
Amplifier Speaker terminal -> 14 gauge Speaker wire or lower (speaker level signal, high current) -> Speaker terminal of same color

 

[wire]

Make sure you use the "Pre-Out" connections on the receiver and NOT the speaker connections to transfer signal from the receiver to the amplifier's "RCA In" connections. From the amp you will use the speaker level connections to take signal to the speaker. The connections should be done as follows,

Receiver Pre-Out connection -> RCA cable (line level signal, low current) -> Amplifier RCA In connection
Amplifier Speaker terminal -> 14 gauge Speaker wire or lower (speaker level signal, high current) -> Speaker terminal of same color

Yes
Your Receiver should have Pre outs for all your channels
Front , left and right = 4 preouts
Surround , left and right = 4 preouts
Center , Front and Back = 2 preouts .
So you should have in the back of your Yammy 10 pre out jacks that go to your HK Amp , thats a total of 5 sets of Rca jacks running into your amp from your pre .
Also it does matter , in your RCA jacks , get half decent ones dont use the cheapo ones .
In speaker wire , i found a big difference in the Montercable XP over the regular stuff , beleive it or not . Its much clearer .

 

[mtrycrafts]

Also it does matter , in your RCA jacks , get half decent ones dont use the cheapo ones .
In speaker wire , i found a big difference in the Montercable XP over the regular stuff , beleive it or not . Its much clearer .

Not true. Belief has nothing to do with it; that belongs to the supernatural world . Facts do, demonstrability does, replication does.

http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/audioprinciples/interconnects/truthcablesinterconnects.php

 

[mulester7]

Also it does matter , in your RCA jacks , get half decent ones dont use the cheapo ones.

In speaker wire , i found a big difference in the Montercable XP over the regular stuff , beleive it or not . Its much clearer .

.....Wire, I can go with you on the first one "a bit"....I love the Gold Series rca's at Radio Shack....the 3 or 6 foot run is pretty much always copper, but even though it's thin, gold rips aluminum a new one on passing a signal....

.....now on your second statement, I'm going to have to ask you if you work for Monster.....

 

[mike c]

in theory, any branded cable will be better than those "free" RCA cables included in players, tv's, etc.

simply because they are bigger gauge, have better shielding, etc etc etc

right?

 

[mtrycrafts]

in theory, any branded cable will be better than those "free" RCA cables included in players, tv's, etc.

simply because they are bigger gauge, have better shielding, etc etc etc

right?

Not always. Bigger gauge is not that important in that 3 ft interconnect cable; actually not at all. And, if one doesn't have issues with outside interference, not everyone has, those cables are sonically indistinguishable too, in a DBT of course.

By the way, what are you counting down to?

 

[mike c]

Not always. Bigger gauge is not that important in that 3 ft interconnect cable; actually not at all. And, if one doesn't have issues with outside interference, not everyone has, those cables are sonically indistinguishable too, in a DBT of course.

By the way, what are you counting down to?

first count down is to my Wedding Day ...