Emotiva UPA-2 and Yamaha RX V1 using BOTH to power 2.0 system?

[mibson]

I dont know if this is a really bad idea?

I find the amount of power I have for a large room is enough for moderate listening volumes but when I get excited and crank it up I do get some distortion.

My speakers are bi-ampable. Could I use the UPA-2 to power the woofers and my Yamaha RX V1 to power my midrange and tweeters? My receiver does have preamp outs so I think it is technically possible, but it seems like people never do this and there is probably some technical reason why.

I think that one input on my speakers powers my woofers and the other powers my midrange and tweeters; but Im not certain this is how it works...

Equipment:
PSB T8s (2.0)
Emotiva UPA-2
Yamaha RX V1 connected to PS3 via optical

 

[MDS]

My speakers are bi-ampable. Could I use the UPA-2 to power the woofers and my Yamaha RX V1 to power my midrange and tweeters? My receiver does have preamp outs so I think it is technically possible, but it seems like people never do this and there is probably some technical reason why.

I don't see why you couldn't do that, assuming that the receiver's internal amps are still active even when something is connected to the pre-outs.

However, I would think that level matching will be somewhat difficult to impossible given that you have to use the channel trims of the receiver to set the level of the tweeter and the gain of the amp to set the level of the woofer. It would be an interesting experiment at least.

 

[mibson]

Im clearly uniformed. I really thought myself tech savy until I got into the whole AV world.

I didnt know the UPA-2 had a gain, the only control Im aware of is a power button and the ouput level on the back, (is this output level on the back the gain?)

I currently have this output level on the UPA-2 set at about 70%, this seemed to me like a good idea to help minimize distortion at high volumes.

 

[KEW]

I dont know if this is a really bad idea?

I find the amount of power I have for a large room is enough for moderate listening volumes but when I get excited and crank it up I do get some distortion.

My speakers are bi-ampable. Could I use the UPA-2 to power the woofers and my Yamaha RX V1 to power my midrange and tweeters? My receiver does have preamp outs so I think it is technically possible, but it seems like people never do this and there is probably some technical reason why.

I think that one input on my speakers powers my woofers and the other powers my midrange and tweeters; but Im not certain this is how it works...

Equipment:
PSB T8s (2.0)
Emotiva UPA-2
Yamaha RX V1 connected to PS3 via optical

Try using the UPA-2 for one speaker and the RX V1 for the other. I think all you would have to do is to adjust the balance control to match, which seems much easier than matching two sets of highs vs lows. However, I'm not sure level matched at 70dB would still be level matched if you turned up the volume to 90dB.
Of course, that also holds for maintaining the match between using the Yammie for highs and the Emotive for lows as you change the volume.

 

[mibson]

I will try to power one with the UPA-2 and the other with the Yamaha; but this just feels strange, different amps on each.

Ill also try powering the woofers with one and the midrange and tweeters with the other and see how it goes....

I had a feeling this was an unusual idea; it probably wont be worth it if the levels change with volume changes as KEW has pointed out could happen.