Many amps, no 5.1 receiver....

RaT

RaT

Junior Audioholic
I have several 2 channel amps. One is a Adcom 555 the other a NAD. I have a 4 channel Adcom, and a 5 channel Adcom. I have an old Yamaha R9, 2 channel receiver that I bought back in 1984.

I would like to upgrade from that to a receiver or preamp that can handle HDMI switching as well as incorporate one or several of these amps. I am thinking a receiver might be the best choice as preamps are quite pricey. Any suggestions on some brands/models I might consider? I realize many receivers have pre outs and that is needed to integrate the amps. Bottom line is, should I just forget about my amps and just get a new receiver and call it good?
 
Z

zumbo

Audioholic Spartan
I use a Yamaha RX-Z7 as a pre-amp with an Adcom 7605 amp.

I would recommend Yamaha or Denon. My last two have been Yamaha. Satisfied with both.

I would recommend to go up the model chain til you reach units with pre-outs. Then, go up the chain to the point of connections/features needed. Pretty-much it.

Use your amps.
 
JerryLove

JerryLove

Audioholic Ninja
I'll second Yam and Denon, and add Marantz and Onkyo.
 
Adam

Adam

Audioholic Jedi
I'll throw Pioneer Elite into the hat. My last two receivers have been Pioneer's (the latest being an Elite), and I've been happy with them. I have a VSX-23 and my friend bought a VSX-21, and we're both satisfied. I use mine as a pre-amp and it works great.
 
C

cfrizz

Senior Audioholic
By all means, get a receiver that has all the bells & whistles you want it to have & utilize those amps with it.:)
 
RaT

RaT

Junior Audioholic
Thanks you guys. Just a little curious about the last comment. Why do I want to use say the Adcom 555+ I have over the built in receiver amp? I understand the power, is there another benefit I'm not figuring in? I suppose in my case, I looked at the least Yamaha with pre outs and it was something like a V636 and about $500 or so. I would understand a less costly amp having less power and that is always a concern when playing at elevated levels. I guess in the end, I'm looking for that kind of protection. Is that your take on it i.e., have more power than you need so that if the need arises your less likely to clip/distort and blow the speaker? Thanks
 
C

cfrizz

Senior Audioholic
That is precisely my reasoning. I'd rather have it & not need it than need it & not have it. It will give you far more flexibility & it will sound better.

Receivers are wonderful convenient one stop shopping boxes, but they have to cut back on something & that something is power. Having a separate amp like the Adcom ensures that your speakers will operate to their full potential & that when needed the power will be there when called upon.

It would appear that a great many on here unfortunately can hear no discernable difference when adding a powerful amp unless they turn up the volume. Hopefully you aren't one of them.

I'm not one of them, because I clearly hear the difference at all volume levels.

There is someone on here that was in between amps & their young son, could tell that the system sounded very different without the amp & he wanted to know what was wrong with it.

It is also very telling that usually unless they are testing a receiver for a report, any pair of speakers that are tested by Audioholics mgmt are done so with an amplifier in the mix.

For something that a good many on here find useless, it must have some benefits & not just at loud volume.

Since you already own the amplifiers, you might as well utilize them.
 

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