Mixing amps for LCR - bad idea?

T

thebrieze

Junior Audioholic
My usage is 70-80 HT, 20-30% music. I’m looking to get an external 2 (maybe 3) channel amp for the LCR. Given that stereo amps are far more plentiful. I’m wondering if it would be a good/bad idea to get a stereo amp for the the LR, and leave the center and surrounds driven my the AVR - Denon x4200W, speakers are Salk BeAT, SCST center.
 
ukietryzub

ukietryzub

Audiophyte
You mention the Outlaws regularly. Honest curiosity... Do you work there or benefit from people buying them?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
You mention the Outlaws regularly. Honest curiosity... Do you work there or benefit from people buying them?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
It's just a good three channel amp solution that's available lately at this price. I've mentioned it a few times, yes. I also mention Crown XLS amps, which are even more cost effective. I'm retired, never sold audio/video gear and no financial benefit from mentioning them.

Do you benefit from broadcasting the stupid tapatalk ad while using your SM-N960U?
 
T

thebrieze

Junior Audioholic
Unfortunately I don’t have room for monoblocks - need a one box solution.
 
2

2channel lover

Audioholic Field Marshall
You mention the Outlaws regularly. Honest curiosity... Do you work there or benefit from people buying them?

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
Or you can buy an Anthem MCA 325 3 channel amp...for $2500

As power amps go...with a separate power supply for each amp 200 wpc…$800 that's a great value if you want external power amps.

I should've bought 5.
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
Unfortunately I don’t have room for monoblocks - need a one box solution.
Apart from the Outlaw monoblocks, I think the only reasonably priced solution would be to get the Monolith 5X for $1299.99. You would have two additional amps to drive the L and R Surround channels and a very competent product:

Unfortunately, that amp probably takes as much space as 3 monoblocks stacked one on top of the other.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Unfortunately I don’t have room for monoblocks - need a one box solution.
Have you compared actual sizes? They're only 2" high say vs the Outlaw 5000 at 6" high. A Monolith 3 ch amp is 7" high. The three power cords I think is a bigger "issue" than their size on the 2200s.....what did you have in mind size-wise?
 
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thebrieze

Junior Audioholic
I’ve been looking at Class D amps, and eying this Purifi based stereo amp from Nord, which seems to offer remarkable specs/performance at a very reasonable price. All in a chassis not much larger than a single Outlaw monoblock.

The 4 (or 3) channel version is doable, but significantly adds to the cost. Hence was curious it was worth it for the center.

 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
That Nord amp looks interesting, been seeing nice things said about the Purifi module; hopefully that input sensitivity is okay. Perhaps another along those lines of small form factor is the XTZ Edge A2-300. As to powering center channel, if you want it to have same capabilities as L/R....
 
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P

PENG

Audioholic Slumlord
I’ve been looking at Class D amps, and eying this Purifi based stereo amp from Nord, which seems to offer remarkable specs/performance at a very reasonable price. All in a chassis not much larger than a single Outlaw monoblock.

The 4 (or 3) channel version is doable, but significantly adds to the cost. Hence was curious it was worth it for the center.

Bite the bullet and get those then.. You will be happier in the long term.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
I’ve been looking at Class D amps, and eying this Purifi based stereo amp from Nord, which seems to offer remarkable specs/performance at a very reasonable price. All in a chassis not much larger than a single Outlaw monoblock.

The 4 (or 3) channel version is doable, but significantly adds to the cost. Hence was curious it was worth it for the center.

If you are going to consider any product like that, I would say go straight to the options based on the Hypex NC400. There are chassis options available at Ghent Audio that would allow for 3 modules and their power supplies IIRC. The NC400 measures better than the NC500 according to ASR, and seems to be well worth the cost if such a thing is really your desire. But the NC500 is still no slouch (consider ATI released their Class D amps based on those modules).
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
No, you misunderstand completely. The hypex nc400 seems like the gold standard for class d. I’ve already scouted building my own and am in the planning stages of going there when the time is right. But even the NC500 options are decent... and available as a retail unit.
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
No, you misunderstand completely. The hypex nc400 seems like the gold standard for class d. I’ve already scouted building my own and am in the planning stages of going there when the time is right. But even the NC500 options are decent... and available as a retail unit.
And surpasses a majority of class AB amps. I'd have no problem driving my Salks with them.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
And surpasses a majority of class AB amps. I'd have no problem driving my Salks with them.
I would really like to see Amir/ASR do the ICEPower amp modules available through PE to see how they compare. But for now... eyes are on Hypex!
 
T

thebrieze

Junior Audioholic
No, you misunderstand completely. The hypex nc400 seems like the gold standard for class d. I’ve already scouted building my own and am in the planning stages of going there when the time is right. But even the NC500 options are decent... and available as a retail unit.
Ah I see, thanks for clarifying..

NC400/NC500 is certainly on my list as well. I did look at a Ghent Audio and stereo NC500 (I think) module that was in a nice small chassis, and quite affordable.

I started reading about Purifi as essentially the successor to NCore modules (Bruno left Hypex to found Purifi), and have been intrigued. It’s possible though that the improvements are not really audible, and NC400/500 is the optimal sweet spot
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
I would really like to see Amir/ASR do the ICEPower amp modules available through PE to see how they compare. But for now... eyes are on Hypex!
If the ICE modules were as good, ATI and others would have went with them. The NCORE measures so good, not that the gen 2 and above ICE aren't good, but I'd know which of the 2 I prefer. Asterisk.. implementation is important.
 

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