Mono for Man-o? Anyone using mono blocks? What about remote control?

[bushido]

Still trying to figure out my multi room stereo (not home theater) set up...amps/subs now the issue...

And I've seen a few of the Marantz MA500 monos on ebay and craigslist, so I gotta ask: How do these compare to other options?

I've about talked myself out of an AVR...if all I am going to use is the A/B...why bother? I have a great DAC...

There will be at least 6, most likely 8 speakers running, 4 in one room 2 in each adjoining rooms (plus subs, but that's another topic)

The mono blocks seem entirely too elegant a solution...what could be simpler? each speaker has it's own, dedicated amp?

So my question is (beyond is this a good way to go) how do you control them remotely? Through a preamp? My DAC is now my preamp, and my only complaint is no EQ control (Emotiva XDA-2)

Thanks in advance!

Onward and upward,
Puff

 

[crossedover]

Why would you use ab only with avr?

 

[agarwalro]

No idea about the Marantz amp or how they stack up to the competition.

What could be simpler you ask, good Sir? Why a distribution amp of course!

HTD DMA-1240 High Efficiency Multi-Channel Amplifier

 

[j_garcia]

Monos are great and I was very happy with the MA500s for years. They aren't perfectly elegant though, since you now have however many power supplies to support and provide plugs for Performance wise, I don't see them offering that much sonic benefit over a multichannel amp of similar quality though. I went from them to a stereo amp and then to a 3 ch. amp. As long as you've chosen the right power for the speaker and level you intend to listen at, they should be fine. If your speakers are demanding (I used to run all 4 Ohm speakers), you may want to step up to MA700s or Outlaw 2200s.

 

[bushido]

I appreciate your question. To my knowledge a 5.1 for example would have 5 channels with the signal being dived among the 5 in a theater-like fashion, right? I can understand stereo...2 channels...but 5? I've looked at a Marants SR series 5.1 that has 105wpc, but again, how is the signal divided?

I'm likely wrong, but to my understanding, for purely stereo (in each room), I would use an AVR's A and/or B signal to each drive 2 speakers equaling 4 speakers total, when my needs are for 6 to 8. I have no interest in home theater whatsover...just music...lound, clean, bassy music.

Sorry if I'm sounding short...I'm off work, and have spent hours and hours at this trying to sort through a lot of information that is way over my head...

Thanks again
Onward and upward
Puff

 

[bushido]

Nice unit...thanks Agarwalro! I've never heard of those guys. Sadly I'd need more wpc...

 

[crossedover]

If you had a 7.1 avr, 2chs from the 7.1 for 1 zone, 2 ch from the rear channels for zone 2, and an external amp for zone 3 from the zone three output. Provided the avr has 3 zone output.

 

[bushido]

Ok...so let me ask this again since I'm unclear....are you saying that the 2 front channels act as a stereo "set" and the rears do the same? See this is where I get confused...grrr...I thought the receiver divided the signal across 5 channels with front/left, front/right,center, rear/left,rear/right to provide a theater-like sound, no?

 

[crossedover]

Ok...so let me ask this again since I'm unclear....are you saying that the 2 front channels act as a stereo "set" and the rears do the same? See this is where I get confused...grrr...I thought the receiver divided the signal across 5 channels with front/left, front/right,center, rear/left,rear/right to provide a theater-like sound, no?

on a 7.1 avr the avr can be set to use the rear channels to power a second stereo zone, while the remain channels are separate.

 

[agarwalro]

Nice unit...thanks Agarwalro! I've never heard of those guys. Sadly I'd need more wpc...

You'd be surprised how little power is needed to drive moderately efficient speakers to ear bleeding levels. I installed the lower power version in a very large dining hall (60x50 ft.) running 10 pairs of Monoprice on-wall speakers. I adjusted individual pairs so that no speaker was too loud and yet, there was an even sound field across the whole place. Worked flawlessly.