Opinions Wanted - My Amp Quandary

[avaserfi]

So, that would use 6 out of 7 channels on the IPS and both channels of the RPA. Seem reasonable?

Not at all...





you clearly need a rear center .

 

[Seth=L]

you clearly need a rear center .

And some elevated surrounds.

 

[mike c]

Fronts bi-amped with the IPS = 150W x 2 per speaker
Center bi-amped with the IPS = 150W x 2
Rears amped with the RPA-1 = 200W x 1 per speaker

why put the 200w amps on the rear?

you need them up front ... besides bi-amping the fronts will really have no benefit. the 200w amp will trump bi-amp 150w amps anyday. a 150w bi-amped speaker will probably have around 155 watts max to use since the tweeter and/or mid will never use more than 5 watts.

 

[Adam]

the 200w amp will trump bi-amp 150w amps anyday. a 150w bi-amped speaker will probably have around 155 watts max to use since the tweeter and/or mid will never use more than 5 watts.

Okay, I'll be honest - I don't understand that in general.

Specifically, if the tweeter and/or mid will never use more than 5 watts (and these speakers only have a tweeter and two mids), then wouldn't I only need 10W (or 15W including both mids) to begin with? Seems like the 150W amp would be plenty.

I am NOT amp-savvy, though. I welcome a good schooling.

 

[PENG]

why put the 200w amps on the rear?

you need them up front ... besides bi-amping the fronts will really have no benefit. the 200w amp will trump bi-amp 150w amps anyday. a 150w bi-amped speaker will probably have around 155 watts max to use since the tweeter and/or mid will never use more than 5 watts.

I don't quite understand why people want to amp the surround channels with 200W or higher no matter what. Can we really hear the benefits of amping the rears with 200W instead the 100W from a typical receiver? Most rear speakers have smaller woofers and most DVD/SCAD/DVDA don't demand too much power for the rear surrounds. That being said, if money is no object then go for the best, otherwise you get more bang for the buck by investing on the front channels.

 

[Adam]

I don't quite understand why people want to amp the surround channels with 200W or higher no matter what. Can we really hear the benefits of amping the rears with 200W instead the 100W from a typical receiver? Most rear speakers have smaller woofers and most DVD/SCAD/DVDA don't demand too much power for the rear surrounds. That being said, if money is no object then go for the best, otherwise you get more bang for the buck by investing on the front channels.

Peng, it's really only because I already have the RPA-1. It seemed to me that I'll have five speakers and nine amp channels (provided that I get a seven-channel amp). I don't expect that the surrounds would ever need that much power, but my proposed distribution kept the fronts and center using the same amp design (all from the IPS) and put the rears and the remaining two channels of power that I would have from the RPA. I don't have any other use for the RPA in my house, hence using it for the rears. Going with the IPS versus the MPS (or Outlaw 7700) is allowing me to consider better speakers, actually, because of the lower price of the IPS. Not saying that I have found the most efficient approach...but I'm trying. I really do appreciate all of the opinions that I'm getting here.

 

[PENG]

Peng, it's really only because I already have the RPA-1. It seemed to me that I'll have five speakers and nine amp channels (provided that I get a seven-channel amp). I don't expect that the surrounds would ever need that much power, but my proposed distribution kept the fronts and center using the same amp design (all from the IPS) and put the rears and the remaining two channels of power that I would have from the RPA. I don't have any other use for the RPA in my house, hence using it for the rears. Going with the IPS versus the MPS (or Outlaw 7700) is allowing me to consider better speakers, actually, because of the lower price of the IPS. Not saying that I have found the most efficient approach...but I'm trying. I really do appreciate all of the opinions that I'm getting here.

RPA-1 has 2 channels, the 1015 has 7 channels, so if you get another 7 channel amp you will have a total of 16 amps. You have many options, it all depends on what you are trying to achieve. For example, if you want to get the best possible sound in pure direct mode for CD's and any other two channel sources, you could spend your whole budget on a high quality 2 channel amp. If you want to take a more balance approach to cover 2, 5 and 7 channel sources then you can get a 3 channel amp and use the 1015 to power the surround side or rear speakers. The power supply of the 1015TX should be able to deliver the specified power if it only has two mouths to feed. Lastly, if you feel the RPA-1 is so good that a more expensive amp will not make any difference to your fronts, then you can just add a monoblock for the center and use the left over money for something else. Or, just get that 7X200W amp and be done with it (cfrizz might have told you already but I didn't check the whole thread) whether you can benefit from all the amps or not. By the way, don't forget that for multichannel sources, you are already backed by a very nice powered (another amp!) sub.

 

[mike c]

my point is, even if you get the 150wpc channel amp, you still need the 200w for the fronts to handle the peaks.

your point that the tweets and mids need only 10w is right, but then, it is when the fronts are fed bass signals that they need more power. (honestly as well, with a crossovered speaker, we really don't need that much power, it's just a man thing. but in theory, the mains will be doing most of the work which is why the biggest amp should go to them)

I agree with PENG, the surrounds will be happy dancing with 100wpc. it will always be the front LR that need the most power. next is the center.

since you have a 5.1 setup, I would now cast my vote for a front mains solution and let your receiver power the surrounds. (e.g. monoblock for the center OR a better two channel amp for the mains and move your rpa to center duty OR another rpa for the mains and either bi-amp the center or leave one channel hanging)

I've bi-amped speakers myself, believe me, it's a waste of time and effort.

 

[zildjian]

I don't quite understand why people want to amp the surround channels with 200W or higher no matter what. Can we really hear the benefits of amping the rears with 200W instead the 100W from a typical receiver? Most rear speakers have smaller woofers and most DVD/SCAD/DVDA don't demand too much power for the rear surrounds. That being said, if money is no object then go for the best, otherwise you get more bang for the buck by investing on the front channels.

I put each of my speakers on their own amp just because I have the amplifiers to do it, not because I felt like my surrounds need tons of power b/c they don't. I'm an Ampoholic. My surrounds are larger than average, each has four 6.5" midbass drivers and two 1" tweeters in a bipolar set up, but there isn't that much surround info in movies to require much power in the first place. They get some work out when playing music in 5 channels, but even then I'm never needing the power I have to each speaker. Maybe someday if I have a 40' theater room.... ah to dream...

 

[mike c]

My surrounds are larger than average, each has four 6.5" midbass drivers and two 1" tweeters in a bipolar set up,

i think you are the exception to the rule

4 mid drivers and two tweeters are plenty, besides the fact most bipolars have lower sensitivity.

do you have a pair of surrounds or do you have rears as well?

 

[zildjian]

I just have the two side surrounds (Definitive Tech's BPVX), no rears yet. I'm waiting till I move before any further significant upgrades (TV... extra speakers...), and I just don't a good place for rear speakers in my current house. They'd have to be practically right on top of the primary listening position. I'm also not in a rush since so few discs have 7 channels. I've got a couple amps ready to go though when I do get the extra speakers.

 

[Adam]

I want to thank everyone again for their opinions and suggestions. There was a mixture of recommendations for all of the options that I was considering, ranging from a single 200W monoblock, multiple monoblocks, the IPS-1, or a 5-7 channel 200W amp.

After going through all my considerations, I decided upon and just ordered the IPS-1. Based on correspondence with Lonnie at Emotiva, Ron as SVS (where I may be buying my next set of speakers), and our very own Andrew (avaserfi), I decided that 150W/channel would be plenty of power for my room and listening habits - especially for the center channel and rear speakers. I still have the RPA-1 to power the mains. I'll have more channels than I need at the moment, but 7x150W cost just about what 3x200W was going to run me, so I decided to get more channels for the future.

As PENG pointed out, I also have amp channels in my receiver. The goal for me was to get away from those because I had noticed such a positive difference when I separately amped the main speakers. This also opens the door to getting a dedicated pre/pro in the future if I want.

Thanks, again!

 

[avaserfi]

I want to thank everyone again for their opinions and suggestions. There was a mixture of recommendations for all of the options that I was considering, ranging from a single 200W monoblock, multiple monoblocks, the IPS-1, or a 5-7 channel 200W amp.

After going through all my considerations, I decided upon and just ordered the IPS-1. Based on correspondence with Lonnie at Emotiva, Ron as SVS (where I may be buying my next set of speakers), and our very own Andrew (avaserfi), I decided that 150W/channel would be plenty of power for my room and listening habits - especially for the center channel and rear speakers. I still have the RPA-1 to power the mains. I'll have more channels than I need at the moment, but 7x150W cost just about what 3x200W was going to run me, so I decided to get more channels for the future.

As PENG pointed out, I also have amp channels in my receiver. The goal for me was to get away from those because I had noticed such a positive difference when I separately amped the main speakers. This also opens the door to getting a dedicated pre/pro in the future if I want.

Thanks, again!

Glad to see we could help you out. Now that you have the power out of the way how about those room treatments we talked about . If you think the amp made a big difference you just wait .

 

[mike c]

congrats! make sure to take pics!

 

[Davemcc]

You can still return the RPA-1 can't you? That would mitigate the cost of the new amp. Then you wouldn't have the extra channels or have to run two amps all the time. You could always re-purchase a stronger amp in the future when you need it.

 

[mike c]

You can still return the RPA-1 can't you? That would mitigate the cost of the new amp. Then you wouldn't have the extra channels or have to run two amps all the time. You could always re-purchase a stronger amp in the future when you need it.

he should do that when he has A/B'ed the 150wpc and 200wpc amp and concluded IF there is an improvement or not.

 

[Adam]

You can still return the RPA-1 can't you?

That's a good suggestion, but I doubt that I can return it. I got it back in July. Besides, I like it! I'm sure that I'll find some use for it.

 

[Adam]

congrats! make sure to take pics!

Thanks, Mike! You can bet that I'll be taking some pictures.

he should do that when he has A/B'ed the 150wpc and 200wpc amp and concluded IF there is an improvement or not.

Me thinks that I might just have to do that...

 

[adk highlander]

Nice choice. Just remember one thing lift with your knees.

That was the one nice thing with the MPS was you could place the chassis and then load the amps. No way am I wantning to move it with the modules installed.

 

[Adam]

Nice choice. Just remember one thing lift with your knees.

Good advice! Luckily, I have a laptop right near where the amp will go. So, after I snap my back lifting it, I'll be able to chronicle the event on the forum as I'm waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Hopefully I'll be able to give some first impressions of the performance before they wheel me out in the stretcher.