Receiver/Amp question

[mudrummer99]

I am looking at purchasing a new pair of speakers. The ones that I have been jonesing after for a while are the VA Haydn Grands (4-ohm, 89dB). I love their sound for music and seem to be more than enough for me with movies. My question is, I have a Yamaha HTR-5840, do I have to buy a new receiver. I keep my stuff at very moderate levels, I never get about -30 on my B-3's for those of you familiar with Yamaha numbers. I don't mind if I must, but if I could get the speakers and upgrade the receiver a couple months down the road, that would be preferred since the choice would be either a new receiver or the center channel.

Second part of this, if a new receiver is necessary, what would be a decent selection for this? If I'm going to upgrade, may as well have all the latest lossless decoding and HDMI scaling. Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[greggp2]

You could likely get by fine with your receiver. The recommended power rating for those speakers is 25-180W. The 4 ohm load will tax your Yamaha more, but isn't it rated at 100W/channel? Are you running 5 channels currently? It would certainly help your sound quality if you bought a 2 or 3 channel Amp to power your new VA's.

Emotiva has an XPA2 or XPA3 that would make your speakers sing. You could always use your current receiver to then process sound and power any additional speakers you have, like your surrounds... Since those are 4ohm speakers, you may even want to consider the UPA-2. Since these are bookshelf speakers, the UPA will put out 185 watts of continuous power at 4ohm.. Should be more than adequate, without risking blowing your speaker if you crank your system up.

 

[mudrummer99]

I wanted to go the outboard amp route, but my receiver doesn't have pre-outs. As far as I know, please chime in if there is a way, but I don't think I can relegate my receiver to pre/pro status unless I had preouts. Is there a way around this, this would actually be my preferred route if at all possible. I'm hopeful but not confident in this.

Mike

 

[greggp2]

I don't know of any. That doesn't mean it's not possible, but I'm not familiar with how. It may be worth while to get a new receiver... or separates.

Are you planning on buying a matching Center and Rears, or keeping your klipsch's?

 

[mudrummer99]

Depending on how much a new receiver and/or pre/pro/amp set up costs me, I hope to get the matching center (also depends on whether I go with gloss black and get the Theatro ($800) or if I go with the rosewood veneer and have to go with the Maestro ($1500) to match). I'm a believer that surrounds really don't matter that much, as long as they are there and working, especially in a 7.1 environment, then they will do just fine so those I won't be purchasing any time soon (I don't listen to SACD's)

I'm pretty much to the point where I think I'm going to need to a get a new receiver (at least) so, any suggestions on a decent integrated that is either 4 ohm stable or has pre-outs? I was just looking at the new Yamahas and I liked what I saw, but I am also not opposed to Pioneer, HK, or Denon (all the brands I can get cheap with employee discount). Used also doesn't bother me, I don't necessarily need HDMI, so an older reciever is cool with me as well. Thanks a bunch.

Mike

 

[greggp2]

How much do you want to spend?

 

[mudrummer99]

Well, price point is going to be a little wonky since my discounts are all over the place, but I'll say retail, anywhere from $600-$1000 (from Best Buy of course) would be a good range. I do like the new Yamaha 665 with 4 HDMI ins and preouts, but then I also have to figure an outboard amp into the equation down the road. By the time all is said and done with, I should have just fell in love with the Deftechs and been done with it

Mike