Should I get an amp

[Isade]

Hello, just need some feed and opinions about my setup and if I should consider an adding an amp.
Just bought a Yamaha rx-v1083 receiver with Klipsch rf-82 II fronts, rp-250c center, rs-42 II rears and rs-112sw.
I have to say it sounds great and crisp even loud but I feel the speakers have more potential.
Any opinions?

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Klipsch speakers have really high sensitivity specs, which means you can drive them to ear-bleeding levels with less than half the power the Yamaha puts out. What’s the point of adding a (presumably?) more power amplifier so that it can idle most of the time?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Isade]

Klipsch speakers have really high sensitivity specs, which means you can drive them to ear-bleeding levels with less than half the power the Yamaha puts out. What’s the point of adding a (presumably?) more power amplifier so that it can idle most of the time?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

My wife thanks you Wayne, Im happy with my purchase just weirded out by the volume having to be up so high to power them at volumes that satisfy me.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

That doesn’t sound right. Maybe the YPAO auto calibration system dialed back the trims on the individual channels too much.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Isade]

That doesn’t sound right. Maybe the YPAO auto calibration system dialed back the trims on the individual channels too much.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Ive switched from a Harmon Kardon avr20 II and Cervin Vega e-312, at quarter volume I was good at half its too much but still sounded good for what it is.

 

[lovinthehd]

Hello, just need some feed and opinions about my setup and if I should consider an adding an amp.
Just bought a Yamaha rx-v1083 receiver with Klipsch rf-82 II fronts, rp-250c center, rs-42 II rears and rs-112sw.
I have to say it sounds great and crisp even loud but I feel the speakers have more potential.
Any opinions?

What do you mean by more potential? You want to go louder, extending the quality you have now? How loud do you listen at what distance? Keep in mind even if you double power you're only gaining a 3dB spl advantage...

 

[2channel lover]

You have some of the more sensitive speakers for certain. Unless the room is really large...say larger than 3500 cu ft...you should be fine with your Yamma....the knob setting and volume output could be a calibration issue as someone mentioned earlier.

But...if your avr runs hot after extended use due to the high volumes you like to push it...adding a solid 5ch amp like an Outlaw 5000 would take the power duties off your avr allowing it to run cooler...could add some shelf life to it.

Performance...you might have more headroom...but in terms of getting more out of the speakers...it's possible but there needs to be a substantial power increase...I went from a low level 55 wpc Onkyo 5 ch avr to 200 wpc monoblocks pushing my 20 yr B&W floorstanders...yes, I heard a difference in SQ. In your case, the yamma is a pretty significant AVR, I wouldn't expect you to experience much if any SQ upgrade.

 

[PENG]

Hello, just need some feed and opinions about my setup and if I should consider an adding an amp.
Just bought a Yamaha rx-v1083 receiver with Klipsch rf-82 II fronts, rp-250c center, rs-42 II rears and rs-112sw.
I have to say it sounds great and crisp even loud but I feel the speakers have more potential.
Any opinions?

Those speakers are very sensitive, even if they inflated their numbers by 6 or more dB, they should still provide around 90 dB @2.83V (1 to 2W depending on the impedance) at 1m.

Unless your room is big and you sit further than say 4 or 5 meters from them, adding an amp to your AVR won't give you better sound quality. If you really think you need more power, then try getting something that is rated for 250 WPC at the minimum, because doubling the power will get you only 3 dB more in sound pressure level, that is noticeable but not much.

 

[KEW]

That doesn’t sound right. Maybe the YPAO auto calibration system dialed back the trims on the individual channels too much.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

I bet this is what is happening. You are not the first to think your amp is underpowered.
More often, we have people in your situation (efficient speakers driven by a capable AVR) who upgrade by adding a very powerful 200WPC amp who are upset that they still have to turn the volume high to play as loud as they like.
Part of the YPAO calibration process is adjusting the volume control so it outputs the same SPL for a given setting of the volume regardless of how much power you have available!

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

After seeing his reply to my post...

Ive switched from a Harmon Kardon avr20 II and Cervin Vega e-312, at quarter volume I was good at half its too much but still sounded good for what it is.

... it looks like the problem is that he now has both a new receiver and new speakers, and is expecting it to “behave” just like the old system did, as far as the relation between the volume setting and SPL level is concerned.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Isade]

The room is 32*40ft. sitting is 3 meters away from setup. It sounds very good but just can't figure way volume is not sensitive, meaning I have to make it to around 70-80% volume to crank it.

 

[lovinthehd]

The room is 32*40ft. sitting is 3 meters away from setup. It sounds very good but just can't figure way volume is not sensitive, meaning I have to make it to around 70-80% volume to crank it.

The volume control is on a logarithmic scale, not a linear/percentage scale, which is part of it I'd think.

 

[PENG]

The room is 32*40ft. sitting is 3 meters away from setup. It sounds very good but just can't figure way volume is not sensitive, meaning I have to make it to around 70-80% volume to crank it.

What do you mean by 70-80%? Did you mean the digital display showed 70 to 80? According to the Owner's manual the display should be between -80 to +16.5 dB, that is sometimes referred to as the "relative" scale. I am not sure if it can be change to the so called "absolute scale", if yes then if set to that scale, the volume display would be something like 0-96.5 or 0-97. In that case, 70-80 could be normal, but should be quite loud at 80. You room is big, but since you are sitting only 3 meters from the speakers, the RX-V1083 should be all you need.

 

[KEW]

In theory any modern HT system with an auto-calibration routine should exhibit the same loudness for the same volume regardless of what AVR and speakers are used!

Isade,
Did the HK 20-2 have a system for calibrating the SPL for the different speakers?
Did you use it?

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

[QUOTE="Isade, post: 1224033, member: 84310] It sounds very good but just can't figure way volume is not sensitive, meaning I have to make it to around 70-80% volume to crank it.[/QUOTE]

Did you check the individual channels’ trim settings like I suggested? If they’re all set for deep negative values (e.g. -8 dB or more), move them closer to 0 dB.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Mark of Cenla]

No, do not get a new receiver nor amp. If you like how it sounds, and it gets loud enough for you, you have no audio problem. The numbers on the volume controls are different on different receivers. Just use it how you like to and enjoy it. Peace and goodwill.

 

[Isade]

In theory any modern HT system with an auto-calibration routine should exhibit the same loudness for the same volume regardless of what AVR and speakers are used!

Isade,
Did the HK 20-2 have a system for calibrating the SPL for the different speakers?
Did you use it?

The Harmon does not have a calibrating system.

 

[Isade]

[QUOTE="Isade, post: 1224033, member: 84310] It sounds very good but just can't figure way volume is not sensitive, meaning I have to make it to around 70-80% volume to crank it.

Did you check the individual channels’ trim settings like I suggested? If they’re all set for deep negative values (e.g. -8 dB or more), move them closer to 0 dB.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt
[/QUOTE]
Yes I have calibrated all of the speakers and it sounds better I admit. The setup is nice and more than enough in this room although I'm still used to the volume not going pass half.
Just something I probably have to get used to, although my friend thinks I'm underpowering the speakers. Sounds awesome to me.

 

[Mitchibo]

Disregard all the above posts and just buy my new Monolith 7. More power, more happy. Do it.