Step up from Pioneer VSX-1021

[csmileyk]

Hello,

A noob questions here. I have the following setup:

Polk Monitor 70 series II – Front left and right
Polk CS2 – center
Energy LCR Flat Panel speakers - surrounds
Polk In-ceiling rear surrounds
BIC F12 subwoofer
Pioneer VSX 1021-K AVR
Room size: 20 feet X 19 feet

I recently added the Polk Monitors and CS2, the rest of the setup is over two years old. The Monitors and CS2, I think sound really great.

The question I have is, is the Pioneer VSX 1021-K powerful enough to drive the new setup. I crank up the volume often, and use the system for about 70% to watch movies, 30% for music.

Should I upgrade to a receiver with more power say a Pioneer VSX 1121, Or, along with the VSX 1121 buy a 3 or 5 channel amplifier – say an Emotiva XPA3/XPA5 or one of the Crown or Behringer’s.

I am not a audioholic, but I have read other forums which say, as the receiver drives more speakers at higher volumes, the sound quality decreases.
Reason to upgrade would be to maintain/increase the sound quality and also not hurt my speakers.

Please kindly recommend any AVR or AVR/Amplifier combination. Overall budget for the upgrade would be about $1100.

Thanks

 

[Eyecantcode]

Well to get a 3db increase, you'd have to double the wattage output. So going from a 1021 to an 1121 would not give you an audible increase. What going to an 1121 will give you is pre-outs which would allow you to connect amps for more power. Another option you have is to get more efficient speakers. The more efficient the speakers are the less power you need to achieve higher spl output. Those Polk 70's are 90db efficient, which is pretty good, but a speaker like the RF-7 II Towers is 101db which mean the RF-7 II's will need far less power to achieve a given spl output than the 70's you have. Although you will have more power at your disposal by getting an amp, but I don't know how much more volume you will notice by getting amps and an 1121 with the 70's. Others may suggest getting the 1121 and more efficient speakers over getting an amp. But if you are like me and say the hell with it, then go for the an amp installation. I just had an itch for an amp and went for it just to say that I experienced it.