Powering RTI-A9 and suggestion to complete setup

Funzy

Hi guys first time on a forum!

I recently bought a pair of RTI-A9 knowing they need quite big power. I first plugged them on my Denon AVR-1909 and was impressed how it was complete and good even with the lack of power I had. Now just upgraded to a Denon AVR-X3000 to get the pre outs.

I have been reading for a bit about bi-amping and I understood it was not so helpful but I might be crazy but I can feel a difference... ok for the moment I only have my RTI-A9 connected... no back or surround or center. My X3000 is rated 105wpc ( 2 channel driven ) but I know it has 600w Power supply. Here is the question. with bi-amping am I getting my 105wpc or something like 85wpc??? I really see a difference or Placebo effect???

Am I going to see EXTREME improvement with a separate Amp I can have a good deal on a Rotel 1080 wich is rated 200wpc cause the XLR connections are burn but the RCA works fine.

I am on a budget now with the new house and 3 kids and a wife a house a cat and a dog bla bla bla but I am still a fanatic.

On an other side I found a very good deal on a pair of RTI-A3 for my backs and CSI-a4 for the front. I really want to go with the CSI-A6 but the deal is REALLY cheap. Should I give it a try or I should pass on the CSI-A4?

I know there is a lot to work don't forget my budget is limited no fixed price but I am doing it bit a bit.

Thanks for help guys!

Funzy

Forgot to mention about my Sub it is an Ikon 15'' ( Erikson audio ) 500 watt CM-15 but it not plugged at the moment cause I think the amp is blown. It power up but no sound from it the light turns green when it receive a signal but after 10 minutes it turn red again... I'll try to find someone to fix it cause it is an earthquake maker.

rpf65

When you use two speaker outputs per speaker, it has the same effect on the power supply as four speakers. Just use your numbers, 105 with two channels and 85 with four. Don't really need to be accurate here, just a thought experiment.

The A9's have three woofers, two mid woofers and a tweeter. This a three way speaker, meaning all woofers handle the freqs below 100 Hz or so. To produce low frequencies you need a couple of things: big speakers and big power. Look at your sub, big speaker and big power.

Your tweeters and mid-woofers are the two remaining parts of the three way design. Small speakers, and high frequency, small power needed. Tweeter may be using 5 watts, max, but probably closer to one watt, given your current set up.

Given you have 85 watts available power for three woofers, and 84, probably, available power for two mid-woofers, does anything stand out? Just thinking that, compared to the power available to the woofers, there is probably a little too much being made available to the mids.

Just saying your total available power isn't being made available where it is most needed. At least 80 percent of available power needs to be made available to the woofers. Running a single wire, with the jumpers in place, gets you pretty close to the same number, in regards to the woofers.

This is why it's repeatedly said there is no real benefit to using two sets of speaker outputs per speaker, especially when discussing an AVR.

Now that that is out of the way, watts are considered pretty much meaningless. It's the current you're after. That Rotel, for instance, probably has about 40 or so amps of available current. Your AVR may have about 10 amps of available current. Again, big speaker, or a lot of individual drivers, need big power.

Biggest difference between the amp and AVR is simple. AVR shares the 10 amps or so between all speakers. Amp will be for each individual channel. So yes, the vast majority of people hear a huge difference between speakers running from an AVR and an amp.

Save and get the A6.

Funzy

Thanks Rpf65 for your advise.

I have two amps in my view range at the moment.

The Rotel 1080 200wpc some reviews says uts good but with some flat coloration to sound.

The Dynaco ST 410 wich is much older but same 200 or 220wpc with no coloration at all.

Both 400$ CAD so about 310 USD.

Any tought on those amp? I was looking for Parasound Hali a21 but way out of my budget.

tonyb

Any amp is going to color the sound somewhat. Everything including cables will to some degree. Trick is combining these colorations to form a musical presentation that agrees with your ears.

On to the amps....the Dynaco is pretty old, may need some updating with the caps sooner rather than later. The Rotel is the better of the 2 in my opinion.

Look for an older Parasound HCA series amp, 1200 or 1500. Usually around 3-4 hundred bucks. Also a B&k amp, if you can find them, for about the same price. Those 2 brands, for the going used prices and sound quality are about the best deal for those on a budget.

Funzy

Here's another deal at 300$ CAD about 235$ USD

Nikko Alpha 450 Stereo DC

Does it look decent or should I wait couples months and save for something else and leave my Rti a9 conmected to the Denon?