Center ch. Amp

Knucklehead
Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
edited April 2010 in Electronics
Based on what I already have.....I need some suggestions on a Center Ch. amp for my CS350LS. Currently my CC is being driven by my AVR.

Thanks, David
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    anybody?
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited April 2010
    The CS350 is a pretty darn efficient center (91db-1watt).

    Your AVR would seem most capable of driving this, given that you have 'off loaded' some of the power burdern to your external AudioSource amp.

    Is there something you are hoping to gain?

    Maybe replace/upgrade the AudioSource to a 3-channel amp?

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    I was thinking a little more headroom for the center with an external amp. I guess a 3 channel amp is a possibility. Although funds are a little tight right now, I was thinking I could get away a little cheaper with buying a seperate amp that can be bridged mono.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited April 2010
    Knucklehead wrote: »
    I was thinking a little more headroom for the center with an external amp. I guess a 3 channel amp is a possibility. Although funds are a little tight right now, I was thinking I could get away a little cheaper with buying a seperate amp that can be bridged mono.

    Well...just stirring the pot..but if you believe that not all amps sound the same - and folks make such a fuss about having your front spread of speakers L/R/C all 'timbre' matched, then wouldn't a 3 channel amp be the better solution?

    Toss your AudioSource up for sale and get a good deal on a used 3-channel amp from audiogon.

    just stirring the pot...:D

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    Good point......I know my fronts arent timbre matched if you look at specs, but they sound pretty seemless to my ears...but I get the point. Im no Audiophile by this forums standards...just enjoying the journey.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited April 2010
    Knucklehead wrote: »
    Good point......I know my fronts arent timbre matched if you look at specs, but they sound pretty seemless to my ears...but I get the point. Im no Audiophile by this forums standards...just enjoying the journey.

    Well - something else to consider - another amp for just the center is another device, more space, another outlet needed, another aftermarket power cord (only if you believe in that, of course! :D ).

    I am a proponent of separates, but for HT, a 3-channel external amp is a much more 'integrated' solution.

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    Ill start looking at 3 ch amps as well, thanks for the help.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • strider
    strider Posts: 2,568
    edited April 2010
    Parasound and Outlaw make mono amps that would fit the bill, I think you could pick up either for $150 or less on the used market.

    You could also pick up another Audiosource stereo amp and just use one channel.

    Parasound:

    http://www.parasound.com/vintage/hca1201a.php

    Outlaw:

    http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/2200.html
    Wristwatch--->Crisco
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  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,561
    edited April 2010
    What about an Audiosource 5.3 monoblock? 150WPC into 8 & 250WPC into 4. It would be a good match to the Amp 3 you use now & can be found for under $150. I've used one in a number of configurations including center channel & bass shaker duty. No complaints from me.

    -Dave
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    strider wrote: »
    Parasound and Outlaw make mono amps that would fit the bill, I think you could pick up either for $150 or less on the used market.

    You could also pick up another Audiosource stereo amp and just use one channel.

    Parasound:

    http://www.parasound.com/vintage/hca1201a.php

    Outlaw:

    http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/2200.html


    Thank you Sir.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited April 2010
    xcapri79 wrote: »
    Give the Emotiva UPA-1 a try. It's a solid amp.

    depending on buget it might not fit for him. The audiosource for 150 I think would work great as well and saving him about 180 bucks or so (forgot how much shipping is)
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    Dont you have like 5 of those X....sell me one! :D
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    cstmar01 wrote: »
    depending on buget it might not fit for him. The audiosource for 150 I think would work great as well and saving him about 180 bucks or so (forgot how much shipping is)

    Yeah, budget is a huge factor in this right now.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited April 2010
    Just like Knucklehead, I've been thinking about going with a separate center channel amp also. Have heard good things on the Outlaw Audio M200 and M2200 amp. Considered the little Parasound mono amp, but read a few reviews that unfortunately, said they were a little disappointed in them. I've even considered getting a two channel amp and bridging it, still open to suggestions too.
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    Polkie2009 wrote: »
    I've even considered getting a two channel amp and bridging it, still open to suggestions too.

    I think thats the route I will take.
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,059
    edited April 2010
    May I be so bold as to suggest you upgrade your front left and right speakers first. That would in my opinion anyway,give you the best boost/per dollar spent in sound quality. Then maybe pick up a used B&K,Adcom,etc for a few hundies and you'd be set.
    HT SYSTEM-
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    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
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  • Knucklehead
    Knucklehead Posts: 3,602
    edited April 2010
    Tony, I guess thats the obvious choice...:p. Actually Ive done a few cheap mods to the R50's, Ive added dynamat to the baskets and mortite the drivers, just my opinion but the R50's are severely underrated. Im feeding them 150 watts from the Audiosource amp and they sound really good. As I said before though....Im just experimenting and having fun, I dont take what Im doing here too serious. Im sure one day the fronts will be upgraded, just not on the top of my list.

    David
    Polk Audio Surround Bar 360
    Mirage PS-12
    LG BDP-550
    Motorola HD FIOS DVR
    Panasonic 42" Plasma
    XBOX 360[/SIZE]

    Office stuff

    Allied 395 receiver
    Pioneer CDP PD-M430
    RT8t's & Wharfedale Diamond II's[/SIZE]

    Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan
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  • Bernal
    Bernal Posts: 991
    edited April 2010
    Sunfire.........


    _____________________________________
    01) DENON AVR-4308CI: Advanced 7.1 CH/5.1+2 CH/ 3.1+2+2 CH A/V Home Theater /MultiMedia Multi-Source/Zone Receiver with Networking and WiFi/170 watts x 7 channels
    02) SUNFIRE Grand Signature - Bob Carver's
    03) OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio
    04) OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio
    05) DENON DVD-2500BTCI: Blu-ray Disc™ DVD/CD Digital Player/Transport
    06) HITACHI P55T501. 55" HD1080 Plasma HDTV
    07) POLKAUDIO LSiC (Center speaker)
    08) POLKAUDIO LSi15 LEFT (Front speaker)
    09) POLKAUDIO LSi15 RIGHT (Front speaker)
    10) POLKAUDIO LSiC Vertically (Surround speaker)
    11) POLKAUDIO LSiC Vertically (Surround speaker)
    12) POLKAUDIO LSif/x LEFT (Surround back speakers)
    13) POLKAUDIO LSif/x RIGHT (Surround back speakers)
    14) VELODYNE OPTIMUN SERIES 12"(High Output Digital EQ SubWoofer 2400W/1200WRMS)
    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=98096
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  • logo896
    logo896 Posts: 322
    edited April 2010
    I swear by emotiva for the price range but also consider maybe the m 282 onkyo which i think may be a step above the audiosorce. You could even move it to your mains and then change your channels around. They go for about 230 on J & R or you buy them direct from onkyo. Good luck
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