Best Way to Hook Up

csnoff

I would like to know what is the best way to take advantage of the current setup I have or if there is a better way of doing it with out having to purchase an amp.

I have the Yamaha HTR 6190 powering
CS2 centre
Monitor 70 fronts
M20 surround
FxiA4 rear surround
PSW10

So would it be better for me to disconnect say the M20's and bi-amp the Monitor 70's to go to a 5.1 setup? Or do you think as it stand that I would have enough power to run it the way it is. It does sound ok as it is, and I am definitely not an audiophile.

I don't currently have any money to purchase an amp or sub so that is right out of the question. I guess I'm just looking for that little extra push for the home theater. I listen to probably 60-70% HT and 30-40% music (mostly classical)

gfong

csnoff wrote: »

I would like to know what is the best way to take advantage of the current setup I have or if there is a better way of doing it with out having to purchase an amp.

I have the Yamaha HTR 6190 powering
CS2 centre
Monitor 70 fronts
M20 surround
FxiA4 rear surround
PSW10

So would it be better for me to disconnect say the M20's and bi-amp the Monitor 70's to go to a 5.1 setup? Or do you think as it stand that I would have enough power to run it the way it is.

Nice system.
Either way you are going to be using those terminals so I think there would not be any advantage to bi-amping your fronts. The power is coming from one discrete amp whether it is powering the M20's or the 2nd set of terminals on you 70's. Some people believe in bi-amping and some don't. I do not feel you would hear a noticable difference bi-amping the 70's.

You mentioned the sound is good now, if that is the case I would leave it.

How are the settings in your amp? speakers to small, all crossed at 80. Sub woofer crossover turned all the way up with volume at about 12 oclock? This is just a startiing point of course and you may have this all correct.

What do you feel or think is lacking in your current set-up?

csnoff

I'm not really sure. I guess it's more of looking for an opportunity to see if I can make a noticeable difference by changing the current setup. I think it sounds pretty good but from what I have read on here I know it could sound amazing. I just don't know what that amazing is supposed to sound like. do you think that the 6190 is good enough to power this and open things up or should I start saving for an amp?

tonyb

Your fine on the power side of things, if you want to make a significant upgrade, go with a nicer sub,just my.02

Tour2ma

First, I didn't really see an answer to gfong's set up questions. He's nailing your starting point.

I am a bi-amp believer, but primarily for 2-ch audio w/o a sub. For HT not so much... but if you have the capability, make the time and check it out for yourself. That said...

What size HT room are we talking about?

If a bedroomish size 10x12x8 with no uncloseable openings, then what you have should be good.

But you don't have to get much bigger and/ or add a fixed opening for me to second tonyb's .02...

csnoff

My setup is as stated. Speakers set as Small, sub all the way to 160hz and crossover on the avr at 80hz. The room itself is open on one side and runs roughly 15 wide by 20 long. I guess it is a matter of just trying
It out myself. Do you think that for a non audiophile it would be noticeable if I did bi-amp or is it a case of a placebo effect?

Tour2ma

To answer that would just serve to bias you one way or another, more than you already may have been biased.

What I will do is offer a couple listening tips...

Choose a few different pieces of music you know well and span a range of material, e.g., acoustic, metal, jazz, etc. And, if you like, a couple favorite movie scenes you know.

Choose a time when you will not be interrupted.

Take notes on what you hear... tone, quality, soundstage, etc., anything that grabs your attention.

And most importantly of all, be sure that in both sessions you listen at the same volume level. Verifiy with a SPL meter, if you have one.

Have fun...

John K.

CS, it looks like you're doing fine right now. Despite the advertising claims of some sellers, a receiver can't be used to bi-amp speakers. This has been discussed here at length by me and other of our members. True bi-amping(which hardly anyone does for home audio, as distinguished from professional uses)requires separate amplifiers and an external crossover preceding them so that each amp gets only the desired frequencies to amplify. The internal crossover in the speaker has to be removed or at least bypassed.

A receiver has only one amplifier with several output channels to distribute the voltage from its single power supply section. Distributing it through two sets of output transistors rather than one can't increase the maximum power capacity by any amount. Your 6190 should have ample capacity for listening at all safe(to your hearing)levels.

Tour2ma

So much for not biasing...

CS,
I could not disagree with John K more, but that is neither here nor there.

Try it for yourself.