power amp suggestion

rhome
rhome Posts: 17
edited August 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
Choice of Onkyo M-501 power amp @ 150 watts or Yamaha M-45 @125 watts. My HT: Receiver - Onkyo TX-DS787, mains - Polk RTI10b, center-Polk CSI5, surronds - Polk FXI5, sub - Velodyne CHT120 and Sony & Onkyo CD. Also Samsung Blu-Ray DVD. Using Monster Cable Z Series. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Want to BI-AMP system.
Post edited by rhome on
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  • Valentine
    Valentine Posts: 46
    edited July 2011
    If you are looking for sound quality then go with the Yamaha M-45, i believe it has an Class A Switch that you choose to use... Instead of A/B... but if your wanting to biamp i would bring home both.... M-501 for mids, and M-45 for highs... M-45 is physically large and will run pretty warm if running in pure class A.....
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  • stuwee
    stuwee Posts: 1,508
    edited July 2011
    The Onkyo is a perfectly fine amp, but that Yamaha is a gem, as mentioned, Class A for the first ten watts. Nice beasty trannie. And the bonus of great techs to fix any problem that might happen later, Tom in Iowa, his username 'avionic' on several forums, Audio Karma, Sound Thinking and Phoenix Audio Community Forums, and Jerry username 'jbeckva' at Phoenix Audio in VA. Both excellent Yammie guys.
    Thorens TD125MKII, SME3009,Shure V15/ Teac V-8000S, Denon DN-790R cass, Teac 3340 RtR decks, Onix CD2...Sumo Electra Plus pre>SAE A1001 amp>Martin Logan Summit's
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited July 2011
    I own a Onkyo 501. It is a nice amp but runs out of steam pretty early. The Yamaha is a better amp in almost all respects. Although I will say the sound quality of the Onkyo is nothing to sneeze at. Probably why it's been around so long.

    If you Bi-amping them I would run two of the same amp. And at that point either would be very good.
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  • dave e.
    dave e. Posts: 1
    edited July 2011
    I would suggest a Quad 909....Can pickup a very nice used unit for about
    $900..///1500 new....After reviewing dozens of amp units over the last 6 years it is really hard to beat the 909 unless you are looking at spending $2500+...140 into 8 ohms////240 into 4 ohm load...check out reviews at audio review.com and what hifi...good luck
    dave "blotto" ellington
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited July 2011
    He's not looking top spend 900 either. Have you seen the amps he's talking about?
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,179
    edited July 2011
    Of the two I would choose the Oink over the Yammy. Yammy amps aren't that great, merely average and the whole "class A switch" is a gimmick that means nothing.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    edited July 2011
    dave e. wrote: »
    I would suggest a Quad 909....Can pickup a very nice used unit for about
    $900..///1500 new....After reviewing dozens of amp units over the last 6 years it is really hard to beat the 909 unless you are looking at spending $2500+...140 into 8 ohms////240 into 4 ohm load...check out reviews at audio review.com and what hifi...good luck

    Wow, dave e.! It sure did take you a while to get up the nerve to make that first post!! :biggrin::wink: I may be a tad late, but Welcome to Club Polk!
    (Really, we won't bite....)
    :smile:
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  • djperez81
    djperez81 Posts: 388
    edited July 2011
    mdaudioguy wrote: »
    Wow, dave e.! It sure did take you a while to get up the nerve to make that first post!! :biggrin::wink: I may be a tad late, but Welcome to Club Polk!
    (Really, we won't bite....)
    :smile:

    LMAO i almost fell out of my chair when i went back and seen the join date. Weclome to the club Dave!!!

    On another note I used to run an onkyo m282 and it was 100wpc and sounded good and never got hot even when i was jamming for hours. But i also have never heard the Yammy.
    Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.
    -Jimi Hendrix
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  • 20hz
    20hz Posts: 636
    edited July 2011
    had a onkyo 501 it was okay but when I used it to drive my subs I found out it cant take anything under 6 ohms .
    I bet M-45 is fine at 4 ohms plus sounds a bunch better also .
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited August 2011
    20hz wrote: »
    had a onkyo 501 it was okay but when I used it to drive my subs I found out it cant take anything under 6 ohms .
    I bet M-45 is fine at 4 ohms plus sounds a bunch better also .

    The problem with the 501 as I stated is it runs out of steam. It is rated at 4ohms but I wouldn't push subs with it at all.

    The 282 on the other hand will handle it much better.
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,777
    edited August 2011
    Actually, the 282 is rated for a minimum of 6 ohms, but would be okay with the OP's speakers. Little shy on power though.
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