Worth Getting an Amp?

Pauly

Since i am still fairly new to all this i would like some input. My current system is as follows.
Onkyo TXSR500
Fronts 70's
Center Csi30 (Soon to be 40)
Rear's RTi28's
Subs PSW350 stacked w/ PSW404

With all the reading on this forum i feel i can get more out of my gear especially in the HT area of it. Would it be worth getting an amp to add to this or should i get a "better" high end reciever? Does the amp just add more power to it than just the receiver?
Example: Lets say the Reciever pushes 45 watts per channel and if you hook up an amp that pushes 100wpc is that extra or does it filter it to just 100? Also if just adding an amp would help what would be a good one for say under $500 range? Whatever you got would help me out. Thanks!

Spaz

Tour2ma

spb,

If I read what you are saying correctly, the power output is not additive, i.e., adding the 100 wpc amp will not yield 145 wpc to the 70's full array of drivers. The AVR's pre-amp outs bypasses its amp stages.

However, adding the amp for the low frequency duty in a bi-amp arrangement with the AVR assigned the high frequency duties, if your AVR can deleiver a signal both routes simultaneously. And I would guess your Onk is capable as your set up is similar to faster's...

faster100

when you use the pre-outs it has nothiong to do with the speaker terminals (internal amps) Yes the Onkyo's/integra's can use the internal amps for the highs and use a power amp for the mids, just make sure to take the gold strap off the speaker binding posts. I decided to use the AMC amp bi-wired to my 70's as Onlyo's /Integra's tend to be bright.. find a more nuetral amp and run it alone on your 70's and it will smooth out the highs.. if you have a brightness problem as alot of 70's owners and onkyo owners seem to have.. All bi-wire means is running not one but two sets of wires from the same left and right outputs and run them into the top and bottom posts on a bi-wireable speaker.. which the 70's indeed are.. It will give more power when you use a amp and receiver to power them, 200 watts versus the onks 100 or what ever its rated at,

Pauly

so if i get a 2 channel amp i would only be able to run to the 70's. If i wanted more "juice" to the rest i would have to "daisy chain" them since i am looking for more power in the HT aspect? Or just get a 5 channel amp which i assume arent cheap.

Tour2ma

spb,

First, I did not finish my thought above... was going to say that bi-amping effectively gets you 140 wpc. Anyway...

Sure to get equal power all around would mean added 2 ch's, or one 3 ch. Comparatively a single 5 ch could be more economical.

A couple added thoughts:
- bi-amping all the way around adds alot of wire, and corresponfding wire management issues.
- just adding amps may not be completely satisfying as they have many different characterisitcs, gain, sensitivity, slew rate, etc.
- your preference between AVR's vs. separates is going to determine your path.

You have to think about how much you want to prop up your Onk vs. replacing it.

John K.

Spaz, this has gotten a bit tangled-up, but I'd think that the first question to ask yourself is if you're just assuming that you need more power, or are you actually experiencing audible distortion from your 500? The next point is that your 500 doesn't have pre-amp outputs(except for the sub, of course)so you can't just add extra external amps. If you did get a more powerful receiver or separate pre-amp and amp, you should be aware that even if you doubled the present 65 watt power rating of your 500 to 130 watts, that would only increase the maximum loudness level by 3dB, a quite small, but audible amount; to subjectively allow the sound to be "twice as loud" the increase has to be 10dB, calling for 10 times the power, i.e. 650 watts per channel.

You used the term "daisy chaining" and if by that you meant connecting one amp after another in series to increase the power, that can't be done. If you possibly meant bi-amping instead, that's possible, but true bi-amping means disconnecting the crossovers in your speakers and using an external crossover(probably electronic)after the pre-amp and before the amps so that the amps only handle some frequencies instead of the full range. Don't bother. If you really want a new receiver, get it.

Tour2ma

Good catch, John. If the 500 does not have pre-outs, that does simplify the decision process considerably for spb.

While your dB analysis is correct, I think most would agree that the 70's would greatly benefit from being driven by a high current amp.

Your bi-amping description does enter into many of the benefits debates we've had here, but it is not the definition of bi-amping we commonly use.

Pauly

GRRRRRRRR! No sense on bidding on that amp if i can even hook the damn thing up. Thanks for your help guys probably would have bought an amp brought it home and pissed all over my self trying to hook it up

Time for a receiver upgrade. Anyone got any good sites to *recommed* for refurbished last years AVR models??

Spaz

Tour2ma

Whole different question... Read around here some to narrow your choices then consider starting another thread.

Here's one that sites a good deal on Denon 3803...
http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13003

Doc Spec runs this baby and likes it alot. Ultimately you still may want to consider adding external amps, but it' a fine beginning from all I've read.