NAD 326 amp for RTIA9 towers
Hey everyone. First post ever. Excuse any idiocy.
I am awaiting a pair of RTIA9 towers that I ordered, and I currently own a NAD 326BEE integrated amplifier. Every review/article I read about these towers mentions that the amp one uses to power these speakers needs to be quite powerful. I am aware that my 326BEE is not among the more powerful of amps. Here is my question:
Using an underpowered amp (but not a low-quality one), will tower speakers (such as the RTIA9s) suffer only in volume, or sound quality as well? Now, I know that many people would not consider volume and sound quality 2 completely different things. I guess I am asking if I could just crank up the volume on my amp (say 7 out of 10 for example) to get the same result as having a more powerful amp at a lower volume (say 3 out of 10 for example). And even if not, would I still require a more powerful amp if I never listen to music very loud anyway?
Thanks!
I am awaiting a pair of RTIA9 towers that I ordered, and I currently own a NAD 326BEE integrated amplifier. Every review/article I read about these towers mentions that the amp one uses to power these speakers needs to be quite powerful. I am aware that my 326BEE is not among the more powerful of amps. Here is my question:
Using an underpowered amp (but not a low-quality one), will tower speakers (such as the RTIA9s) suffer only in volume, or sound quality as well? Now, I know that many people would not consider volume and sound quality 2 completely different things. I guess I am asking if I could just crank up the volume on my amp (say 7 out of 10 for example) to get the same result as having a more powerful amp at a lower volume (say 3 out of 10 for example). And even if not, would I still require a more powerful amp if I never listen to music very loud anyway?
Thanks!
Post edited by morrisonj on
Comments
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Welcome to Club Polk!
While the NAD is a High Current quality amp. It's only 50 watts x 2 and even with the headroom it has it will be taxed trying to handle Rti-A9s. However it does have Pre-outs so you could use it as a Pre-amp and get yourself a more powerful 2 channel amp even if you don't play it that loud.
I would NOT push it with the A9s. Will it sound OK. Maybe. But the A9s, in particular, LOVE power in order to open up musically. So you won't really know what they are capable of on a lower powered amp.
Now there is nothing wrong with the NAD. I ran LSi-7s on it for a while and it did a wonderful job, so much so that when I upgrade. I stayed with a NAD power amp below!
Good Luck!
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
No.the amp is massively underpowered....it just will not sound good no matter what you do. If you crank it up...the amp will just clip, and you will pretty much damage the speakers. To be blunt you need a high power, high current amp to power these speakers..just the way it is. You need an amp that puts out about 150watts per.
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dont listen to them. As long as you you stay with within the power range of the NAD, there will be NO difference in sound quality with any other amp. No difference, and I will go to the barricades with this.
Of course if you try to go loud and push your amp over spec, you will run into smoking all kinds of things. But as long as you keep volume reasonable, there will be no difference with any other decent amp. When only 10W is fed to the speakers, the speakers do not know if the source is capable of 50 or 500W. It is the same to them.I have found that tube based computers provide the best sound quality. ENIAC and MANIAC I offer a smooth, well defined and articulated sound unmatched by the current silicon based CPUs.
jeremymarcinko wrote: »But as in all things your perception is your reality. -
No doubt "everyone" here agrees that a quality power amp that puts out 200-300 watts x 2 sounds exactly the same as most any other amp if it is only feeding speakers one-ten watts? That's why we waste so much money on better amps because we run them at full power? Not really! Most people will listen to music at wattage levels far below full power, but dynamic peaks call for more reserves than that NAD has when running Rti towers of that size even at lower volumes.
But if you do believe that, don't worry. The old timers will show up soon enough with a little more experience and a little audio wisdom.
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
Really all depends on your volume level. I would say the amp is somewhat underpowered for decent levels of volume. If your the kind that likes to rock the house while the wife is at the grocery store, get a better amp. Nobody buys big floorstanders without the will to crank them up every so often. Thats when trouble starts with underpowering speakers. The louder you turn it up, the more current the speakers will ask for, and the amp will say I got nuthin' left and clip. Which could do some damage to your speaks, you don't want that.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
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lsi 9's -
Well, i'll go along with Tonyb..and say...IF..you can keep the volume down, to say the the 10-11 oclock position....then it will probably work. The fact he says it's some what underpowered for 9's....to me it would be VERY underpowered. As he says...you turn it up...the amp is going to give it up and clip and do damage to the speakers.
Will you get the best sound you can out of them, with that power....I tend to think not. If you can keep your hands off the volume control....then you may be able to get away with it. -
I would guess i have to ask the OP....if your NOT going to play these speakers LOUD....what really is the point in buying them? I mean these are hugh massive speakers...not really designed to run at low volumes persay. (not that they will not run at low volumes...but again, whats the point of it? Buy some LSi 9's or something)
But you also state that you may turn these up to 7....which i figure has to be someplace in the 3 oclock position...which will just fry the speakers with your amp.
maybe if you could clairify that...we would have a better clue. -
Welcome to Club Polk.
The whole point of getting an amp is to allow it to power your speakers to their full potential it is not about how loud it can go. Without the speakers having all the power that they need at any given time, not only will you be stressing the speakers and amp, but you won't be hearing every detail of what you are playing.
That is the biggest improvement of having a powerful amp power your speakers, hearing all the details of your music & movies no matter where the volume knob is. The fact that it can go much louder is secondaryMarantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2 -
that fact that it can go much louder is not secondary. It is the only separation between a 50 and a 500 W amp. Listening at -20db or less is identical with all power sources, buying large. If there is any difference between two amps, at those levels, it will not be due to the power output, but due to the quality of true amplifications of the signal. Associating power with detail just makes no sense. Just think about it, how could that even be possible??I have found that tube based computers provide the best sound quality. ENIAC and MANIAC I offer a smooth, well defined and articulated sound unmatched by the current silicon based CPUs.jeremymarcinko wrote: »But as in all things your perception is your reality.
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that fact that it can go much louder is not secondary. It is the only separation between a 50 and a 500 W amp. Listening at -20db or less is identical with all power sources, buying large. If there is any difference between two amps, at those levels, it will not be due to the power output, but due to the quality of true amplifications of the signal. Associating power with detail just makes no sense. Just think about it, how could that even be possible??
The problem with all that Rav is, your thinking too much and experiencing too little.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
dont listen to them. As long as you you stay with within the power range of the NAD, there will be NO difference in sound quality with any other amp. No difference, and I will go to the barricades with this.
Of course if you try to go loud and push your amp over spec, you will run into smoking all kinds of things. But as long as you keep volume reasonable, there will be no difference with any other decent amp. When only 10W is fed to the speakers, the speakers do not know if the source is capable of 50 or 500W. It is the same to them.
My friend, do you really know what are you saying to the TS? I have a pair of A9 powered by Marantz SR6006 with 110w/c, its loud yes if I put the volume at -10 and pure direct....but still not enough power for my A9 to reach his potential....what I know is if I give my A9 at-least 200w/c or up the sounds/music will be very different from the 110w/c per channel of my marantz....
remember this..."great power comes great responsibility" SPIDER MAN
"Great power comes great music/sounds" A9
planning to buy Emotiva XPA5 for my LCR and bi-amp the fronts....
to TS get a power amp with 200w/c at least....RTi A9 - Front
CSi A6 - Center
FXi A6 - Surrounds
DSW Pro 660 wi
Marantz AVR SR 6006
WD TV Live
Planning to add: Emotiva XPA 5... -
i personally had that exact NAD amp, and still have a 2150 NAD. i listen mostly at moderate levels (9-10 o'clock position) and even on my less power hungry RTA 11T's the difference between those amps and my 205 w Parasound is very noticeable. and i would say, on paper, the specs between all of the amps are close enough in range and quality to say current is the only major difference between the amps...
i wouldn't so much talk about detail as i would more even tonal frequency, better bass extension, fuller soundstage... and just, well, better. not so thin. plus, i simply hated the 326... just couldn't get rid of it fast enough, and i have always enjoyed NAD.
but that's just my own opinion based on my own experience.Polk Lsi9
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that fact that it can go much louder is not secondary. It is the only separation between a 50 and a 500 W amp. Listening at -20db or less is identical with all power sources, buying large. If there is any difference between two amps, at those levels, it will not be due to the power output, but due to the quality of true amplifications of the signal. Associating power with detail just makes no sense. Just think about it, how could that even be possible??
no, no, no,no, NO!!!
