Bi-amp RTi150s with old pre/amp?

walk

How would I do this?

Right now I have an Onkyo 700 AVR with the RTi150's bi-wired.

I have an old Onkyo Integra (circa 1986) 85wpc stereo pre/amp. (Like a receiver without am/fm tuner). It has a volume knob. I thought about bi-amping the 150's with it - using the AVR to drive the highs (and the other 4 speakers) and the Integra to drive the low end - BUT - how in heck would I calibrate it? Using test tones?

Also the pre-amp outputs on the Onk 700 - are they variable out or constant? If they are variable then my idea might work, but if they are constant I would have to get up and physically adjust the volume knob on the Integra every time I changed the volume so obviously that wouldn't work..

Or is there some other way I could work the Integra into the system? It's old and only 85wpc but built like a tank, it's a helluva amp, I think it can push out peaks of over 200 watts clean.... seems like it would be perfect for the low ends on the 150s (or maybe a passive SVS

Tour2ma

Your Onk AVR's pre outs are surely variable. Assuming they will simultaneously output a signal and feed the AVR's amps (not a given), you should be able to use your old Onk Integrated amp as you described.

As for calibration of your mains, I'm guessing you'd calibrate each half separately, down 3 db on a test signal and then verify that their summed output is properly balanced with the rest of your speakers. But this is just a guess.

A test disc and a SPL meter is a good investment for calibration.

walk

Ah, I think I get it, let me see if this is right -->

+ First unhook both speaker wire sets (low & high).

+ Hook up just the low set. Calibrate each speaker to -3db on the SPL.

+ Unhook the low set and hook up only the high set. Again calibrate each speaker to -3db on the SPL.

+ Hook up the low set again so both are connected and double-check the output, making sure it's at 0db.

?

Now I need just need to find out why the Onk amp is blowing it's fuse each time I plug it in... Guess I'll start by replacing the badly worn power cord..

Tour2ma

Here's a good general thread on speaker calibration...
http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=93102#post93102

For your mains, I think you caught what I was trying to say. Just to clarify, if you are using a disc that calibrates to 85 dB, you'd calibrate each half as you described, to 82 dB initially. Then check to see if the combined output is 85, and adjust each half from there, if needed.

walk

Another option is using the amp for a passive SVS CS subwoofer

I don't know if it's powerful enough though. I found the manual (it's an Onkyo A-8057), it's rated at 65w per channel min, both channels driven 20-20khz with 0.018% THD !

They don't rate it for 4 or 6 ohms but I seem to remember reading in Audio Review or so that it could do *peaks* of an impressive 190wpc at 2ohms, and maybe 120-130 at 4ohms. According to SVS, if it can do 100wpc at 4ohms it should be adequate (for i.e. CS 25-31)

One nice thing too is that it does have a Subsonic filter (15Hz).

The manual is here.. http://63.148.251.135/redirect_service.cfm?type=own_manuals&file=A8057om.pdf

walk

Well nevermind. I couldn't get it to work. Replaced the power cord but it just keeps blowing fuses. Something must be wrong with the guts so I threw it in the trash