Can you up AC outlet handling on receivers?

Mr. Sharpe

We're talking about Switched AC outlets on the back of receivers and preamps. Most all the old vintage receivers and preamps will have up to 8 outlets totaling over 1000 watts or just a few that will handle 300 and 500 watts. My Onkyo's outlets only handle 120 which really isn't good for any power amp. I'm wondering if there's way to jack the power handling of these up, to say maybe 400 or 500 watts so I could hook a power amp of substantial size (bigger than 80 wpc) Or is there another forum they talk about that kind of mod?

disneyjoe7

Does the amp have a remote 12v turn on jack? If so could use that as the turn on, and plug amps in the wall outlet directly.

EndersShadow

Or just get one of those power strips with a 12v trigger or that has a riggers outlet.

Plug your avr into the master plug and the amp into a slave.

BlueFox

I doubt if having outlets on a receiver is doing anything positive to the sound, and is probably having a negative effect. Personally, I would use a power conditioner for having extra outlets.

Mr. Sharpe

Not all amplifiers have 12v triggers see, an Adcom gfa1 is what I was thinking, but even more recent adcom amps don't have them, this is just for two channel.

I would love to get a power conditioner but it'd only be for three components.

Can upping the power handling on the outlets be done?

lanchile

Mr. Sharpe wrote: »

Not all amplifiers have 12v triggers see, an Adcom gfa1 is what I was thinking, but even more recent adcom amps don't have them, this is just for two channel.

I would love to get a power conditioner but it'd only be for three components.

Can upping the power handling on the outlets be done?

Are you sure is 120 watts? or it is 120V?

cstmar01

I agree to get a power strip or do something else and not plug into an avr.

Mr. Sharpe

lanchile wrote: »

Are you sure is 120 watts? or it is 120V?

the outlets are rated for 1 amp at 120 volts. 120 watts for two outlets. that post was referring to 12volt triggers used for turning components on or off.

I just thought I'd use the outlet, little easier seems like. that's just me though

skrol

I agree with what is said above. On the subject of upgrading the outlets, it probably is not practicle if doable. There is likely a relay in the circuit that has its current limitations and the wiring. You might be able to upgrade both but may have trouble finding a relay that is the right form factor. You may also need to upgrade the power cord. However, you would still be better off powering an amp from its own outlet as the added wiring and relay will add resistance to the circuit.

F1nut

Never, ever plug an amp into an outlet on a receiver. In fact, never use them for anything.

Mr. Sharpe

Most all the receivers I've seen usually have 16awg internal wiring.

Dad has had his GFA 1A plugged in the back of the GFP 1 for 30+ years, the GFP has 400 watt switched outlets. If the outlet has a 400 watt max why can't I plug the amp into it? I get the GFA1 has an 800 watts max but I would never use that. Are you saying it's going to mess something up regardless or are you saying it would hurt the sound so don't do it?

PolkieMan

I would think it is a good way to induce noise into either unit, noticeable, that's up to you. I wouldn't do it.

zingo

Upgrading current rating is a bad idea.

tonyb

F1nut wrote: »

Never, ever plug an amp into an outlet on a receiver. In fact, never use them for anything.

More fine advice from the dark one.

Those outlets on the back are not ment to power amps. More so additional cooling fans, low power consuming items not huge ampere draws.

Do not plug an amp into a receiver's outlet, period.

Mr. Sharpe

Okay, won't do it. I'll look into make another strip with a toggle switch or something.

Speedskater

Most of the older receivers only had two pin receptacle's. The receiver's internal wiring and power switch are only suitable for rather low powered components.

Power outlet strips are available with a control receptacle, that senses when you turn your receiver on or off and controls all the other receptacles. Twenty some years ago, RadioShack made a very nice unit but keeping with tradition they discontinued it.

Mr. Sharpe

word, i just recalled hooking that old Adcom to my Onkyo in that outlet and the hum was much louder so that idea is out the window.

disneyjoe7

F1nut wrote: »

Never, ever plug an amp into an outlet on a receiver. In fact, never use them for anything.

I have no issue using the switch outlet for a small 12vdc transformer to control amps and such. Are you against this also?

Systems

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

I have no issue using the switch outlet for a small 12vdc transformer to control amps and such. Are you against this also?

Yep, they are good for "Triggers".

Mr. Sharpe

Like I said, my dad has had his Adcom GFA1A plugged to the back of his GFP 1 for 30+ years and it sounded absolutely Amazing, I guess neither of us knew what we were missing lol the only thing I use the outlet on the back of my 3805 is a cooling fan.

I was just curious about this cus' I guess I'm too lazy to lean down and turn the amp on, but I guess that's where putting your amp up high comes in:) Thanks for all the posts.

PolkieMan

You could get you a long stick :razz:

Mr. Sharpe wrote: »

Like I said, my dad has had his Adcom GFA1A plugged to the back of his GFP 1 for 30+ years and it sounded absolutely Amazing, I guess neither of us knew what we were missing lol the only thing I use the outlet on the back of my 3805 is a cooling fan.

I was just curious about this cus' I guess I'm too lazy to lean down and turn the amp on, but I guess that's where putting your amp up high comes in:) Thanks for all the posts.

leftwinger57

I asked this ages ago. Most of the poll taken then said do not plug your devices into your preamp's outlets. This except for a few was a universal anwser. Never use those outlets in the rear of your preamp.Most said if you had to then the exception to this rule never your power amplifier. For me it would have worked perfectly if I wanted to use the Harmony1 remote, because the Adcom 555 has no remote if I were to plug it into the switched outlet of my Onkyo P-301 pre and then turn that on w/ the Harmony 1 then all would be a wonderful thing.Now w/ the same problem of my tt needs to be manually turned off I could also use that procedure.Again, no one was kidding said not to do it and forget the Harmoney remote and turn it off and on asI'm doing it now.....

EndersShadow

Personally I use the trigger outlet on my Citation 11 for my turntable but again thats me. Other than that device everything else is controlled by my Harmony one.

Glen B

Mr. Sharpe wrote: »

I get the GFA1 has an 800 watts max but I would never use that. Are you saying it's going to mess something up regardless or are you saying it would hurt the sound so don't do it?

Even if it did not hurt the sound, inrush current when the amp is first turned on (which can be several times the outlet maximum rating) can overtax a preamp or receiver's power switch and cause it to fail eventually. Your dad is probably just lucky that the GFA1 probably does not have much inrush current at turn on, and he has not been driving the amp to the point where it has been exceeding the outlet rating foir any lengthy periods.

PolkieMan

When I had an older unit that had those it was used for the turntable and cassette deck or cd player

unc2701

pepster wrote: »

Yep, they are good for "Triggers".

Agreed- but make sure the wallwart you use isn't noisy. I've had more than one instance when it was causing noticeable interference.

skrol

Good point. You want to stay away from switching power supplies (ie. laptop power supplies) as the can be noisy. Simple transformer with full wave rectifier and caps would do nicely.

leftwinger57

I just happened to find my Onkyo P-301 pre owners manual,Showing a tt plugged into a unswitched outlet @ 16a w/200wats max. the other swithched outlets are shown @ total 5w with 60Owatts max.No warnings are given either way to plug or not to plug your source devices into the Onkyo. My Samson 9 outlet surge center looks like a Furman does it all for me right now.It it'self is plugged into the wall directly.So whether opinions have changed around here on plugging devices into your pre/amps I still do not.

treitz3

leftwinger57 wrote: »

I just happened to find my Onkyo P-301 pre owners manual,Showing a tt plugged into a unswitched outlet @ 16a w/200wats max. the other swithched outlets are shown @ total 5w with 60Owatts max. No warnings are given either way to plug or not to plug your source devices into the Onkyo.

Hello, please note that the bold portion of your quote was done by me. Plugging things into an AVR or pre used to be the "thing". It's OK if you do not care about the sound and it is correct that little to no warnings are provided with these outlets. With that said, what they do not discuss is;

How it affects the sound.
How it effects the current draw of the AVR.
How it drains the available power to the amplifier section of said AVR.

Unless you do not care about the sound and you listen only at extreme lower levels then plugging things into the outlets will usually not affect anything. If you DO care about the quality of the sound and if you listen at normal listening levels to concert level listening levels, then as F1nut mentioned before, never ever plug anything into the available outlets on a receiver/AVR.

Tom

jon s

Dunno if you guys noticed... but most AVR manufacturers no longer have AC outlets on the rear panels anymore... I was told too many idiots were plugging in high current devices in them, frying the AVRs....