Best way or most fugal way of adding more power

polk500

Hello,

I kind of rambled on a bit yesterday about experimenting with my existing amps.

So I'm looking to add more power to my mains modded RTI a7 not sure if I really need it as the Parasound HCA 1500a seems fine but I got the urge to try more power just don't has the funds to buy what I want (lots of great amps just can't spent the money or the wife will snap) but I could certainly spring for another 1500 so a budget of 5 to 7 hundred would be max I could spend.

I see the 1500 have a looping feature which if I understand correctly is a method of chaining the amps together for more power.

Now the question is adding another amp, looping then or bridging them will it make that much of a difference? Or because of my existing equipment I'm expecting to much from the these speakers.

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Cheers
Roger

tonyb

I wouldn't bridge the amps, that's another headache that will introduce more noise to the signal. Personally, I'd sell the 1500 and look at a better amp. A McCormack dna250 would mate well with the B&K you have.

To tell the truth, the A7's don't require a lot of power. Is their something amiss in the sound ? Maybe a setup issue or settings ? What cables are you using ?

polk500

Well I was just wandering around the rabbit hole again. Thinking how could I improve the sound without breaking the bank. I've done some room treatments as well . As for cables I had Douglas make me the speaker cables and using mitt IC.

Your probably right on the amp I should move up the food chain with amps and speakers as well I guess.

Seems to be the way this hobby goes you buy something your content for a while then something shiny catches your eye and off you go again..

Cheers
Roger

BlueFox

Can you describe this amp "looping" feature.

polk500

The right (red) and left (white) channel output looping RCA jacks provide you with a convenient way to connect multiple amplifiers together from one source for multi-room/multi-zone applications. Once you have connected the source to input jacks, you can connect these looping output jacks to the input of an additional power amplifier without having to use separate "Y" connectors.

This is from the Manuel BlueFox

polk500

Originally Posted by tonyb
To tell the truth, the A7's don't require a lot of power. Is their something amiss in the sound ? Maybe a setup issue or settings ? What cables are you using ?


120 of high current backed watts a side makes me agree with this statement.

I agree I should state the speakers sound great. I just want to squeeze all the sound I can out of them cuz making the next step in power or speakers or both isn't going to be cheap.

Cheers
Roger

tonyb

Well my friend, this hobby does dictate constant upgrades. Your always looking for that weak link in your system but the problem is once you solve the weak link, you create another. Trick is getting to a point that's agreeable with your wallet and ears.

You have nice gear, at this point I would suggest maybe playing around with some power cords or other cables, maybe adding a tubed 2 channel pre like the Dared which can be found used for around 3 bones. Maybe also a good time to try out a few DACS in your system and maybe too start exploring digital music that you can wirelessly stream all over the home. Countless things to explore before changing out the gear.

cnh

For the most FUGAL way of improving your system I would suggest:

Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor?

cnh

Erik Tracy

polk500 wrote: »

Well I was just wandering around the rabbit hole again....Cheers
Roger

You can't "wander" around the rabbit hole....go in...or go home! :cheesygrin:

WLDock

When I read posts like this it just makes me wonder what the heck is going on with this system, room, listener?

Are your modded RTi's more open, detailed, and articulate than stock? or not?

Is your THX rated 1500a not meeting reference level? 85dB SPL with 20dB of headroom?

Is the amp getting the needed input voltage to drive it to max levels? 1 V for 28.28 V, THX Reference Level; 1.2 V for full output?

Your RTi's are rated at 300 watts in stock form, are the mods helping or hurting with the given 200 watt/ch?

What is missing here? Is raw power really the issue? Is there something wrong with your as adverised powerful Parasound?


IMO, I see no reason why 200 watts is not enough to drive most towers with an efficiency of about 89 dB to loud levels. It seems like pure overkill to dump 600+ watts/ch on your RTi's...especially if your budget is tight. Any thoughts about power compression? But what are you really after?

Jhayman

Polk500 I took Tonyb advice on the Dna250 and I am in Love it is a wonderful amp with tons of clean power but they are a little expensive used around $1900-and up they are actually made by Conrad Johnson using the McCormack name or designed by him.
Read the article somewhere

tonyb wrote: »

I wouldn't bridge the amps, that's another headache that will introduce more noise to the signal. Personally, I'd sell the 1500 and look at a better amp. A McCormack dna250 would mate well with the B&K you have.

To tell the truth, the A7's don't require a lot of power. Is their something amiss in the sound ? Maybe a setup issue or settings ? What cables are you using ?

polk500

cnh wrote: »

For the most FUGAL way of improving your system I would suggest:

Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor?

cnh

Frugal is what I meant of course, and I was listening to tritsch tratsch polka ,op.214 the other night when I posted this. But it was a typo, thanks for pointing it out. Kind of funny in a way as it is a musical term.

polk500

WLDock wrote: »

When I read posts like this it just makes me wonder what the heck is going on with this system, room, listener?

Are your modded RTi's more open, detailed, and articulate than stock? or not?

Is your THX rated 1500a not meeting reference level? 85dB SPL with 20dB of headroom?

Is the amp getting the needed input voltage to drive it to max levels? 1 V for 28.28 V, THX Reference Level; 1.2 V for full output?

Your RTi's are rated at 300 watts in stock form, are the mods helping or hurting with the given 200 watt/ch?

What is missing here? Is raw power really the issue? Is there something wrong with your as adverised powerful Parasound?


IMO, I see no reason why 200 watts is not enough to drive most towers with an efficiency of about 89 dB to loud levels. It seems like pure overkill to dump 600+ watts/ch on your RTi's...especially if your budget is tight. Any thoughts about power compression? But what are you really after?

Hello I stated earlier in this thread that the speakers sounded great ( modded by VR3 ) cables by Douglas.

But something that I never but much effort or thought in was my sitting/listening position ( due to the shape of the room and some stupidity) I sit back about 14 feet and the speakers are 8 feet apart with no toe in. And that is not a equal triangle of course.

Will move the chair in closer and have a listen.

dscheer

Seems to me that you need to invest in a good self powered subwoofer. The Parasound 1500A is a great amp and should provide all the current/power your polks require. I use 4 ea of them in my system also with a Parasound HCA3500 amp. I do not bridge the 1500As. Bridging these amps can create major problems not just sound related but with a 4 ohm load when bridged damage can result to the amp/voice coils. Get a Sub that at least goes down to 20 htz and you will not have to turn up the volume as much to drive your polks to get that slam you seem to enjoy. The sub should blend in nicely with your polks.
Then just sit back and enjoy your sounds (and not have to worry about damaging your equip or voice coils.
Regards: Don Scheer

WLDock

polk500 wrote: »

Hello I stated earlier in this thread that the speakers sounded great ( modded by VR3 ) cables by Douglas.
But something that I never but much effort or thought in was my sitting/listening position ( due to the shape of the room and some stupidity) I sit back about 14 feet and the speakers are 8 feet apart with no toe in. And that is not a equal triangle of course.
Will move the chair in closer and have a listen.

Keep in mind, the triangle is just a starting point. Not all settle with that placement depending on the speakers, room, taste, power, etc...