Dedicated amp & AVR setup advice wanted

Jestered
Jestered Posts: 49
edited October 2013 in Electronics
Hi all. So it looks like I'll be getting an Emotiva LPA-1 7 channel amp here soon. So that has me wondering exactly how I should set this up with my Pioneer Elite receiver. There's pretty much only 3 scenarios I can think of which include:

1. Run all the speakers through the amp. The amp is a 125WPC amp for 5 channels and 50WPC on the remaining 2 channels (when the amp is using all 7 channels). With my setup (in my signature) I would likely have my two side surrounds (the Polk RT15I's) on the lesser 50WPC channels.

2. Use the amp with only 5 channels. This would produce about 140WPC on all channels from the amp. The amp would power the front stage and my rear surrounds (the FXiA4's). That would leave the side surrounds being powered by the Pioneer Elite AVR, which should be around 136WPC there.

3. Use the amp as a 3 channel amp for the front stage only. That would have the amp pushing about 160WPC to the front stage with the Pioneer powering all 4 surrounds with about 114WPC there.

So, I'm initially leaning towards options 2 & 3. That leads me to wonder if it's better to get the extra power to the front stage and let the Pioneer AVR power the surrounds. Or, if that little bit of extra power isn't enough to pull the other speakers off of the amp. What do you all think?
Samsung 65" ES8000 LED
Pioneer Elite VSX-53
Polk RTiA5's - Front Towers
Polk CSiA6 - Center Channel
Polk RT15i's - Side Surrounds
Polk FXiA4's - Rear Surrounds
SVS PB-1000 - Subwoofer
URC MX5000 - Remote
Post edited by Jestered on
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Comments

  • Glen B
    Glen B Posts: 269
    edited October 2013
    I would use the Emotiva on the 3 front channels, which have the greatest demand, and the Pioneer on the surrounds. The surrounds don't require that much power, and the Pioneer would be more than capable of the task.
    Main System: Denon DP-59L | Audio-Technica AT33EV | Marantz SA-11S2 | Classe DR-10 | Classe CA-300 | Classe RC-1 | PSB Stratus Gold i's | DIY Balanced AC Power Conditioner | Acoustic Zen and NeoTech cables | Oyaide and Furutech power connectors | Dedicated 20A isolated ground line.

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  • Jestered
    Jestered Posts: 49
    edited October 2013
    Thanks for responding. If that's the case, would I be better off getting a 3 CH amp with more power compared to using this 7 CH amp with what it would provide as a 3 CH amp? I think I can get an Emotiva XPA-3 for about the same price, which would provide 200WPC to the front stage.
    Samsung 65" ES8000 LED
    Pioneer Elite VSX-53
    Polk RTiA5's - Front Towers
    Polk CSiA6 - Center Channel
    Polk RT15i's - Side Surrounds
    Polk FXiA4's - Rear Surrounds
    SVS PB-1000 - Subwoofer
    URC MX5000 - Remote
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  • CCNJ
    CCNJ Posts: 384
    edited October 2013
    I would tend to agree that I would want to provide more power to the fronts and center. I used to run a 5.1 setup with the xpa-3 powering the fronts. It is a more than capable amp and I was very happy with it especially at that price point.
    Rig1 - Totem Hawks, Benchmark HDR, Parasound A21, Sonus, Samsung 52 LCD, Audioquest Type4
    Rig2 - LFD LE IV Integrated, Harbeth P3ESR, Rega Dac, MF V-Link, IMAC, Audioquest Type4
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited October 2013
    3.

    Definitely

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • WLDock
    WLDock Posts: 3,073
    edited October 2013
    Jestered wrote: »
    Thanks for responding. If that's the case, would I be better off getting a 3 CH amp with more power compared to using this 7 CH amp with what it would provide as a 3 CH amp? I think I can get an Emotiva XPA-3 for about the same price, which would provide 200WPC to the front stage.
    Yes, the LPA-1 just not seem like the better logical upgrade choice. Save a little more and pick up the XPA-3 Gen 2 for $719 and enjoy the new front power that should drive your speakers to reference levels cleanly. Much better bang for the buck!

    Also, go listen to one of the Elite SC units if you have never heard one....It might suprise you? They tend to deliver clean rated power into all channels, Maybe one of those units alone will do it for you? The used maket makes these units killer deals.
    2.2 Office Setup | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | HP Probook 630 G8 | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited October 2013
    WLDock wrote: »
    Yes, the LPA-1 just not seem like the better logical upgrade choice. Save a little more and pick up the XPA-3 Gen 2 for $719 and enjoy the new front power that should drive your speakers to reference levels cleanly. Much better bang for the buck!

    Also, go listen to one of the Elite SC units if you have never heard one....It might suprise you? They tend to deliver clean rated power into all channels, Maybe one of those units alone will do it for you? The used maket makes these units killer deals.
    After hearing so much here in CP forum within the last couple of years on the Pioneer Elite SC AVRs , it sounds like they do_ have a very nice,clean power amp section, maybe cleaner than Emotivas , DYODD.
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  • Zoomzilla
    Zoomzilla Posts: 76
    edited October 2013
    Polkie2009 wrote: »
    After hearing so much here in CP forum within the last couple of years on the Pioneer Elite SC AVRs , it sounds like they do_ have a very nice,clean power amp section, maybe cleaner than Emotivas , DYODD.

    As a new Elite SC owner I can attest to the clean power. Amazing compared to typical class AB amps
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,967
    edited October 2013
    No.3, which agree's with the above posters. Though I'm not so sure the Emo is a good pairing with RTI speakers.
    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
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