Amp/AVR for RTi A7's?

Bean

Hey everyone,

Got a good deal on a pair of RTi A7's at Fry's over the weekend, but now upgrade-itis has set in. Currently running an Onkyo 607, which has served me well the past 5 years, but it can't do 3D, ARC, or 4K, so with these new power-hungry speakers I think it is time to put it out to pasture.

I'm looking for a good receiver/amp combo for my set up (running TC80is and RTi4's as surrounds, CSi3 center). I'm leaning towards one of the higher model Denon's since they can do pre-outs, HDMI 2.0 and AirPlay (plus I've gotten burned by poor Onkyo build quality/customer service), but have no ideas on amps. I've heard that Emotiva amps can make the RTi line unnecessarily bright/harsh... 2 or 3 channels would be fine, I'd prefer to keep the budget on the amp below the $1000 level if possible.

PS: Do I need to worry about the 607 under-powering/damaging the A7's in a 5.1 setup, or should I be fine in the interim?

Thanks!

voltz

Don't crank up the volume and you will get by for now...I had my A7's hooked to a lower powered denon before i could upgrade my setup.
To save $$$ might try Accessories4less for a AVR that has full preout...then get a used 2 channel amp for powering the 2 fronts or a 3 channel for the fronts + center...
here is a example
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/marsr5008/marantz-sr5008-7.2-network-home-theater-receiver-with-airplay/1.html

buying a used amp can save a lot..but its hard to find a good deal sometimes but they are out there.

and the add amp isnt for cranking them up per say, but for better sound ..as they 7's like some power to sound their best.... better cables too.

Bean

Okay, thanks. I've tried to look up and from what I can tell, the Onkyo is only driving about 45 watts per channel in a 5.1 setup... and I have heard a lot on both sides of the argument in terms of more power - plenty of people say I'll be fine at 'normal' levels of listening while others make it seem like I'm guaranteed to blow out my tweeters.

I have the A7's crossed over at 80Hz to take some load off the receiver, in any case.

voltz

I had to really keep my foot out of my 7's for awhile..yes over cranking can clip a tweeter or worst. Ken did it to his 7's. Plus they will never sound as good as they can in SQ until powered correctly and it will add a measure of protection by adding a Amp to at least power the 2 A7's.

tonyb

Bean wrote: »

Okay, thanks. I've tried to look up and from what I can tell, the Onkyo is only driving about 45 watts per channel in a 5.1 setup... and I have heard a lot on both sides of the argument in terms of more power - plenty of people say I'll be fine at 'normal' levels of listening while others make it seem like I'm guaranteed to blow out my tweeters.

I have the A7's crossed over at 80Hz to take some load off the receiver, in any case.

All depends on how loud you play the system. The receiver should be fine for lower to moderate listening levels but if you like to put the pedal to the metal every so often then I would get an amp.

Do you use the same system for your 2 channel music ?

Bean

tonyb wrote: »

Bean wrote: »

Okay, thanks. I've tried to look up and from what I can tell, the Onkyo is only driving about 45 watts per channel in a 5.1 setup... and I have heard a lot on both sides of the argument in terms of more power - plenty of people say I'll be fine at 'normal' levels of listening while others make it seem like I'm guaranteed to blow out my tweeters.

I have the A7's crossed over at 80Hz to take some load off the receiver, in any case.

All depends on how loud you play the system. The receiver should be fine for lower to moderate listening levels but if you like to put the pedal to the metal every so often then I would get an amp.

Do you use the same system for your 2 channel music ?

Don't listen to much 2 channel, listening is 95% HT/TV/games.

leftwinger57

Tony will like this.When I 1st got my Yamaha RX-V665 w/ 90 watts a channel I thought great I'm in H/T heaven. Not so much. I tried as I say airing it out on the opening scene of Valkerie where the planes bomb the crap out of Tom Cruise. Well the thing went into protecto mode and shut down. I tried it one more time w/ music and it did the same thing and thankfully came back. Luckily this avr did have pre-outs and after getting my hand slapped here I got an Adcom gfa555 @200 watts a side for $300 even from Audio Classics sight and sound unseen just on their rep alone.Then we had real tuneage then eventually moved on to 2-chl.
No affiliation to AC just a customer.

tonyb

Thanks for sharing that LW. Unfortunately your story can be repeated a million times from others who think they should be able to use 100% of that volume dial.

Like Dirty Harry used to say..." A man has got to know his limitations".

Bean,
You should be OK for HT, just don't go trying to bury that volume dial.

polk500

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/133772/just-fried-the-tweeters-on-my-rti-a7#latest

Hello,

As A Rti 7 owner myself here is my story on power and what happens when you push a little to hard.

Cheers
Roger

Bean

Yikes! Waiting for the new 4K ready AVRs but I plan on getting one of those (probably a Denon) and a Parasound.

Bean

Looks like I will probably be getting a Denon X4100... was going to wait for HDCP 2.2 but now that the buying advice is saying to wait for HDMI 2.0a... I give up. There will never be a 'safe' time to upgrade and be future-proofed for 4KTV. These manufacturers just don't get it.

I do have a follow-up question though - will this be enough of an improvement? Several other forums (AVS, Blu-ray, etc.) say that I should already be fine with my current AVR (the Onkyo TX-SR607) but it seems the general advice is here is that I anything less than a 200+ wpc amp will blow my RTi A7's.

Why such polar opposites?

F1nut

You can blow any speaker if the power, be it an AVR or power amp, is sending clipped signals. It just so happens that it's easier to overdrive a lower powered AVR or power amp than it is a high powered one. You should be able to hear a change in the sound if you are overdriving your AVR or power amp, the sound gets shrill and congested.

On a side note, it seems to me that many at AVS think all amps sound the same and high end cables are snake oil. They couldn't be more wrong, so I wouldn't take advice from there. I don't know about the Blu-ray forum.

Nightfall

According to AVS forum the only thing that has any impact on SQ is the speakers and the room.

gp4jesus

+2 F1's comment on under powered systems & on amps! +1 on cables etc.

tonyb

Bean wrote: »

Looks like I will probably be getting a Denon X4100... was going to wait for HDCP 2.2 but now that the buying advice is saying to wait for HDMI 2.0a... I give up. There will never be a 'safe' time to upgrade and be future-proofed for 4KTV. These manufacturers just don't get it.

I do have a follow-up question though - will this be enough of an improvement? Several other forums (AVS, Blu-ray, etc.) say that I should already be fine with my current AVR (the Onkyo TX-SR607) but it seems the general advice is here is that I anything less than a 200+ wpc amp will blow my RTi A7's.

Why such polar opposites?

The 607 isn't going to blow your speakers.....you might though. You control the volume dial, and that's the most important part. You have to know when to back off, turn it down.

How do you do that ?
By listening....carefully. As stated, when it starts to sound shrill, congested....back off. The higher you turn up the volume, the more careful you should be scrutinizing what you hear.

A separate amp will make any speaker sound better. Many who have made that jump have that "aha moment", "now I get it". If you want the speakers to perform to their fullest potential, I'd suggest getting a separate amp, after all....you pay good money for speakers these days, who doesn't want them to perform to their fullest ?

gp4jesus

tonyb: well put.
OP: be careful playing the numbers game w/"power." I've always had mine connected to robust (high current) power amps pushing 100/160(+) into 8/4 ohms. Full range they barely broke a sweat while lifting the house off the foundation.

My $.02. Tony