Monitor 70s separate amp requirement

Couger

I read that monitor 70s require separate amplification to sound good. Would this still be the case even with a higher end receiver like the Onkyo TX-NR5010? With a decent sub like an SVS?

tonyb

Your receiver is fine to power them. The M70'S are easy to drive with most any mid-higher end receiver.

That said, a quality separate amplifier will make any speaker sound better than the power supplies provided in receivers. Comes down to how much better and if the price is worth it to you. A good used amp for you to decide for yourself would be a Parasound HCA 1200 or 1500, which can be had for around 400 bucks or cheaper.

cfrizz

Any receiver can drive speakers, but the majority of receivers cannot drive them to their full potential.

The majority of the cost of receivers goes into the bells and whistles and having all the latest and greatest doodads that are currently being offered. Not into the amplifier section of the machines. That is the sacrifice they make.

That's why most of us who have heard what a separate amp can do recommend them.

The two that Tony recommended above will do your speakers now and in the future if you upgrade full justice.

Welcome to Club Polk Couger!

afterburnt

Get an amp I think you will be pleasantly surprised

Couger

I just saw where the TX-NR5010 tested at 78W per channel with 7.1 and the amps mentioned are putting out 200w x 2 channels. It is a big difference. I assume the amps are higher quality as noted as well.

I only listen to flac via a squeezebox touch but like the 11.1 sound. Would I need 5 amps or only an amp for the fronts?

cfrizz

I started out with a Parasound 1500A 2 channel amp, then got an Outlaw monoblock for my center channel. I finally got my current Sunfire 5 channel amp for all of my 5 channels. The surrounds love the extra power as well.

It is up to you as to how much money you want to spend. The more channels amped the more money is spent.

For most of us, it is money well spent, and the amp can be used through all other speaker upgrades to the system.

cnh

I run an old Onkyo TX-SR 805 when those 800 series were almost as robust as the TOTL Onkyos. The 805 weighs about 51 lbs. It can hit a legitimate 130 watts x 5 in a 5.1 config. which is what I run.

I still have M-70 towers in that 5.1 set up and a 300/600 watt peak sub. I cross over at 80hz all around (CS-2 and M-30s in the back). This amount of power is the "least" I consider passable with M-70s. If you want to up that ante, a power amp of 200+ watts x 2 will give you more bottom end, a fuller sound and more resolution up high than even the Onkyo can, but mostly in pure 2.0 music listening set up.

If you listen to "music". An external amp will give you that much more. If it's just HT the Onkyo will perform nicely with a good SUB, which you already have!

fastmatt

Listen to them with my avr sounds good hooked them up to my emotiva xpr2 sounded much better. How much power well they are rated 275 on the top end, somewhere in that neighborhood would keep them from clipping and ruining the drivers.

tonyb

fastmatt wrote: »

Listen to them with my avr sounds good hooked them up to my emotiva xpr2 sounded much better. How much power well they are rated 275 on the top end, somewhere in that neighborhood would keep them from clipping and ruining the drivers.

Not entirely true.

One....pay not attention to those manufacturer suggested power usages.

Two....adding an additional amplifier you can still clip, it doesn't give you an unlimited volume control.

You as the user are in the drivers seat. You have to listen carefully at higher volumes for when the music starts to collapse or sound congested . You then know you reached your limits and to turn it down. Adding an amp may give you some clearer, more dynamic sound at slightly higher volumes, but you can certainly still clip depending on that volume dial.