Cable for Separate amp hookup.

McLoki

General question - what cables do you recommend for hooking up the pre-outs from an AVR to a separate amp?

I do not have much money to spend and was wondering if a set of component video cables would actually work well in place of standard audio cables. (hooking up fronts and center so the 3 channel thing would work out well).

I assume that the component video cable would be designed to carry more information than an audio cable and was curious if it would work well for audio too.

Thanks for your help - New amp supposed to be arriving today!! (can't wait)

Michael

hamzahsh

Use Analog RCA cables. I use Monster THX Ultra interconnects for my Adcom GFA-7605 5-ch amp and Acoustic Research HT Pro Series for my NAD C272 2-ch amp.

Now If your budget doesn't allow you to buy Monster cables. There are many other high quality audio cables available. Make sure to use gold-plated ones.

Tour2ma

Welcome to the Club...

Yes, for starters you can use the stock video cable you have laying around be it component, composite or whatever. Ditto any stock RCA interconnect(s) you may have in a drawer somewhere. Any of them will get you going...

Later when funds allow, you may want to wander up the wire food-chain and see if you can notice a difference.

What amp are you adding to what rig?

McLoki

I currently have a set of Polk LSi7's (thanks brett), an LSiC center channel (purchased on sale/last years model from American ($275 - couldnt beat it) and am running RM6600 rear speakers. (left over from the upgrade.)

I had a pair of LSi15's I was going to use as front speakers but given my placement challenges, I got about the same sound from the 7's with a sub - so the 15's are going back until I get a better room setup. (i.e. real theater downstairs)

Electronics - Onkyo 777 AVR is the old mainstay that I purchased to run the RM6600 speakers. It actually does a pretty good job. When I purchased the LSI speakers, everyone said I needed more power/current than my AVR could supply, so I purchased a used (from audiogon) Cinepro 3k6 amp. (6 channel amp - only 4 channels are working right now though) output is 350 watts/channel @8 ohms. 500 watts/channel @ 4 ohms - 1100 watt peaks @ 4 ohms. (max of 120amps/channel)

Odd thing is, I was expecting alot from this amp given the specifications, but it is really not that much louder than my AVR. (have not really cranked it yet though - when AVR is set to "40" it sounds about the same loudness. (after adjusting the AVR front levels from 0 to -5 db to compensate for the amp)) The sound is much cleaner at a higher volume though. As you turn it up, you hear things as clearer, but it doesn't really register as louder. I know it sounds strange but that is the way it seems so far. (just hooked it up tonight) I only have the front speakers running though the amp right now. (only have one spare interconnect) but plan to run the center channel as well though it and power my sub with it. (6600's will stay powered by the AVR until I get the 2 additonal channels fixed.)

Any brands I should be looking at for interconnects that have a high bang for the buck factor?

Thanks for your suggestions,

Michael

Tour2ma

Originally posted by McLoki
As you turn it up, you hear things as clearer, but it doesn't really register as louder. I know it sounds strange but that is the way it seems so far. Michael

Far from strange... It is exactly what you should hear. For a given SPL your Cinepro is working at a lower percentage of its output than your Onk, so distortion is lower. Power is not about breaking eardrums... at least not entirely...

Cheap RCA IC's are all over ebay. One fellow is selling AR's cheap. Up the food chain a ways is Signal Cable , still popular around here. Affordable, but not cheap. There are many other moderately priced IC's you can read about here, or others will chime in with.

Save your self some mulling by stating what is your budget for IC's, the length you need, etc.

McLoki

Well I ordered 3 cables (RCA) from www.bluejeanscable.com came to a total of $46.50 with shipping and seem to be nice cables.

Thanks for all your help.

Michael

BTW - New amp is AWESOME>....