Amp recommendations for my 3.1tl's

BigJim
BigJim Posts: 48
edited January 2005 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I am currently running a Denon AVR-3300 105 wpc x5. I listen to a lot of music in direct mode (SDR SRS 3.1tl's), and I also watch a lot of movies. It has preamp outputs so I believe I can connect an amp to the front channels? I would like at least 200 wpc I guess? I have a Carver CM-1090 that I really like. I use it off the reciever's multi zone to power another room (Niles AT8000's) and outdoor speakers(Polk Atrium 55's). There are a few Carver TFM-35X's on E-bay now and I'd like your opinions on this amp and recommendations on others. I would like to stay under 5 bills!!!

Thanks, Jim.
Post edited by BigJim on
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Comments

  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    edited January 2005
    In your price range, a Rotel RB-990BX might be worth looking into.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • BigJim
    BigJim Posts: 48
    edited January 2005
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39783&item=5745707878&rd=1

    Whats a good price for this?
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,647
    edited January 2005
    Forget THX, it means squat. For some the 990 sounds better, but to each their own. Prices usually run between $400.00 to $500.00 for either.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • BigJim
    BigJim Posts: 48
    edited January 2005
    n/m
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited January 2005
    I like Carver and SDA, sorta like peanut butter and jelly.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited January 2005
    Troy is right.
    Carver and SDA are well matched.
    I'd even go so far as to say they were made for each other.
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  • 2-tall
    2-tall Posts: 98
    edited January 2005
    I am using a carver tfm 24 which is 220 watts per channel .This amp works great with my 3.1tl's.Im also using a Denon av 80 watts per channel as my pre amp.This works great but I have found that the interconnects make a big difference in sound quality
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  • BigJim
    BigJim Posts: 48
    edited January 2005
    I have no idea as to what you use to connect the amp to the receiver.. RCA's??
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2005
    Yup... RCA's are the standard... just please no Monster Cable...

    200 wpc is a good minimum figure... assuming the amp has decent current capabilities.

    While I am a Carver man as well, I am pretty sure your Denon can simultaneously feed both an outboard amp via its pre-outs and its internal amps. If so, don't overlook Denon 2 ch amps for bi-amping your front stage. Should be plenty of 100 - 120 wpc models well under your price cap on the used market.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • BigJim
    BigJim Posts: 48
    edited January 2005
    if i hookup a second amp to the fronts my Denon that it would use both the 105w from it combined with whatever wattage the second amp is? How can I find out if my reciever is capable of this? Thanks
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited January 2005
    Big Jim,

    I have the 3.1TL's and a Denon 3801 (105WPC x 7).
    The little Denon receiver is inadequate to power the 3.1TL's.
    I then hooked my 3.1TL's to a 250WPC Krell system and they really came to life.

    Yes, Krell is overkill for the 3.1TL's. But, likewise, the Denon was way underpowered for such a big speaker.

    Difference was night and day.

    I think the Krell is too clean for the Polk's. Overkill. But, powerhandling-wise, it mates well.

    The 3.1TL is an 8-ohm speaker. Its a pretty light load for any amp. But, at the same time, it is factory rated for 500W.

    I think the 3.1TL's would sing best with 400WPC.

    My two cents.
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  • BigJim
    BigJim Posts: 48
    edited January 2005
    Can I use my receiver's wpc, plus an amp?
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited January 2005
    Big Jim,

    Yes, you could bi-amp the 3.1TL's by removing the jumpers on the back of the speakers. I would run the tweeters off the receiver and the lower-end off the amp.

    But, I'm not sure I'd recommend doing this though.
    My guess is that you will get better sound going 100% through a high power (and, high quality) amp than by bi-amping.

    Now if you want to bi-amp with two external amps (not a wimpy receiver amp), then I'd recommend doing that.

    I would suggest just letting the heat-sink and fan on your receiver take a break by relieving it of the duty of driving your mains. Your other speakers would probably benefit more by having less heat-load by taking the main amp off your receivers.
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited January 2005
    has anyone ever tried a high powered pro amp with sdas?
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2005
    A lot of "Pro" amps, don't really measure up SQ-wise... Power? Yes... Musicality? No...

    Big Jim,
    Not disagreeing with Ron, just offering an alternative.

    To bi-amp, you'd "Y-split" the Denon's pre-amp to amp section jumpers hooking one lead to the AVR's internal amp (as it currently is) and the other lead to the outboard amp.

    Them with your 3.1's binding posts' jumpers removed for each channel, you'd wire the AVR's amp output to one pair of posts and the outboard amp's output to the other. This is a bi-amping set up...

    As suggested you would likely route the lower powered amp (and/ or lower current output amp) to the tweeters (top binding posts) and the higher powered amp to the mid-woofers (bottom posts).
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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