Sunfire Question

doug lang

Curently I am using the 225x5 sunfire amp. It is a fine amp, but I am thinking about an 425x5. With the 225 I do hear more sound, highs and lows. I was wondering if the 425 with more watts per channel, there would be even a greater sound change. I know all things need to be considered and with that said my receiver is an onkyo 989. A very large receiver. As said by some that could be my problem, but I do plan on keeping the onkyo. I have polk lsi speakers all around, and they do sound well. Please if you can let me know about the upgrade. Thanks Doug

faster100

More is always better, and it depends if you think your running out of steam with your taste of loudness, music and movies with the current power.. I don't think you would ever be close to useing/needing 425 watts per channel.. I could be wrong and its IMO..

jmierzur

I don't think that you will get a much different sonic signature change by going with the bigger amp. You are already running 400x5 @ 4 ohm for your LSi speakers.

Considering you have LSi and a very good amp, have you thought about selling the receiver while its value is still high and getting a seperate pre/pro? This may produce the 'greater sound change' you are looking for.

gregure

I agree a better preamp would give you the added detail and noticeable difference in sound quality. A B&K Ref 50 is a good start, as is NAD, Rotel, and if you really want to go expensive, Primare.

ohskigod

definitly a better pre/pro before you go beefier amp, i agree. Keep outlaw in mind. I have the 950 and it performs quite well wityh my Rotel amplification, but since you would be selling the onkyo, youll have more cheddar to spare. Outlaw has a new 990 and i hear good things about it. That, or the options noted above would probably give you more of a noticable performance increase than a bigger amp at this point.

gregure

Forgot to mention the Sherwood Preamp. That's a nice piece as well, and I'm pretty sure it's only like $1500. That's pretty good for a pre of that caliber. I hear the Outlaw 990 is modeled after it and uses many of the same components.

doug lang

I have asked about beefing up my amp and you all come up with the same conclusion. Ok now tell me why or how getting another pre amp will solve my problem. It seems to me I would be giving up more for less. I am quite new to this and with all other advice I did follow. Upgraded speakers to polk lsi, and purchased a new amp to comply with the 4 ohms for the polk lsi speakers. Now I am sure I could sell the onkyo for a fair price, but what exactly would a new preamp give me. Tell me what the technical difference would be for a lesser priced pre amp. Thanks all for your attention, Doug.

Dennis Gardner

Less noise.

dcarlson

I'm not sure what cables you're running but gains can be made there.

doug lang

I am sorry but I don't understand the answer less noise. Can you explain.

Dennis Gardner

Receivers are a compromise in design as you are cramming the electronics of a tuner, preamp, and amp into 1 case. Each piece makes its own type of interference and thus create a higher noise floor that the signal must overcome. But you already know this to be true as you have experienced this with a separate amp. You didn't get a better sound just because of more power in your amp as you are rarely using the added power at normal levels, your sound is cleaner because you separated out the amp from the other electronics in your receiver. Again you shall get an improvement with a separate preamp.

doug lang

Hey Dennis thanks for the reply. I am looking at a sunfire grand
2 digital preamp processor. Would this be a suitable preamp to purchase as you described. I kinda want to stay with sunfire.

Dennis Gardner

I like matching up your pre, and amp. Besides it looks nice to boot!

Don't let the upgrade bug ruin your enjoyment of what is really a nice system you have already put together. Your big Onkyo is really a nice processor and you should be enjoying it.

amulford

Why do you think you need more power? The Sunfire you are running is actually giving your speakers 450 WPC. Do you think you need 850??? If you do, WAY COOL.

louthewiz

I was an old denon die hard fan and I swore that av receivers were all the rave ,but now as I am slowly intergrading myself into separates but what I wanted to share is I had a pre/pro before (outlaw) and I felt that it was a bit out of date and since they took such a long time to release a newer model (the 990) I was a bit impatient. So I said what the hell and I went shopping for an av reciever that had all the bells and whistles with the pre amp ins and outs and the 5790 caught my eye, since I heard many good reviews about it I took the plunge (after extensive auditioning) and to tell you the truth it makes me a happy camper owning this unit ,no background noise ,tons of sound features and THX select processoer to boot and It sounds great. Now outlaw pops up with the 990 and I already made my choice but to tell you the truth I will stay with the Yamaha htr 5790 as my pre/pro with great joy,so my advice to you if your onkyo gives you what you want then why switch.:)

ND13

Lou,

How are those Audiosources doing for you?

louthewiz

I love them they kick some serious butt big time ,I am using the amp 3 to power my 2 infinity towers and I recently switched the amp 100a to power the center channel(160 wpc bridged) and I am using my onkyo for the side surrounds with the 5790 powering the back surrounds and it all sounds very smooth and powerful.

ND13

Originally posted by louthewiz
I love them they kick some serious butt big time ,I am using the amp 3 to power my 2 infinity towers and I recently switched the amp 100a to power the center channel(160 wpc bridged) and I am using my onkyo for the side surrounds with the 5790 powering the back surrounds and it all sounds very smooth and powerful.

That's cool. I thought they would be hard to beat for the $$$.