Anthem mca50 powering Polk FXi3?

just_visiting

Would I blow my Fxi3, which is 150w max power handling, if I power it with an Anthem MCA50 amp which is a 180w X5? Thanks alot.

michael_w

It's possible, but then you could blow your fxi's with many amps whether or not they put out 150 watts.

Just drive them reasonably (don't push them super hard or if you hear them struggle at least back off a little) and you should be fine with any amp you get for them.

Try not to get caught up too much in wattage. For normal listening levels you probably only use a watt or two anyways.

just_visiting

I'm currently running the Fxi3 off a Denon 3805. My volume is usually around -18 to -30.

ohskigod

as long as you cant hear the speaker breaking up or struggling, you'll be fine.
remember, its actually easier to blow a speaker underpowering it than overpowering it.

ohskigod

if you got that anthem driving rears, what do you got driving the rest

just_visiting

ohskigod wrote:

if you got that anthem driving rears, what do you got driving the rest

Right now I have the Anthem MCA50 driving all 5 speakers. Planning to add a 2channel amp down the road if I decide to setup a 7 channel system. I wasn't sure if it will blow my rears/surrounds. I'm using a Denon 3805.

ohskigod

your all good bud, cant see you having problems.

just_visiting

ohskigod wrote:

your all good bud, cant see you having problems.

Thanks alot for your help. When I move into my new home, I'll be setting up a 7.1 system by adding in a set of RTi6 for the rears.

Also 1 more question, is it a good option to use a set of towers for the rears? I might use the RTi8 as rears and get a set of RTi10/12 for the fronts.

ohskigod

thats not a bad plan, plenty of people run tower surrounds. gives you something to do with the 8's if you upgrade your fronts to 10's or 12's. saves you the trouble of buying stands, as long as you have the floorplan figured out, i.e. where you can put the towers and not have the wife want to stab you in the eyeballs (if WAF is a factor for you) then go get em, its not a bad idea at all.

just_visiting

ohskigod wrote:

thats not a bad plan, plenty of people run tower surrounds. gives you something to do with the 8's if you upgrade your fronts to 10's or 12's. saves you the trouble of buying stands, as long as you have the floorplan figured out, i.e. where you can put the towers and not have the wife want to stab you in the eyeballs (if WAF is a factor for you) then go get em, its not a bad idea at all.

Would using a pair of LSI15 for the fronts timbre match the RTi8/Csi5/FXi3?

ohskigod

just_visiting wrote:

Would using a pair of LSI15 for the fronts timbre match the RTi8/Csi5/FXi3?

no, but your an LSiC away from having a timbre matched front soundstage , matching to surrounds is not nearly as important as having the fronts match up

your Anthem should power the LSi15's no sweat too. you can let it fly without the LSiC for a while, thats what god created later upgrades for.

of course, you can run the LSi15's in 2 channel a bit to really appreciate them. they are a great speaker, and if they are in your budget, I say snag it. Unlike others looking to step to the LSiC, you allready have the amplification issue down pat.

ohskigod

actually, after further thought, you might consider selling the RTi8's then getting the LSiC with the funds. I would venture a guess that LSi15 mains with a LSiC center and the FXi surrounds in a 5.1 set up would be a little more rewarding than 7.0 with the RTi8's and no LSiC center. for many, this wouldnt be the casebecause of amplification (I'd tell you to stick with RTi if you had a reciever), but, as I said, you dont have that problem with the Anthem. plug LSi's into that thing all day and you'll be A OK