Need help selecting AV rcvr for Polk 4ohm speakers

mnawalters

Hello,

I have installed in-walls and subs for a home theater as detailed below:
(1)LC265i - center
(4)LC65i - F,L, RF, RL
(2)LC80i - SF, SL
(2)Klipsch 12" subs.

I need to purchase a 7.1 receiver that will drive this. I first tried a yamaha and it kept kicking out on power safe. I read it was only good for 6-8 ohms so I went out and purchased a Sony ES that stated it could handle 4 ohms - however, this unit kicked out as well.

I then tried a Denon 3806 receiver (from recommendation from home theater store) which worked up to -20dB, then kicked out anything louder than that. I set the speakers to small with a 80Hz crossover. The unit does state 6-8 ohms so I am thinking of taking it back for a unit that actually states it can handle 4 ohms.

Does anyone know of a receiver that can drive these speakers?

tonyb

B&k Avr 307 Or 507

cfrizz

Keep the Denon & get one of these:http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/7200.html

You have already found out the hard way that receivers by themselves have a hard time driving that kind of a load, especially since you like to crank it. And you have already tried one that said it could handle 4ohm speakers & it failed. So help your receiver out with a separate amp.

louthewiz

Or you can get a used 5 channel amp like a carver or 7 channel amp that can handle 4 ohms or whatever your budget allows ,a good place to shop for an amp is www.audiogon.com which always have some pretty good deals in the classifieds on new and used poweramps....

also look at this bargain for example

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampsmult&1165449066

cmy330go

There are plenty of good receiver options. But my tip is to get rid of the Klipsch sub!:D

cfrizz

Since you have a complete set of LSI's I wouldn't get an amp that's less than 200 watts per channel.

Look on Audiogon for Rotel, Parasound, Outlaw, Sunfire. That's just a few, the list is endless!

amulford

If you are set on a receiver, there are only a few capable of doing it. They won't be cheap.

B&K, Sunfire, and a (very) few others. I personally have a Sunfire, ad I cannot say enough for it. But my HT has 8 Ohm speakers.

Another optio is to do as Cathy said and get an amplifier and use your current AVR for processing.

okiepolkie

I would almost think there is a short somewhere within the system, as it has done this with several different receivers.

I agree that the LSi's need more power, but they shouldn't be shutting down every receiver. There are a lot of people using receivers with the speakers, and have had relatively few problems.

Try hooking up a single speaker at a time to see if it does the same thing.

Lsi9

Id buy a used preamp and amp for the price of a new receiver

louthewiz

I would redo the speaker wires and make sure there is no shorts...

cfrizz

The key to this whole thing is this statement right here.

"I then tried a Denon 3806 receiver (from recommendation from home theater store) which worked up to -20dB,"

If everything is calibrated, then the receiver is being pusHed HARD! If he had 8ohm speakers he would be fine, but even then his receiver would be hot as hell! Since the poor thing is pushing a full LSI series at that level of course it's going to go into protect mode.

We have seen people come on here with this problem time & time again!

He needs what you guys lovingly refer to as a MAN AMP of no less than 200 wpc & more if he can afford it!

Sheesh at least be consistent!:rolleyes:

MSALLA

What about one of the recievers from rotel? The amp section in the one I saw at the local dealer was pushing a set of 4ohm Totems. I didn't check out the model.

cfrizz

A Rotel receiver can do it. However, as you noted it was driving just 1 pair of speakers, not 7! Driving a full load of LSI's will put a strain even on a Rotel receiver.

I still say he is better off getting a separate 7 channel 200 wpc or more amp.

MSALLA wrote:

What about one of the recievers from rotel? The amp section in the one I saw at the local dealer was pushing a set of 4ohm Totems. I didn't check out the model.

Sherardp

Sony 9000es/7100es