Amping L and R but driving center and surrounds with the AVR

McCelery
McCelery Posts: 123
edited July 2007 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Hi all,

I'm looking for a decent AVR that can drive the center and surrounds itself, while sending a preout signal to a Carver 2ch amp for the mains. Ref: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54945

Before I dive into that, I want to make sure I'm thinking about this right. To be clear, I can simply connect the speaker outs from the AVR to the center and surrounds. Then I run the preouts to the Carver and connect that to the speakers. It's that simple, right? And they all run at basically the same loudness level even with different power supplies? Or is there something I'm missing.

This is something I've taken for granted and realized I might end up with significantly louder L and R signals than the Center when watching 5.1 movies.
And no, I can't afford a 5.1 dedicated amp :D
Post edited by McCelery on
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Comments

  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited July 2007
    It's that simple but you will still have to calibrate your levels with an SPL meter.. They most likely will change.
    Sharp Elite 70
    Anthem D2V 3D
    Parasound 5250
    Parasound HCA 1000 A
    Parasound HCA 1000
    Oppo BDP 95
    Von Schweikert VR4 Jr R/L Fronts
    Von Schweikert LCR 4 Center
    Totem Mask Surrounds X4
    Hsu ULS-15 Quad Drive Subwoofers
    Sony PS3
    Squeezebox Touch

    Polk Atrium 7s on the patio just to keep my foot in the door.
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  • McCelery
    McCelery Posts: 123
    edited July 2007
    Would I do that by setting the AVR to give the center +1, +2, etc. to match the L and R? Or would I need more equipment?
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited July 2007
    I do the same thing now driving the fronts with 400w x 2 with the center and the rear surrounds off the AVR being 110w (NOT but that what is states). What I needed to do for the 2 channel sound modes is set the Front L & R as 0 then set the others for balance, I'm thinking C +5, RL +3, RR +5 YMMV. Just need to use a sound meter after adding the amps to readjust everything.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited July 2007
    enjoy your rig after you get it set up.

    RT1
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  • jwhitakr
    jwhitakr Posts: 568
    edited July 2007
    Agree with those who already said that you should calibrate everything with an SPL meter once you get it set up. You can mix and match amps along with your AVR in any configuration you want, and then use an SPL meter to calibrate everything so that the sound level is consistent across all speaker channels.

    If you use your system for mostly watching movies, I would seriously consider getting an external amp for your center channel speaker also. The L+R speakers are certainly important, and carry a lot of the sound for movies, but the center channel speaker is really the workhorse in 5.1 movies.

    I bought a couple of 2-channel amps about 2 months ago, and played around with using them either with 1 amp bridged to the center (150W bridged) and the other amp to L+R (50W / channel), or an amp bridge to the left and an amp bridged to the right and driving the center plus the 2 surround channels with my AVR...and I preferred using the 1 amp bridged to the center set up. Driving the center channel with lots of power just sounded better to me.

    Good luck with your search for a new AVR and getting your system set up.
    My HT
    HDTV: Panasonic PT-61LCX65 61" Rear Proj. LCD
    AVR: Harman Kardon AVR 235
    Video: 80GB PS3, Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD
    Fronts: Polk Audio RTi8
    Center: Polk Audio CSi3
    Amp: Emotiva LPA-1
    Surrounds: Polk Audio R150
    Sub: HSU STF-3

    The only true barrier to knowledge is the assumption that you already have it. - C.H. Dodd
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  • McCelery
    McCelery Posts: 123
    edited July 2007
    That's a good idea...I bet I can get a fairly inexpensive 2ch amp that's bridgeable to a reasonable power for the center.

    Wait a minute...how did buying an amp just cost me buying a new AVR and another amp?!?!?!?
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  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited July 2007
    McCelery wrote: »

    Wait a minute...how did buying an amp just cost me buying a new AVR and another amp?!?!?!?


    HAAAAAAAAHAAAAAA. Welcome to our world. You're being sucked into a new hobby. :)
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited July 2007
    hook up the Carver to your front left and right.. and yes you can run your center and surrounds off the avr.. if you want to you can always get one mono block amp for the center... so as to even out the power going to the front soundstage. most mono block amps are pretty inexpensive.. look at the older Marantz MA500 on ebay for about $120 or so. or the more powerful MA700 for a bit more. then that is all you need
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited July 2007
    Don't get suck in by these guy's trust me ;) if I can get my Front L & R 400w match my Center avr 110w joke. You don't need a center amp.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • jwhitakr
    jwhitakr Posts: 568
    edited July 2007
    McCelery wrote: »
    That's a good idea...I bet I can get a fairly inexpensive 2ch amp that's bridgeable to a reasonable power for the center.

    Wait a minute...how did buying an amp just cost me buying a new AVR and another amp?!?!?!?

    It's a slippery slope, this hobby ... :D

    Let us know what you end up getting and how it turns out!
    My HT
    HDTV: Panasonic PT-61LCX65 61" Rear Proj. LCD
    AVR: Harman Kardon AVR 235
    Video: 80GB PS3, Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD
    Fronts: Polk Audio RTi8
    Center: Polk Audio CSi3
    Amp: Emotiva LPA-1
    Surrounds: Polk Audio R150
    Sub: HSU STF-3

    The only true barrier to knowledge is the assumption that you already have it. - C.H. Dodd
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  • new_audio
    new_audio Posts: 6
    edited July 2007
    McCelery wrote: »
    That's a good idea...I bet I can get a fairly inexpensive 2ch amp that's bridgeable to a reasonable power for the center.

    Wait a minute...how did buying an amp just cost me buying a new AVR and another amp?!?!?!?

    :p

    My Sony A/V cost me $550 but my Outlaw 7500 costed me $1700. Fortunately, my wife doesn't know about HT stuff.
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  • McCelery
    McCelery Posts: 123
    edited July 2007
    Well I just bought one of the HK AVR-235s from Harmon Direct on Ebay. Pretty universal praise for this unit so I'm excited to get it and see how it matches up with everything. I've never had the mic calibration or even on-screen display it provides so this will be good for me :)

    Okay, no more buying in 2007. And that's final!!









    Unless it's a really, really good deal.
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