Help with amplification!!!

DannyD

Hello all HT Pros.

I'm new to HT and needless to say I'm instantly addicted. It's become an oppsession it's almost scary. I currently have RTi10's for fronts, CSIA6 center, RTIA3 for surrounds and a psw10 sub all powered by a Harman Kardon AVR247. I'm confused about adding an additional amplifier. My AVR is rated at 50watts/ch. Does that mean each speaker is receiving 50watts of power? My rti10s can handle up to 300watts. Does this mean they are only getting 50 watts and can handle 250 more. If I added an amplifier that was rated at for example 75watts per channel...would that mean that now the speakers would be getting 75 plus the 50 from the receiver for a total of 125 watts/ch? I'm confused on how it all works. Judging from the speakers I currently have, is it worth it for me to purchase an amp...will it knock my socks off with the difference it would make or am just hoping. Any recommendation for a multi channel amp I'm assuming for a reasonable price? Budget is an issue. Hope to here from someone soon...I caught the HT bug!!:eek:

engtaz

Well, your AVR has pre's out for 7.1 external amping. I would suggest adding amplification for front L & R and center channel. 50 watts is not much at all. You could go various routes. 2 ch and mono channel amps or 3 mono amps, 3 ch amp, 5 ch amp, or 7 channel amp. General thought is if you go with external amps (which I suggest) start at 200 wpc.

Good Luck,
engtaz

hearingimpared

Welcome to Club Polk Danny!

tonyb

Well.once you use an external amp,the amp section in the receiver is not in use at all.Unless you just want to add a 2 or 3 channel amp and let the receiver take care of the surrounds.So,no,you do not add the wattage from the receiver and a amp together.No doubt the rti 10's could use some more juice to make them sing.Whats the budget? Plenty of cheap 2 channel amps out there.

daboyz

Where's Cathy:D


Must add amp,unequivically.(Always wanted to use that word). The difference is night and day.

DannyD

I would like to possibly spend between 300 and 600 dollars for an external amp. Does a good amp with plenty of power (say around 150-200wpc) exist out there for around this price? Which brands do you recommend and where are the best places to find amps a good price. I'm very unsure about buying from ebay because I don't trust buying electronics from ebay. Someone could swap internal compnents and I wouldn't even know it.

cfrizz

Welcome to CP Danny.

The best place to get a used amp in that case would be Audiogon. Look for Parasound, Rotel, Outlaw Audio, Sunfire, B & K, Adcom.

It is very much worth it adding separate amplification in the 200wpc range. It is easier to damage your speakers with too little power rather than too much.

Take your time, do some research & save more money, & just get a 5-7 channel amp & be done with that particular upgrade once.

I speak from experience, I started with a 2 channel amp, then got a mono for my center speaker & finally just got the amp that is in my signature. If I had known then what I am recommending to you now I could have been very content 4 years ago!

DannyD

Thanks for the advise cfrizz. I was just about to post this but maybe you can help. I'm confused over the difference between an amplifier and a preamp. How do they differ and what is the responsibility of a preamp? I was researching online but I'm still confused. What do you think of emotiva?

jayman_1975

If you added an external amp and let it power the speakers....then your HK would become a preamp. And/or Processor. Right now...your HK is handling pre/pro duties as well as amplification duties all in one chassis. Separating the duties between an amp and preamp into 2 different chassis is better because each can do it's own job more efficiently then one trying to do both jobs. No matter how good you think your reciever sounds...until you add an external amp to the mix...you won't know what we are talking about. But when you do....you will feel like a kid on chrismas morning....it's sweet.

This amp would give you "perma-grin"

edossin4

Look on ebay for an adcom gfa 545. It has 100 watts per channel. You can get one really cheap and it
will last forever.

Those things are great. Look up a couple of reviews on audioreview.com. For the money it can't be beat. I just
got an Adcom gfa 555 (200 watts/channel) for $378 (with shipping).
I'll bet you can get a 545 for $250.

onthefenceman

DannyD wrote: »

Thanks for the advise cfrizz. I was just about to post this but maybe you can help. I'm confused over the difference between an amplifier and a preamp. How do they differ and what is the responsibility of a preamp? I was researching online but I'm still confused. What do you think of emotiva?

Danny, the easy way to think about it is that a preamp is essentially for volume control and switching between components, but all at very low voltages. The power amp the takes this signal and multiplies (amplifies) it into a high-power signal that has the juice to move the speaker elements.

These days the line is blurred because receivers combine this functionality into one box.