Separate Amp for Center necessary?

Pinktulip7

Is it necessary to have separate Amp for center Channel Speaker?And how do u connect Center Channel with separate Amp since it has only L/R input?

Rocco1

hey pink looks like me and you are doing a lot of stuff on this website.

is your amp running the center right now or your AVR?

cnh

Is it necessary? Maybe. Depends on center, your receiver, and so on. You could probably use a separate amp for that center?

If you already have a 2 channel power amp a number of solutions present themselves--you seem to have more than one there. You could buy a comparable 3 channel amp and move the 2 channel to the surround channels.

You could keep the 2 channel amp and add a mono block for the center.

Or maybe your receiver has enough juice to power your center with no problem. Extra power is needed for larger, lower ohm load speakers as a rule, or speakers with low sensitivity like 86db or less and so on.


cnh

Pinktulip7

No..it is connected to Hk 7300

Rocco1

i think AVR is like 120 per chann?

That is good for regular listening. How often do you crank it up?
I would imagine and you could experience problems at higher volumes.

cnh

Hi Pink..

Do you like the way your center sounds with it hooked up to the H/K because that model has VERY GOOD power. I don't think you'd need a separate amp for the center with that. That's a monster H/K!

cnh

thsmith

I have a CSiA6 center with Denon 2808 AVR. I am driving my mains with Carver TFM-45. I picked up a good deal on a TFM-55x but the right channel has problems so I am running my center off the Left channel and it has made a huge difference in my system.

I like it so much I am going to fix the 55X and Bi-Amp the center.

The dialog is so much stronger and clearer now that the mains no longer overpower the center.

If you have a spare AMP give it a try. I thought my Center sounded good before and since trying a seperate AMP I am sold. The 55x is probably overkill but once repaired it provides a backup for the 45 if it fails or is time to be serviced.

ben62670

If you are running an amp just on the mains, and the receiver on the rest I would say that a center channel amp wouldn't be a necessity. I was running a crazy set of 7 foot tall speakers with 16 mids in each with over 1000watts RMS each channel. When watching a movie I was using my HK 50WPC receiver for surrounds and rears with no problems. You will need to calibrate it from your listening position. I would highly recommend getting a Radio Shack SPL meter and doing it manually. Set the meter to C weighted and slow response.
Ben

cnh

Bi-amping is a great idea if you have that capacity on that center. I would also add that the power that that H/K is putting out is a lot more than the 110 the Denon puts out because the H/K is honestly rated for ALL channels and the Denon is not. The H/K also weighs in at a whopping 55 pounds, over 25 pounds heavier than the Denon. That H/K is more like a Denon 4308 power-wise. So it should be powerful enough....I just saw Ben's post....so there you are!

cnh

Pinktulip7

Csi A6 sounded real good with HK 7300 and I am not watching Movie in reference volume but only in 60 db max (Neighbor!!!)

Rocco1

Pink,

Try a sound test with the center hooked up to the reciever.
first use the jumpers and then try to bi-wire the center.
see if that does anything for you. I know the 6 is not a hard speaker to drive.
If that doesnt do it experiment with one of your amps.
You got to try everything otherwise you will never know.

Pinktulip7

I will try that.................

superjunior

You guys just answered many questions I have, couldn't decide between the emotiva xpa 2 or 3 to drive my front speekers. Will be using a9's for the mains, my receiver should push the csi a6 fine. Sounds more logical to go with the emo 2 at 250 wpc than the 3 at 200wpc for 3 channels.

Toolfan66

superjunior wrote: »

You guys just answered many questions I have, couldn't decide between the emotiva xpa 2 or 3 to drive my front speekers. Will be using a9's for the mains, my receiver should push the csi a6 fine. Sounds more logical to go with the emo 2 at 250 wpc than the 3 at 200wpc for 3 channels.

Go with the 3 channel you will be glad you did + if you end up only using it for 2 channel you will gain more watts there anyway not that you will need it.at least you have the option of the third channel.

danz1906

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

Go with the 3 channel you will be glad you did + if you end up only using it for 2 channel you will gain more watts there anyway not that you will need it.at least you have the option of the third channel.

Agreed, go for the 3channel.

superjunior

My thought was that the extra power from the xpa2 would bennefit the a9s better than the 3, and the receiver would do better only having to push the center and the 4 surrounds. Would that 200w in the center and less 50 wpc in the mains make a huge difference in movies? The only time I REALLY crank it is music. I'm all ears!:):)

Toolfan66

When you are using only 2 channels your gaining about an extra 50 wpc with the 3 channel amp. Really i don't think you will notice any big gain with the XPA-2. If your going to go Emotiva go with the XPA-3 and power your front stage with it.

It's your coin so it's really up to you. If you were building a dedicated 2 channel set up i would be telling you to go with a 2 channel amp but i would also be telling you to go with something besides Emotiva as well. but it sounds like you are using your HT setup for music and movies so in my honest opinion go with the XPA-3 since your looking at Emotiva. It will power your A9's just fine + when your using the XPA-3 as 2 channel for music you have the 250 wpc that you want. Look at the specs below for the XPA-3.

There is one for sale in the flee market here. You can trust the seller as he is a stand up guy and his XPA-3 has had very little use. here is the link.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82306

XPA-3
8 ohm rating:
3 channels - 8 ohm = 200 watts per channel
2 channels - 8 ohm = 250 watts per channel
1 channels - 8 ohm = 300 watts per channel



4 ohm rating:
3 channels - 4 ohm = 300 watts per channel
2 channels - 4 ohm = 400 watts per channel
1 channels - 4 ohm = 500 watts per channel

superjunior

For the most part, my system was pretty much built from the info I've read here as there aren't too many places that carry high end stuff around me. I could't be happier! Thanks for steering me in the right direction. Gonna have to count my pennies and send metal a pm. Thanks
jr

Toolfan66

superjunior wrote: »

For the most part, my system was pretty much built from the info I've read here as there aren't too many places that carry high end stuff around me. I could't be happier! Thanks for steering me in the right direction. Gonna have to count my pennies and send metal a pm. Thanks
jr

Good luck in your quest.


Larry.

Pinktulip7

thsmith wrote: »

I have a CSiA6 center with Denon 2808 AVR. I am driving my mains with Carver TFM-45. I picked up a good deal on a TFM-55x but the right channel has problems so I am running my center off the Left channel and it has made a huge difference in my system.

I like it so much I am going to fix the 55X and Bi-Amp the center.

The dialog is so much stronger and clearer now that the mains no longer overpower the center.

If you have a spare AMP give it a try. I thought my Center sounded good before and since trying a seperate AMP I am sold. The 55x is probably overkill but once repaired it provides a backup for the 45 if it fails or is time to be serviced.

How did u connect Csi A6 with two(2)chanel Amp?

shondoman

how about with an onkyo 803 have all 7 speakers plus one sub playing thru cant the onkyos seperate discrete amps built in do the same as connecting speakers thru seperates ,kind of confused about all this? HELP!!