(2 ea) 100 w/ch power amps - vs - (1ea) 200 w/ch power amp ?

Turbota
Turbota Posts: 255
edited May 2012 in 2 Channel Audio
I don't have a firm grasp on audio electronics, so I would like to present to you a comparison. Lets say we have 2 separate 2-channel audio systems here:

#1: One single 2-channel Power Amp rated at 200 w/ch @ 8 ohms .. driving a set of (4 ea) 8 ohm speakers. Were taking about driving a pair of fronts and a pair of rears.

#2: A pair of 2-channel Power Amps rated at 100 w/ch @ 8 ohms each .. with each amp driving a single set of 8 ohm speakers. ( 1 amp driving the pair of fronts, and 1 amp driving the pair of rears).


Do I presume correctly that the (2 ea) 100 w/ch Power Amps, each driving 2 speakers will be same same as having single power amp rated at 200 w/ch driving all 4 speakers?

Anyone of these 2 systems better than the other? ... considering the specs on the amps are exactly the same

Just wondering ..

Ron,
2-Channel Audio
Onkyo ... A-9050 . . .Integrated Amp. (Power Amp Section not Used)
Onkyo ... M-282 . ... Power Amps .(Pair)
Onkyo ... C-7030 . _.CD Player
Polk . . *. RTi A7 - ....Front Speakers
Polk . . *. RTi A3 - ....Rear Speakers
Post edited by Turbota on

Comments

  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,860
    edited May 2012
    The load in the #1 system will not be 8 ohms since 2 speakers are used in each channel. In parallel, they will be a 4 ohm load and in series, they will represent a 16 ohm load. Each load is a large enough difference from the single speaker per channel setup that you may notice a difference in how the amplifier reacts.

    I think the more important question is why you would want front and rear stereo rigs together, unless this is in a car?:smile:
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2012
    He's doing a 4 channel stereo rig, from what I can tell anyway. The 2-2 channel amps is your best bet in that given scenario. Still, I would just go with a good avr for those speakers and a squeezebox touch and your done.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Turbota
    Turbota Posts: 255
    edited May 2012
    Why do I want 4 speakers? .... Well, the other 2-channel system I have in the Philippines has a set of front towers, and a set of rear bookshelves mounted on 30" stands.

    I did a A - A/B test, and the system sounds better (more "open" and "Spacious") sounding when listening with all 4 speakers vs just the 2 fronts.

    I am not audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but I just like 4 speakers running when listening to music ... Seems to fill the room with music better.


    Even the system I had before that ... It was a late 70s era Pioneer Spec 1 pre-amp and a Spec 4 power amp diving a set of Pioneer HPM-1500 fronts. These fronts were massive to say the least. But, after awhile, I also bought a set of JBLs for the rear, and that stytem also sounded better with all 4 speakers running.
    2-Channel Audio
    Onkyo ... A-9050 . . .Integrated Amp. (Power Amp Section not Used)
    Onkyo ... M-282 . ... Power Amps .(Pair)
    Onkyo ... C-7030 . _.CD Player
    Polk . . *. RTi A7 - ....Front Speakers
    Polk . . *. RTi A3 - ....Rear Speakers
  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited May 2012
    You should come listen to some Tool on my rig. No extra pair of speakers needed to get that proper 3D sound behind you.

    To each their own though.
  • Turbota
    Turbota Posts: 255
    edited May 2012
    Oh well ... about all I listen too anyway is MP3 songs I ripped from Limewire (before they were shut down).

    Mostly just 60s-70s oldies, some old country and western swing, and a little easy listening stuff.

    Anyway, I have convinced myself that 4 speakers sound better than just 2.

    Never heard of "Tool"
    2-Channel Audio
    Onkyo ... A-9050 . . .Integrated Amp. (Power Amp Section not Used)
    Onkyo ... M-282 . ... Power Amps .(Pair)
    Onkyo ... C-7030 . _.CD Player
    Polk . . *. RTi A7 - ....Front Speakers
    Polk . . *. RTi A3 - ....Rear Speakers
  • zane77
    zane77 Posts: 1,696
    edited May 2012
    You could use an AVR and run the system in all channel stereo, most have this setting
    Home Theater
    Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
    Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
    Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
    Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
    Two Channel
    Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV
  • BrettT1
    BrettT1 Posts: 560
    edited May 2012
    Turbota wrote: »
    western

    ugh :cry:
  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    edited May 2012
    Never heard of "Tool"

    You should hear of them:wink:
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • Turbota
    Turbota Posts: 255
    edited May 2012
    Western ...
    BrettT1 wrote: »

    ugh :cry:

    So, I would assume you don't like "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys" or "Asleep at the Wheel"?
    2-Channel Audio
    Onkyo ... A-9050 . . .Integrated Amp. (Power Amp Section not Used)
    Onkyo ... M-282 . ... Power Amps .(Pair)
    Onkyo ... C-7030 . _.CD Player
    Polk . . *. RTi A7 - ....Front Speakers
    Polk . . *. RTi A3 - ....Rear Speakers
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2012
    Turbota wrote: »
    Never heard of "Tool"

    Lucky you....they make me want to build a hideout in the middle of the woods.

    You really need to get off the mp3 bandwaggon to gain any more sound quality. If 4 channel stereo rocks your world, then run with it. You seem to also have ONKYO on the brain as your sole source, coupled with MP3's, no speaker or amount of speakers will make that sound any better. Just my .02 of coarse. Also, if 4 channel stereo is your huckleberry, why not get 4 speakers that are the same ? Why the A3's ? You surely don't need a seperate amp for the A3's when the Onkyo 8050 can power those with ease. I guess I'm just still confused on your choices of gear for what you want to accomplish, but hey, I just turned 53, I get confused easily.:cheesygrin::cheesygrin:
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Turbota
    Turbota Posts: 255
    edited May 2012
    Tony ... I just turned 64, so I have been confused for a long time :eek:

    As for using 2 different sets of speakers, I always thought the larger 'dominant' speakers would go up front, while smaller speakers would be used in the rear as 'fill'.

    As far as choosing Onkyo ... Well, the system I have in the Philippines uses an Onkyo integrated amp to drive all 4 speakers. I liked the sound, so I thought I would just buy Onkyo again. They don't make the amp I have in the Philippines anymore, so I had to find something different.

    However, my choice of using 2 separate power amps was probably not thought out very well.

    Here is a photo of the 2-channel system I have in the Philippines. You can only see one of the Mission (UK) rear speakers, but you get the idea. Again, to me, this system sounded really good (to my half-deaf ears), so I thought I might buy the same basic set-up here in the US.

    ListeningRoom1.jpg


    This is a photo of the components I used to have here in the US, but unfortunatly I gave it all away when I moved to the Philippines ... This was a big mistake, but I had nowhere to store it. I still really like the stuff they made back in the late 70s. In fact, you could go into any miliary BX / PX store on base and see all kinds of amps, tape decks, turntables, speakers, etc on display. Now all you see is a handful of home theater recievers.

    I guess 2-channel audio is pretty much dead as far as the average consumer is concerned.

    PioneerSpec14.jpg
    2-Channel Audio
    Onkyo ... A-9050 . . .Integrated Amp. (Power Amp Section not Used)
    Onkyo ... M-282 . ... Power Amps .(Pair)
    Onkyo ... C-7030 . _.CD Player
    Polk . . *. RTi A7 - ....Front Speakers
    Polk . . *. RTi A3 - ....Rear Speakers
  • PreCd
    PreCd Posts: 786
    edited May 2012
    If I had a room like that for a rig it would be a nice two channel setup for music and then go with rears for HT. Seeing how much space you have there tells me you have a great amount of room for a nice sounding system. You may just need to re-arrange the furniture a bit.
    SDA2BTL
    Marantz CD5004
    Adcom GFA-545
    Bottlehead Quickie Tube Preamp
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2012
    Nice looking setup there Turbo, nice room too. Well if Onkyo is blowing your skirt up, then run with it. Most would chose 4 identical speakers for a music only 4 channel system, but hey, it's not written in stone anywhere either. Hope it all works out for you.

    64 huh....knock on wood bro, as long as your healthy the rest of this crap means diddly squat.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited May 2012
    If I can make a suggestion...

    Take your front towers, move them in about 2-3 ft each end, decrease the toe-in and try that. Your front stage looks to wide in comparison to your seating position. How far back do you sit from the front?

    Also your rear speakers look to have a slight toe-in facing the front stage? If so, that can't sound that good...?
  • Turbota
    Turbota Posts: 255
    edited May 2012
    Drenis wrote: »

    How far back do you sit from the front?

    Drenis ..

    I sit on the couch ... You can just see the side of the couch right next to that end-table you see that sets close to the rear speakers.
    2-Channel Audio
    Onkyo ... A-9050 . . .Integrated Amp. (Power Amp Section not Used)
    Onkyo ... M-282 . ... Power Amps .(Pair)
    Onkyo ... C-7030 . _.CD Player
    Polk . . *. RTi A7 - ....Front Speakers
    Polk . . *. RTi A3 - ....Rear Speakers
  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited May 2012
    Yes I saw. But do you know the distance?

    Sometimes the preference is to have the speakers the same distance apart as they are distance to the LP. This is not ALWAYS common but a great basis to start at. I would still move those towers in a bit and straighten them out.

    Those bookshelves should either be behind you facing you or facing the LP instead of the front stage as it appears.