Recommended amps and preamps for POLK RTI A7s HELP

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daoki
daoki Posts: 32
in Electronics
Hey guys I’m pretty much a newbie to the audio hifi world, it all started a few weeks ago when I received a Denon 2801 amplifier that he wasn’t using. So I decided to get some speakers I got a really good deal on a pair of Polk Audio RTI A7s upon research they are rated from 20 - 300 Watts. I have done a lot of reading from other users and forums that they really need a lot of power to drive to enable to listen to them properly and perform well. Which is also what the seller told me to invest into a good amp and pre amp. I am currently using the Denon 2801 my dad gave me which is only 90 Watts at 8 ohms, I used the amp to test the speakers when I picked them up and the seller was telling me that the amp I’m using is just not cutting it with the A7s probably only performing at 30% performance wise. I’m really new to the audio world guys once again. I just want to get some advice and tips on how amps and pre amps properly work together and are they hard to hook up to one another I notice on the back of my Denon there is a section that’s says pre out and a white and red connector that says left and right im assuming that’s where I would hook up my pre amp? Also another query I have is should I keep my current Denon amp and just get a pre amp with it? What amps or preamps would you guys recommend that would make the pair of A7s perform well? Also if the speakers got the power that they needed would there be a huge difference in sound and quality and where ? I don’t want to spend thousands of dollars but possibly up to $1000 or less just to begin with as I’m fairly new I will probably want to change a few things but I just want to drive these speakers to perform well to truly get the experience of what there capable of. Sorry guys for all the newbie questions and queries . Any help or advice is much appreciated. Thankyou all


Tony
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
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    Welcome to Club Polk Tony!

    Your Denon has preamp outputs, so if it does everything that you want it to do, then just get a separate amp to power your speakers. Parasound and B&K are great amps.

    I always recommend getting a 200wpc amp, because you will hear a clear and distinct improvement to the sound.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,969
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    cfrizz wrote: »
    Welcome to Club Polk Tony!

    Your Denon has preamp outputs, so if it does everything that you want it to do, then just get a separate amp to power your speakers. Parasound and B&K are great amps.

    I always recommend getting a 200wpc amp, because you will hear a clear and distinct improvement to the sound.
    Welcome to CP! And yes! A solid 200+ WPC should hit the “sweet spot” for your A7s. I’m pushing close to 400 in an unconventional fashion and...

    Enjoy! Tony
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,787
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    daoki wrote: »
    Hey guys I’m pretty much a newbie to the audio hifi world, it all started a few weeks ago when I received a Denon 2801 amplifier that he wasn’t using. So I decided to get some speakers I got a really good deal on a pair of Polk Audio RTI A7s upon research they are rated from 20 - 300 Watts. I have done a lot of reading from other users and forums that they really need a lot of power to drive to enable to listen to them properly and perform well. Which is also what the seller told me to invest into a good amp and pre amp. I am currently using the Denon 2801 my dad gave me which is only 90 Watts at 8 ohms, I used the amp to test the speakers when I picked them up and the seller was telling me that the amp I’m using is just not cutting it with the A7s probably only performing at 30% performance wise. I’m really new to the audio world guys once again. I just want to get some advice and tips on how amps and pre amps properly work together and are they hard to hook up to one another I notice on the back of my Denon there is a section that’s says pre out and a white and red connector that says left and right im assuming that’s where I would hook up my pre amp? Also another query I have is should I keep my current Denon amp and just get a pre amp with it? What amps or preamps would you guys recommend that would make the pair of A7s perform well? Also if the speakers got the power that they needed would there be a huge difference in sound and quality and where ? I don’t want to spend thousands of dollars but possibly up to $1000 or less just to begin with as I’m fairly new I will probably want to change a few things but I just want to drive these speakers to perform well to truly get the experience of what there capable of. Sorry guys for all the newbie questions and queries . Any help or advice is much appreciated. Thankyou all


    Tony

    First thing, your Denon is an AVR not an amplifier. The pre outs are for connecting to an amplifier not a pre amp. In that case the AVR becomes the pre amp, but a dedicated pre amp will sound much better. Forget the suggested power ratings for the speakers, it means little. No AVR is capable of providing good sound for 2 channel music. Therefore, I suggest you get a pre amp and amplifier if your main interest is 2 channel music.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • daoki
    daoki Posts: 32
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    Hi guys I found a Denon poa 2800 my only concern is I don’t think it supports optical cable because I could not see any optical ports. But considering thr specs would this be a good amp to drive my speakers Polk rti a7s?

    these are the specs.
    High End Denon power amplifier

    High End Denon Power amplifier model POA-2800 Made in Japan

    Very good condition and Amazing sound(warm open sound and strong power out put)

    This unit build in very big transformer and 4 big caps 18.000Mf each caps

    200 watts pre channel for 8 ohm or 350 per channel for 4 ohm

    Dimension W- 430 D- 410 H-190 18Kg

    Everything working in good condition slight scratches

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  • daoki
    daoki Posts: 32
    edited November 2018
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    Hey guys just wondering if you guys had any recommendations in regards to amps that I could use to drive the A7s together with my Denon that I am currently using making that my preamp. I noticed some of you guys mentioned that getting an amp will make my Denon the pre amp if you guys were in my shoes just beginning getting into the audio world would you guys do? Would you just keep the Denon I’m using on as the preamp at 90 watts and look into an amp at 200watts per channel together?

    What amps would you guys recommend that would give out that 200 Watts per channel I would need. So would that mean my polks rti a7s be getting 290 watts of power to them or only 200? Because I think one of you mentioned to me to get a separate amp to power my speakers? I’m just a bit confused because if that was the case a separate amp to power my speakers say for example if it was a 200 Watts per channel amp and I’m using my Denon as a pre amp which is 90 watts where would these 90 watts be going then? Sorry for the amateurness but all you advice and input guys is much appreciated. Cheers


    Tony
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,678
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    :)
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,787
    edited November 2018
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    Here's a better idea than using your AVR as a pre amp with a separate amplifier. Get a nice integrated amplifier.

    You don't need 200wpc, that's nonsense. There are lower powered amplifiers that will easily outperform higher powered amplifiers. For example a 100wpc BAT amp will outperform a 200wpc Rotel. It's not about watts, it's about current (amperes). Other factors such as the use or not of negative feedback and circuit topology also play a role.
    So would that mean my polks rti a7s be getting 290 watts of power to them or only 200?

    In that situation the AVR is strictly a pre amp, the amplifier section is not used.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,969
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    F1Nut: +1! Yeah I remember a high 100 WPC amp driving them quite well
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga - LCR mids, inside* & out 8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out *soldered LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & “Plugged*” Mids - 981, connected w/MP Premiere ICs Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s *Xschop's handy work
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    hey Tony, what city are you in ? That would help us point you to a decent amp in your area.
    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
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  • daoki
    daoki Posts: 32
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    Hi tony I am from Melbourne australia
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  • daoki
    daoki Posts: 32
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    But I am willing to buy from the USA as long they can deliver to me here in Australia Melbourne
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    Shipping would probably kill ya from the states to down under. Here is a local site for you, check it out to see what's in your budget and let us know what your interested in and we can guide you to what will work well and sound good.

    https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-used+power+amplifier+for+sale/page-2/k0?sort=rank
    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
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