Lsim 705 setup. Can integrated amp worth with AVR? or do I need power amp

Hey Guys,

I have a Lsim 705 setp up for movies/music, with rears and surrounds, connected to marantz avr 7012. however I feel the avr is unable to drive the 705's and/or 706 , so currently I am just using 703s as fronts. I need to buy a power amp, Can you guys suggest if it is okay to buy an integrated amp instead of power amp to connect to an AVR? I can get a really nice used integrated amp M6 500i on a decent deal and it sounds great by itself! However I am not sure if the int amp will perform the same while connected with an avr marantz 7012, will it produce the same sound quality , or will the 7012 will act as preamp, and reduce the sound quality. I have a feeling this may be the case, in that case should I just opt for a power amp, such as emotiva or Rotel or yamaha, not a whole lot of options in my region.

Basically I need to know the advatages and disadvantages of using int amp versus a power amp when paired with an AVR.
Would appreciate your expertise.

Thanks

Comments

  • Inspector 24
    Inspector 24 Posts: 1,308
    Disadvantage. Separate volume controls. Makes setup more complex and touchy. Just spend your money on separate power amps. You’ll get more bang for your buck, easier setup, better sound. Don’t be afraid to investigate used gear. Many great amps out there would do all you need and then some for relatively little money. Look for 200wpc amps.
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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Look for high current amps.

    Fixed...
  • simm
    simm Posts: 562
    edited October 2019
    I am running the 705’s, 706, and 703’s with a Yamaha A3000 receiver with no issues. I’m sure a separate amp would be an improvement but that is for the future. I’ve been running these speakers for a couple of years.
  • Just easier to get a separate power amp. Otherwise you’ll need an integrated with a main in and those are not all that common nowadays.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    as stated, the easiest route (and a good one) is to get a plain old power amp and use the preouts from your receiver. This is simple and will yield a nice improvement over your receiver alone if you get a good amp and decent interconnects.

    If you listen to a lot of 2 channel music, a nice integrated will sound much better than even your high end AVR. But, as jeremy states you need some with a fixed line input. Nowadays this is most commonly referred to as home theater bypass, because that's why most people (like yourself) want the fixed input. It is also sometimes called power direct input or main in. All of these inputs are fixed level, they disable the volume control in the integrated and allow your AVR to control the volume, but since its a integrated, when listening to 2 channel music your AVR is off and out of the chain, allowing for higher fidelity.

    A couple examples off the top of my head:
    1. Cambridge AZUR 740a, 840a, 851a
    2. Denon PAM-1500ae
    3. Yamaha A-S1100
    4. Parasound Halo Integrated
    5. lots of musical fidelity integrateds

    While there are more out there, it is MUCH easier and cheaper to just get a power amp.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
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  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    edited October 2019
    I agree, get an amp. There is a Parasound floating around that would be nice.

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/188314/parasound-hca-1203-3-channel-140-wpc#latest
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
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  • Sorry, I can only provide you with a link to the power amplifier.

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    Morandsa reported spammer
  • pawelmwo
    pawelmwo Posts: 137
    Add Outlaw 2200 monoblock to the list. Using 3 in pre-out to my 705 and 706c. Work great no complaints. Around $150 used per unit.
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    I run a Marantz PM8006 with an AVR using it in "power amp direct" mode. I use it in "source direct" mode for music. It's a pita but it works. I didn't go with a power amp because I didn't want to play music through the AVR.
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,573
    Introducing a integrated amplifier makes no sense. I think your overthinking your suspected idea.

    Sure Monoblocks or a direct drive Amplifier will change things. Better? No idea, it’s your sound

    Bad? More cables.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    talha wrote: »
    Hey Guys,

    I have a Lsim 705 setp up for movies/music, with rears and surrounds, connected to marantz avr 7012. however I feel the avr is unable to drive the 705's and/or 706 , so currently I am just using 703s as fronts. I need to buy a power amp, Can you guys suggest if it is okay to buy an integrated amp instead of power amp to connect to an AVR? I can get a really nice used integrated amp M6 500i on a decent deal and it sounds great by itself! However I am not sure if the int amp will perform the same while connected with an avr marantz 7012, will it produce the same sound quality , or will the 7012 will act as preamp, and reduce the sound quality. I have a feeling this may be the case, in that case should I just opt for a power amp, such as emotiva or Rotel or yamaha, not a whole lot of options in my region.

    Basically I need to know the advatages and disadvantages of using int amp versus a power amp when paired with an AVR.
    Would appreciate your expertise.

    Thanks

    Is THIS the AVR you own now?

    https://www.us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=avreceivers&ProductId=SR7012
  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    simm wrote: »
    I am running the 705’s, 706, and 703’s with a Yamaha A3000 receiver with no issues. I’m sure a separate amp would be an improvement but that is for the future. I’ve been running these speakers for a couple of years.

    Tough call. Our better yamaha receivers seem to run fine with a whole home theatre set up, but I get a better (read expensive) power amp might be better for sure, his is rated fairly decent for an AVR, and claimed to be good even with 4 ohm loads and so on.

    Not High power im sure when running several channels, but IMHO, dual subs would benefit the deep bass, AND at the same time, reduce the bass load on the AVR a great deal.
    SO much in fact that running 5 channels bass limited would be cake.
  • talha
    talha Posts: 6
    Hey guys,

    Thank you for your advice. I mainly watch movies, but occasionally like to listen to my music as well, I feel the pre amplification in my av receiver will deteriorate the quality of sound even if I use a high end int amp/power amp, any thoughts?
    Is there anyway to avoid preamplification from av receiver while watching movies, and have the pre amplification done on a separate pre amp unit.
    I am leaning towards musical fidelity amps
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    What would be the source for music listening ?
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  • talha
    talha Posts: 6
    Currently it's my laptop, or phone, in the long run i might get a turntable/dac.
    The musical fidelity models I am looking at are M6s PRX, M6 500i, M8s-500, I am worried that the Musical Fiedlity amps might not a fair match with the Marantz 7012. Since the avr use extremely economical components.
    I am debating whether it's worth it to buy a high end power amp, since marantz preamp , will have significantly attenuated the sound before it reaches the output stage (power/int amp), making the power amp not as effective. This is why I was considering the int amp, to completely switch to the int amp for music listening every once in a while.
  • Inspector 24
    Inspector 24 Posts: 1,308
    edited November 2019
    talha wrote: »
    Hey guys,


    Is there anyway to avoid preamplification from av receiver while watching movies, and have the pre amplification done on a separate pre amp unit.
    I am leaning towards musical fidelity amps

    Of course but why?? You’d be switching cables and settings every time? Why would you not just use the receiver as a pre/pro, get a separate amp and run them with good power all the time? No switching, no futzing just good sound.

    Tha 7012 is fine as a pre. Is there better? Absolutely. Will a separate amp still make your speakers sound MANY times better, double absolutely.

    You’re overthinking this ****. Get yourself a meaty 200wpc separate amp and party.
    Up
    LSi15 LSiC - RX-V3000

    Down
    LSiM707 - 706c - 702f/x - Dual HSU VTF-15H Mk2
    Parasound HCA-3500 - HCA-2003A - Marantz SR7005
    Sim2 D60 - Dragonfly 106" Panny 500