looking for amp

How bout a B&K ST-1430 II (3 channels, high current output, looks great, 125wpc 8 ohms, 185 wpc 4 ohms).

Ran my setup to its maximum capabilities. I'm going to a 5 channel. 9/10 condition.

If you are not in a hurry, you could get B&K AV5000 Series II for around $340 on eBay or AudioGon.

Wait, save more money, buy used & get a 5 channel.

Amplification is not cheap. This hobby isn't cheap, unless you scrape the bottom of the barrel trying to save bucks. Then you get what you pay for.

Sunfire, Nad, Adcom, Rotel, Parsound, B & K, the list is endless & Audiogon is your friend.

I agree with cfrizz on the 5 channel route. A lot of us that have gone down that path and did the 2 or 3 channel and then eventually did the 5 CH thing. Save some more $ and do it once.

ELSock wrote: »

any recommendations on a good 5 channel amp thats not gonna brake my bank...
and if i'm doing a 5 channel can i adjust the watts per channel or is it an adjustment across the board... i ask cause my center is only rated to 175w, and my mains are rated to 200w, where as my surrounds are only rated to 125w...
thx again for the help

~ELSock~

You don't have to adjust anything in the amp, your speakers will draw whatever power they need.
(edit) You will have to adjust your sound levels in your receiver so your speaker levels match.

As for not breaking your bank, do you have a budget limit?

I'm very happy with my Emotiva LPA1, it's actually configurable for six or seven channels. $500.00 + shipping http://www.emotiva.com/lpa1.html

Or for more power (and$300.00 more) $800.00 + shipping, 5 dhannel. http://www.emotiva.com/xpa5.html

The THX amps like the Carver's and Rotel's are usually adjustable but it is recommended that you leave them all the up. Your speakers are rated well beyond what you will drive your amp at. Your ears will bleed first. Efficiency of the speakers is another matter but your Elite should have a menu that allows each speaker to adjusted +/- any number of db's. The adjustments should be made at the pre-amp, not the amp.

ELSock wrote: »

doesn't hooking the amp up the pre outs on the receiver, cut the receiver power out of the equation? or are you talking volume?

Yes, using the preouts takes the recever amps out of the equation

The volume settings for the speakers is what you will need to adjust.

Sorry for the confusion.;)

ELSock wrote: »

and another question that i have, the emotiva is rated at 125 by 5 channel, is tht really gonna make that huge of a difference over the 110 that receiver already puts out?, or is just a measely little 15 watt increase?

That Elite is a pretty good receiver, you may not notice a difference, even stepping up to the more powerful XPA 5 you may not hear a difference.

Different systems, different rooms, different ears, some people hear a difference, some don't.

There is only one way to find out, try it.
Emotiva does have a 30 day return policy, but I think you have to pay shipping.

your sub has it's own built in amp.

Personally,if it was me,I would not waiste the coin on an amp with those speakers.Your receiver should drive them fine to their capabilities.Up grade the speakers,then buy an amp.You will have to cough up more coin if you want 7 channels of amp for a few hundies.

Why is it considered a waste? All speakers enjoy more power. And once he has the amp it can be used for all other speakers he buys in the future.

I have the Elite 74TX at 140w per ch.I bi-amp my monitor 70's with the pioneer and use a Crown amp to power my LSIC center(4ohms).

malcolmp6 wrote: »

I never noticed and difference powering my system using a 7.1 channel amp and with my receiver. I don't listen to very loud music or at high volumes. My receiver rated at 140wpc was good enough. Returned the 7.1 amp and will never look at any amp again.

I have to ask, what reciever are you using and what speakers are you driving?
You might be suprised to find that some recievers are grossly overrated and that when all channels are driven (at the same time) the power rating drops bad. Your speakers could have been and more then likely giving all they can give and no matter what you might put behind them they have nomore room for improvement in SQ which is what is refered to as diminishing returns. But if you have a hi-fedelity speaker you can hear pretty much everything you change out but even at that level when a hi-quality piece of equipment is swaped for another hi-quality piece the SQ might only change by a small margin. I know cause I have and also alot of people here have been there and put alot of money into things that in the end made not much of a differance.


I would first look at the budget and then the system and if there is something in the SQ that you would like to change. If your not willing or able to spend much you can only expect to get so-much, spend alot, get alot spend alittle, get alittle. Try to narrow down what might be lacking and I found the best way to do that is to listen to a veriety of set-ups and if you hear something you like look at what is in the system. The biggest thing one can do to change the SQ is the speakers and not so much what is driving them unless you already have hi-fedelity speakers in place.

Dave

I have to agree with those who recognize that with the RM50's a receiver will do just fine. Now, if you're planning on changing out speakers in the near future, a new amp would definitely be something to consider. I would also chime in on looking at the Emotiva as a possible choice.