Need help understanding pre-out on an amp

Polkie918
Polkie918 Posts: 245
edited December 2008 in Electronics
I posted earlier about deciding on an amp, alot of people said makr sure u get one with preouts.....

I always thought your receiver was your amp and that was it....now with the preouts I can add an additional amp to get more power?

How much do those cost...I am 100% new to adding an additional amp so any info at all would be great.
Fronts- RTi8
Center- CSi5
Rears- FXiA4
Sub- Velodyne 12"
Onkyo TX-SR806
Ps3
Xbox 360
65" DLP 1080P Toshiba TV
Post edited by Polkie918 on
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Comments

  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited December 2008
    Yes, the receiver does have an amp but some people and speakers demand more power. And yes, it can sound better. Cables (IC's) go from the preout on the receiver to the amp and then the speaker cables connect to the amp. How much - depends on your requirement and how deep your pockets are. List your speakers, other gear and $$$ you would spend and you will get great advice from the folks here.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited December 2008
    The amp does not need Pre outs, but you receiver does;)
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • Polkie918
    Polkie918 Posts: 245
    edited December 2008
    My pockets are not deep at all....I have

    csi3
    rti8
    fxia4
    velodyne sub

    right now a avr247 receiver but its giving me problems.

    now does the extra wattage make it sound LOUDER or just better cause there is more power......
    Fronts- RTi8
    Center- CSi5
    Rears- FXiA4
    Sub- Velodyne 12"
    Onkyo TX-SR806
    Ps3
    Xbox 360
    65" DLP 1080P Toshiba TV
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited December 2008
    The HK's had some problems earlier, but they should have had that fixed. What kind of problems are you having? Is it still under warranty? The extra current of an external amp makes it cleaner, and more solid. You need to double your watts to gain 3db. The HK's 50wpc is better than most other store brands 110wpc.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • Polkie918
    Polkie918 Posts: 245
    edited December 2008
    I think something is wrong witht he HDMI.....like when I watch my DVR and I click to fast forward...with each click I can hear popping through the speakers.....also if I have a dvd paused for a bit the speakers will just start popping non stop until I play it again.....

    The HK does not have True dolby HD DTS HD or any of that new stuff.....if I watch blu rays dont I want that?
    Fronts- RTi8
    Center- CSi5
    Rears- FXiA4
    Sub- Velodyne 12"
    Onkyo TX-SR806
    Ps3
    Xbox 360
    65" DLP 1080P Toshiba TV
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited December 2008
    Polkie918 wrote: »
    I think something is wrong witht he HDMI.....like when I watch my DVR and I click to fast forward...with each click I can hear popping through the speakers.....also if I have a dvd paused for a bit the speakers will just start popping non stop until I play it again.....

    The HK does not have True dolby HD DTS HD or any of that new stuff.....if I watch blu rays dont I want that?

    I think the digital signal being in pause is causing the poping sounds you hear. since once you play it again, the popping stops. same with fast forward, some DVR's or DVD's actually "scrub" the digital audio track, and it catches the digital signal going at speeds it can't decode..so you get bits, pops, sharp clicks, peeps, beeps, chirps, etc. ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • Polkie918
    Polkie918 Posts: 245
    edited December 2008
    so u are saying thats pretty much normal?
    Fronts- RTi8
    Center- CSi5
    Rears- FXiA4
    Sub- Velodyne 12"
    Onkyo TX-SR806
    Ps3
    Xbox 360
    65" DLP 1080P Toshiba TV
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  • klove2
    klove2 Posts: 38
    edited December 2008
    I also had that same problem with the 247 which is the reason i returned it. No It should not make that clicking sound when you dvd player is in stop mode. They have had this problem for quiet some time now and i thought they had a fix for it but i am not sure. Your best bet is to research the internet and this forum to find any info on the subject.
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited December 2008
    Everybody is full of freakin' opinions, but nobody takes the time to teach the guy something.

    A receiver IS an amp. It's also a preamp and AM/FM tuner.

    A receiver is a compromise. Receivers came along after power amps and preamps. They are a convenience, by way of having all those pieces on one chassis. Each receiver has at the very least, a preamp stage, a power amp stage, and the radio tuner stage. If you had no radio/tuner stage, your receiver would be an integrated amplifier and not a receiver.

    If your receiver has Pre-outs, you can substitute a more powerful (or just different) power amp stage. If you have Main-Ins as well, you can substitute the preamp stage with something different or better.
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  • klove2
    klove2 Posts: 38
    edited December 2008
    I was not trying to teach him anything because i don't know that much about diffrent stages of amplification. I was simply giving him my own expereince with that reciever and the information i had relating to that specific problem. .
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited December 2008
    Well done George.

    Klove, George wasn't directing his comment to you. It was aimed at the long timers who know the differences and didn't bother answering the main question.

    LOL! :D That happens alot around here.:D I remember asking a question & instead of it being answered it somehow went off into a tangent about TUNERS!:eek::confused::D It may very well have been the same question you asked!

    And it was either wonderful George or Jesse who finally answered it! LOL THANK YOU!
    George Grand wrote: »
    Everybody is full of freakin' opinions, but nobody takes the time to teach the guy something.

    A receiver IS an amp. It's also a preamp and AM/FM tuner.

    A receiver is a compromise. Receivers came along after power amps and preamps. They are a convenience, by way of having all those pieces on one chassis. Each receiver has at the very least, a preamp stage, a power amp stage, and the radio tuner stage. If you had no radio/tuner stage, your receiver would be an integrated amplifier and not a receiver.

    If your receiver has Pre-outs, you can substitute a more powerful (or just different) power amp stage. If you have Main-Ins as well, you can substitute the preamp stage with something different or better.
    klove2 wrote: »
    I was not trying to teach him anything because i don't know that much about diffrent stages of amplification. I was simply giving him my own expereince with that reciever and the information i had relating to that specific problem. .
    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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  • bluecomet
    bluecomet Posts: 1,118
    edited December 2008
    I am glad George answered that question. I too was wondering about external amplifiers. I just have one question. If your receiver such as a Kenwood KR 9600 is rated at 160 watts and you wanted to use an amplifier for more power, when you plug in 200 watt amplifier, are you adding 200 watts plus the 160 of your receiver or are you bypassing the receiver and you just have the 200 watts from your amp. Thanks.
    Polk HT system 1: LSIC, LSI25 mains, LSI F/X rears, Lsi F/X rear centers,
    Yamaha RX-V2500 System, Carver A753 3 channel amp.

    Polk HT system 2: , SRT system with f/x 1,000's rear speakers on 7.1 system currently using Onkyo TX-RZ820 receiver, powered by Sunfire Grand Theater amp

    Polk Speaker collection: SDA SRS 1.2tl x 2, SRT system, SDA SRS 2 P/B, SDA 2A, SDA 1C Studio, SDA CRS+, Monitor 7B & 4, SRS 3.1tl, RTA 15tl, LS90, LSI 9
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    bluecomet wrote: »
    I am glad George answered that question. I too was wondering about external amplifiers. I just have one question. If your receiver such as a Kenwood KR 9600 is rated at 160 watts and you wanted to use an amplifier for more power, when you plug in 200 watt amplifier, are you adding 200 watts plus the 160 of your receiver or are you bypassing the receiver and you just have the 200 watts from your amp. Thanks.

    I asked this same question once upon a time! And the answer is- You'll have 200 Watts!! Once employing the pre-outs you bypass your internal amp.
    Damn I hope thats correct, sure would hate to get yelled at :D
    Drew
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited December 2008
    You are correct Drew. You have learned well!
    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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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited December 2008
    cfrizz wrote: »
    You are correct Drew. You have learned well!

    Thanks my fellow Red Sox fan!
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