875 Pre Amp Advice

[admin_exported]

Hi all

I am currently running the Onkyo 875 with the B&W 685 Home Theatre system. Movie performance is amazing, I don't however think music is particularly great (nowhere near as good as my old mans arcam setup). Because of this, I am looking to add a stereo amp to my setup, namely the Arcam A90. My CD player is the Arcam CD92. Can someone advise me of the best setup for this (in simple person terms)? Am I right in thinking I should plug a standard interconnect into my Onkyos Pre Amp Out and connect it to the arcam amp, with the CD player connected directly to the arcam? How much of an improvement in music quality should I expect? Thanks for any advice, much appreciated!

 

[ALTANPSX]

I assume that A90 is a integrated stereo, your connection description is right. When you want to listen music, you just turn on the A90. When you want to watch a movie, you should open both of the amps.(front speakers to A90)

 

[Anonymous]

I've got it set up now, and it sounds great. However I have one problem-to change to CD from AV and back again I have to click in/out a little switch on the back of the Arcam (telling it whether to be an integrated or a power amp). Any way to avoid this-would I lose any sound quality by passing the CD through the Onkyo? Cheers folks.

 

[margetti]

I've just bought an 875 on the basis of setting up as you describe - it was one of the "must have" requirements when choosing an AV amp, and precluded AV amps at half the price. I've researched the subject extensively, and whilst I can't give you my first hand experience, the advice I've repeatedly received is that (a) yes, that's how you set up the stereo amp with the 875, and (b) yes, you will receive a significant improvement in stereo performance.

Hope that helps...ÿ

 

[daveh75]

well i think you should be leaving the arcam in intergrated mode tbh, this will eliminate the problem, gerrardasnails wrote a very good post on how to set it up properly, i'll see if i can find it as he explains it more consisely than i could

edit- here you go, try this thread, but there's many more if you do a search

 

[Anonymous]

so where you advised on what stereo amp would best partner the onk given that you obviously still us it for movies?

 

[margetti]

'Twas on this very forum (several months ago), based on my existing stero amp. This was backed up by reading (but not posting) other forum websites.

In a nutshell, it was pointed out that a sub-£1000 AV amp was never going to compete with a £400+ stereo amp when it came to stereo performance...ÿ

Gander:

so where you advised on what stereo amp would best partner the onk given that you obviously still us it for movies?

 

[Anonymous]

daveh75:

well i think you should be leaving the arcam in intergrated mode tbh, this will eliminate the problem, gerrardasnails wrote a very good post on how to set it up properly, i'll see if i can find it as he explains it more consisely than i could

edit- here you go, try this thread, but there's many more if you do a search

I see-thanks for your help. I had the AV Amp connected to the Power Amp in on the Arcam, I wasn't aware you could just connect it to any spare input. For anyone who is doubting the difference adding a stereo amp makes, don't, it's incredible.

 

[Anonymous]

Margetti, i understand the principle but was asking what stereo amp had been recommended to use with the onk, one that would integrate well when using the system for movies.

Any ideas anyone?

Cheers

 

[daveh75]

from the post's i've seen, people are using whatever stereo's amp's they have, not seen any specific advice as to pairing's tbh

 

[Anonymous]

shame

 

[professorhat]

I'm not sure it matters - I think as long as the stereo amp matches the front speakers for music listening, that's the most important bit. When it comes to 5.1, I'm pretty sure the AV amp is doing all the driving of the speakers and the stereo amp just acts as a pass through so it doesn't need to be compatible. That's how I understood it anyway - not my specialist subject so happy to be corrected...

 

[Anonymous]

I bet the amps auto eq would help get the tone similar for 5.1 use anyhow, after all thats its job to get the speakers integrated...my only advice is if possible use an amp with unity gain it saves a lot of faffing around

 

[Anonymous]

So I have neat motive's, would any naim amp be a good match up?

I thought that the speakers would adopt the sound of the stereo amp when using it for movies?