Adding a stereo amp to my system

[TheRooster]

Hi All

I just wanted some advise please. I am currently running my Tannoy Revolution surround speakers (DC6T, DCC6 centre and DC4 surrounds) through my Denon X6400H amp. I am shortly going to be changing out the DC6T for MA Gold 200 G5, and to get the most of these speakers I guess I am going to need to buy a dedicated stereo amp to power them rather than my Denon....that said the Denon AV amp is a high end £2.3K model....

My concern is my room. I listen to music with the Auddassey turned 'On' as when I put the amp in 'Direct mode' my room really struggles, the speakers sound wooly and boomy and lack any kind of life. My concern is if I buy a dedicated stereo amp then I will have little to no control regarding room correction. I appreciate that I could go through the pre outs of the Denon and thus use the auddessey but from what Ive read that is not the way to go for music

What are your thoughts please ?

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Hi There, think you have posted something similar or someone had a very similar question.

Lets tackle Auddassey first well any of these calibration systems. I find if the amp has one these systems they are purpose built from the ground up to use them. So leaving it turned off the amp will sound lifeless, A kin to a raw photo with no contrast and grading applied. Hence the dull sound when in direct mode, and in my experience they're all the same from all the brands, with out the EQ engaged they all sound sound pop. And I find a lot of what these system will sort out what you can do with proper placement of the speakers. No room is lifeless and we all have troubles but the EQs will really only do so much good placement is still Key and tacking the time to level them up and make sure there equal distances form the walls . But having said that there are some stereo amps with EQ built in NAD m10 ( think that's the model)

The next thing, people can get there nickers in a twist about and shout conspiracy !

But a comparatively priced stereo amp will sound a lot better than the AV amp. I've owned several AV amps and god knows how many stereo amps, heck some costing far less than the AV amps, such as a NAD 320bee, it blew the barn doors off any AV up to around 1500-2k and what was that NAD 2-300 quid amp at the time (think I got it on sale for 150) and that was 20 years ago when you got more for your money and my 17 year old self could hear the difference ( yes I worked my A@£s off to pay for this stuff). Thats my experience and people can argue till they're blue in the face but those where/ are my findings. And still in this day and age up to price you still have to compromise. It's simple really there so much going on inside and AV amp that you have to spend a lot more for the same sound.

Im not saying your Denon will not sound good but it will be (and make no mistake about it) outperformed by dedicate stereo amp for music and vs versa for films. Mind you I don't mind Sugden for films and don't feel I really miss anything and I gain a tidier room. But that's just me.

For your MA's id look at a Roksan as there now part of the MA group and will probably use there amps in house for there development. Specifically the Roksan Blak.

Those are my findings take it or leave. Have fun auditioning

 

[TrevC]

Im not saying your Denon will not sound good but it will be (and make no mistake about it) outperformed by dedicate stereo amp for music and vs versa for films.

Where on earth do you people get these peculiar ideas from? If you have another amp you will need more stereo speakers too, unless you devise a method of switching them over. You can't connect two amplifiers together, they will blow each other. The Denon is fine as a stereo amp, in fact it's better because it has room correction. Think of it as a quality stereo amp with extra channels.

 

[TheRooster]

Where on earth do you people get these peculiar ideas from? If you have another amp you will need more stereo speakers too, unless you devise a method of switching them over. You can't connect two amplifiers together, they will blow each other. The Denon is fine as a stereo amp, in fact it's better because it has room correction. Think of it as a quality stereo amp with extra channels.

I do believe you can connect a stereo amp by using the 'pre outs' of the av amp. This will then send all the L&R info to the Stereo amp via RCA cables.

 

[Deleted member 188533]

Civility please gentlemen. Lets remember that tone and intent don't always translate through the internet.

Your advice is pants, Mr Nickers.

Even if I don't know what the hell that means. It doesn't translate to American very well. But I think underwear is involved.

 

[jonathanRD]

I do believe you can connect a stereo amp by using the 'pre outs' of the av amp. This will then send all the L&R info to the Stereo amp via RCA cables.

Just to re-iterate - the additional 2-channel amp must have AV bypass or sometimes referred to as unity gain.
And I assume that you can apply audyssey to the resulting sound.

I would get your new speakers in place first and set up using audyssey. Try them out both with it on and in direct mode. Only then get a 2 channel amp on home demo. Run the 2 channel amp directly into your new speakers and see whether there is a difference.

The Denon is a fine AV amp and you may find that your room is affecting the sound which is being improved with EQ from audyssey. But you will need to experiment first.

 

[rainsoothe]

as an expert.

I smiled.

 

[Deleted member 188533]

Apologies to the OP of this thread who didn't post here for a bunch of off topic bickering. Please don't judge the quality of the forums based on that.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Very sorry for this