Which Amplifier to choose is running dual subwoofers?

[jayukguy147]

Firstly I have a Emotiva Gen3 3 channel power I have spare. I tried to sell but was offered peanuts, so I would like to keep/use.

My speakers Tannoy precision 6.4 and I've just bought 2x Rel TX7's

I'm looking at the Arcam SA30, as I would like Dirac, but I can't help but feel, that if I'm going to use the Emotiva, that the SA30 is overkill.

Am I best to look to buy a pre amplifier?.... My source is 100% tidal, so would like MQA

I'm also thinking of buying something used and buying a minidsp to allow Dirac that way.

Is bass management important as I'm running dual subwoofers?... Im guessing bass management is more AV receiver isn't it?, Or have you seen BM on 2 channel amps?

I have really enjoying my Nad T778 and Emotiva combo for music, but as I'm planning a home cinema setup it makes sense to swap the T778 out and buy something more stereo focused.

I have up to 2k to spend

Any help is appreciated

 

[Al ears]

Best is an AVR that are set up for some things although dual subwoofer is, to my mind, unnecessary and difficult to utilise even with an AVR.
Why do you need two??
Perhaps a really good think about a sufficient set-up is required before you go and buy stuff?

 

[jayukguy147]

I've read having dual subwoofers takes the loud off my floorstanders and will open the soundstage more... I had spare funds from selling bits and decided on the Rels.

Your probably correct regards thinking before buying, unfortunately I drink whiskey and that's when things get ordered.

I'm committed now and would like to purchase something to help with the dual subs, if anyone can advise?

 

[Al ears]

I've read having dual subwoofers takes the loud off my floorstanders and will open the soundstage more... I had spare funds from selling bits and decided on the Rels.

Your probably correct regards thinking before buying, unfortunately I drink whiskey and that's when things get ordered.

I'm committed now and would like to purchase something to help with the dual subs, if anyone can advise?

Strange that, i do like a whisky too.....
Bass, as it goes is not directional so in a smallish room there's no need for dual subwoofer. Whatever the sales rep says.....
You have also found out its a tad tricky amplifiers wise.
Keep one sell the other....
Hopefully someone else can advise otherwise.......

 

[Dom]

Strange that, i do like a whisky too.....
Bass, as it goes is not directional so in a smallish room there's no need for dual subwoofer. Whatever the sales rep says.....
You have also found out its a tad tricky amplifiers wise.
Keep one sell the other....
Hopefully someone else can advise otherwise.......

I prefer a Jack Daniels an Coke. As for the sub-woofer, they are omnidirectional at a guess, mate.

 

[Al ears]

I prefer a Jack Daniels an Coke. As for the sub-woofer, they are omnidirectional at a guess, mate.

And this helps the OP?

 

[jayukguy147]

With dual subs and wanting to use Dirac, I'm reading that independent sub outs only seem to be available on AV receivers and not 2 channel stereo amps.

Unfortunately my T778, even if I wanted to use that with Dirac, offers 2x subs out, but they don't work independently.

Yep..... I should of researched better.

Does anyone know much about minidsp's ie being able to eq subs with Dirac?.

Maybe a professional install might be better for me and the subs can be eq'd via their dials.

Unfortunately, I'm not that advanced in this area.... Talk about all the gear, no idea!

 

[Deliriumbassist]

Multiple subs are absolutely a benefit.

If set up in conjunction with a high pass filter for the main loudspeakers, then yes, that will take the load off the main speakers, and most importantly the amplifier powering those speakers. It's essentially giving the amp more headroom.

If in dual mono configuration, so the subs are playing the same thing, then you can use sub placement to 'fill in the gaps' created by standing waves in the room. Two subwoofers would be placed asymmetrically, so that they fill in each other's dips and cut off each other's peaks.

If in stereo - well, whilst bass is omnidirectional, there is no actual consensus as to at what frequency the spatial properties of bass becomes a non-issue. 80Hz is the one that is often bandied around, but some research has suggested it may be as low as 50Hz. But with either, there's going to be considerable overlap with the main speakers, and in my experience, going stereo subs are a significant uptick - assuming the work has been put in.

 

[andybebbs]

Have a look at the Lyngdorf TDAI1120 which has room correction and will integrate your subs very easily and does all your streamimg in one box.

 

[Dom]

And this helps the OP?

No and I don't know how to answer the OP's question. Sorry Al ears.

 

[treesey]

I suggest a 'musical' bias AVR - I chose to do this but I also risked 2nd hand, so that I could buy a 'high-end' AVR, the musical abillty of which should match a good stereo-only amplifier.
....so that's Arcam or Anthem or various other AVRs that have got it 'right' at different points over the years - Yamaha, Nad, Marantz, Pioneer, etc etc.
I chose a Pioneer SC-LX87 which I researched as being at the time an AVR that got it 'right', for about 2k GBP new.
Pioneer use a room/speaker correction system called MCACC which will run automatically to calibrate the system for your room, and then allows you to tweak it.
It also has (far too) many one-button choices for how the input is treated - simply put you can have a cinema bias (vocals, effects, surround, centre-speaker, etc etc) or a musical bias, which can be simple stereo, include SW, surround sound, and proper 5.1
...and 5.1 music is specifically what I wanted to achieve. It also has 2x SW output.

But then so does my 2010 Yamaha, which is also a musical AVR, but significantly cheaper, being older, less powerful and with less modern features.

But for you, with 100% Tidal as your input, a more modern AVR would be easier, and the Pioneer has those modern features, wifi,/ethernet, DLNA, bluetooth, everything I think?

And you can watch the telly through it as a bonus.