Thread: Amp vs. receiver: What do you use for multichannel amplification?

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Post by buckshot December 3, 2007 (11 of 19)
apspr said:

Hi folks,

Another question as I inch toward a multichannel setup for SACD (mostly orchestral but other classical, jazz, and pop as well), and secondarily, for home theater.

I was contemplating a decent receiver for all my amplification needs (like Onkyo SR 805 or a comparable Denon). But as I was talking to the owner of one of the local hifi stores, he expressed concern that given my current 2-channel amp (DK Design VS-1 Reference Integrated, 160 watts p/c, retailed for about $3K), any receiver I swapped in would be a serious decline of the sound quality in 2-channel (for CDs, which I do listen to a lot of).

I know it's almost a professional responsibility for any hifi guy to turn his nose up at a receiver, so I would take this with a grain of salt, but he didn't try to sell me anything. He could have gone in the opposite direction when he heard what I wanted, and pushed the Yamaha multichannel receiver he stocks. But he said that nothing, not even receivers costing 3K, would get close to the quality of 2-channel power I'm getting from the DK.

So that got me to wondering-- maybe what I need is a higher-quality multichannel integrated amp, which I could probably stretch to if used. Audiogon shows not many of these -- Anthem, NAD, Primare -- there must be a few others.

Then I thought, OK, maybe I need a separate multichannel power amp and preamp. Saw some nice-looking power amps from Lexicon, Bel Canto, Krell, etc. Here price does become an issue. And there seem to be many fewer multichannel preamp/processors than there are multichannel power amps-- why is that?
__________________________________

So I'd like to hear from as many folks as possible on these questions:

1. What do you use for MCH amplification for SACD?

2. Your opinion on a current-model $1000 receiver with HDMI and all the trappings, etc. vs. an older hifi multichannel integrated amp -- for SACD audio primarily-- and do you recommend any integrateds of this type?

3. If you use separates, what type of preamplification do you use with your power amp?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Tim

I have an onkyo sr605 that I use for all my a/v components. my ps3 on 1 hdmi input, hd cable box & oppo 980H sacd dvda player on the other (via hdmi switcher), my ipod dock in the dvd input, and my turntable on the aux rca input. it performs exceptionally with all of them (less the oppo which is on its way now).

Post by lucas December 4, 2007 (12 of 19)
I have extended my T+A set Stereo integrated amp with a multichannel preamp/3 channel amp just for the purpose of playing MCH SACD
http://my.hifi.nl/index.php?user=3926
This way I preserve the 2 channel High end quality.

Ron

Post by FunkyMonkey December 4, 2007 (13 of 19)
lucas said:

I have extended my T+A set Stereo integrated amp with a multichannel preamp/3 channel amp just for the purpose of playing MCH SACD
http://my.hifi.nl/index.php?user=3926
This way I preserve the 2 channel High end quality.

Ron

Doesn't that mean the 3 non-main channels have different soudn characteristics to the other channels? Not good for SACD, acceptable for movies.

Love your speakers by the way. Banish those plants though!

Post by lucas December 6, 2007 (14 of 19)
The DD1230 output stages for the centre channel and the rear loudspeakers are identical to those used in the high-end R-series PA 1530 power amplifiers. So the sound charateristics for all chanels are identical.

Ron

Post by Windsurfer December 7, 2007 (15 of 19)
lucas said:

I have extended my T+A set Stereo integrated amp with a multichannel preamp/3 channel amp just for the purpose of playing MCH SACD
http://my.hifi.nl/index.php?user=3926
This way I preserve the 2 channel High end quality.

Ron

Ron,

Could you tell me more about the T+A electronics? I tried to Google that "T+A" and came up with nothing that resembled hi fi gear. I would like to know more. Is there a website you could direct me to?

Thanks,
Bruce

Post by Joerg Schlüter December 7, 2007 (16 of 19)
Windsurfer said:

Ron,

Could you tell me more about the T+A electronics? I tried to Google that "T+A" and came up with nothing that resembled hi fi gear. I would like to know more. Is there a website you could direct me to?

Thanks,
Bruce

Hi Bruce,

here the site: www.taelektroakustik.de

Greetings

Joerg-Thomas

Post by Windsurfer December 7, 2007 (17 of 19)
Thank you!

Post by Bobpaule December 12, 2007 (18 of 19)
Oppo980 > Yamaha RX-V3800 > Sherbourn monoblock x 5 biwired mains/center to Paradigm Reference v100 front stage + Adcom 5channel for 2 Athena dipoles (surrounds in SACD) and 2 Athena monopoles + HSU VTF3 sub.

My version of the teleportation machine to another better place :)

Post by FunkyMonkey December 13, 2007 (19 of 19)
Bobpaule said:

Oppo980 > Yamaha RX-V3800 > Sherbourn monoblock x 5 biwired mains/center to Paradigm Reference v100 front stage + Adcom 5channel for 2 Athena dipoles (surrounds in SACD) and 2 Athena monopoles + HSU VTF3 sub.

My version of the teleportation machine to another better place :)

Great stuff. Do you use analogue output from the Oppo or HDMI, i.e. does the Yamah process DSD?

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