mjcmt
Seeker Of Truth
Posts: 7 
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Post by mjcmt on Mar 23, 2017 20:18:56 GMT -5
My HT system is a simple 3.1 system, but will add two rear surround speakers in the future.
I have a Yamaha Aventage A-740 7.1 receiver.
(Rated Output Power (20Hz-20kHz, 2ch driven) 90 W (8 ohms, 0.06% THD)
Would adding the Emotive A-500 power amp for the the front 3 channels be of any benefit in sound quality?
(Power Output (all channels driven) 80 watts RMS per channel; 20 Hz - 20 kHz; THD < 0.1%; into 8 Ohms)
Lastly, would I benefit more by using the $500 investment and stepping up to a Yamaha Aventage receiver higher up the food chain?
Thanks to all.
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Post by vcautokid on Mar 23, 2017 20:38:25 GMT -5
Yes, and yes. We have to remember most AVRs are hard pressed to deliver their rated output power all channels driven from 20hz-20khz. The A-500 delivers all channels driven. Not just 2 channels such as the Receiver example you shared. A note about the AVR. It is a machine of many things going on at once. A computer, a Tuner, A Preamplifier, Processor, and so on. Also it has to be built at a cost. So something has to give. The power performance of this AVR, and others is prime example of that compromise. For better or worse, it is a reality of making something do it all.
The A-500 only has to do one thing. Be an Amplifier, and that is all. Nothing else takes away from its resources to allow this Amplifier to perform at its best. It is like juggling 2 balls vs. say 10 balls. So it is the fact the power supply for instance is driving the various stages of the amplifier only with reserves to spare vs. the AVR that is tasked with so much, that there is not much left over to allow the amplifiers inside to do what a separate dedicated amplifier does.
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Post by rbk123 on Mar 23, 2017 23:11:22 GMT -5
The A-500 will outperform any AVR. Hands down.
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Post by rvsixer on Mar 24, 2017 9:19:15 GMT -5
I'd say in this particular case, the A-500 would be a definite upgrade.
Regarding the blanket statement that all AVR's cannot and do not have killer amp sections because they do other things well too, I have to disagree. There are many out there that will mop up the A-500 spec (and measurement) wise, it all depends on design and $$$. For instance my own very mid-level Yamaha A-1020 *measured" output is 114WPC two channels driven 0.1% distortion @ 8 ohms, and 64WPC five channels driven, so quite comparable (remember when watching a movie usually only one channel is severely taxed at any one time, sometimes up to three, but rarely all five unless you run large full range surrounds). That A-1020 only cost me $50 more than an A-500.
But I still hung a 300WPC amp on the mains LOL.
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Post by rvsixer on Mar 24, 2017 9:26:53 GMT -5
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Post by repeetavx on Mar 24, 2017 9:59:20 GMT -5
Whoops, rvsixer is right. There is no pre-outs. The "AV Outs" only mirror analog inputs. Anything from a HDMI input will not appear there.
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mjcmt
Seeker Of Truth
Posts: 7
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Post by mjcmt on Mar 24, 2017 15:26:10 GMT -5
Your right, I can't upgrade amp section. Sadly I'll have to purchase a better avr for more clean power.
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Post by rvsixer on Mar 24, 2017 16:26:36 GMT -5
Or ditch the AVR, and get a MC-700 and A-500. Then next time processor or amp upgraditis hits you just need to replace one (not both like an AVR upgrade).
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Post by copperpipe on Mar 24, 2017 17:42:16 GMT -5
...remember when watching a movie usually only one channel is severely taxed at any one time, sometimes up to three, but rarely all five unless you run large full range surrounds... I'm not sure why you think that. There are tons of movies where explosions are happening and that is definitely feeding much more than just 1 channel. Eg, "black sails", "master and commander" etc etc. In fact I'd sooner say the opposite; if you have one channel "being taxed", you more than likely have multiple channels "being taxed" at the same time. Or maybe I just watch different movies than you  |
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Post by rvsixer on Mar 24, 2017 18:39:42 GMT -5
...remember when watching a movie usually only one channel is severely taxed at any one time, sometimes up to three, but rarely all five unless you run large full range surrounds... I'm not sure why you think that. There are tons of movies where explosions are happening and that is definitely feeding much more than just 1 channel. Eg, "black sails", "master and commander" etc etc. In fact I'd sooner say the opposite; if you have one channel "being taxed", you more than likely have multiple channels "being taxed" at the same time. Or maybe I just watch different movies than you First off, explosions are handled mostly by LFE and bass managed lowpass so not part of this discussion, the on-topic amp in question only has to carry any non-bass managed or highpass channel content. Second, nowhere did I state only one channel is fed at any one time. What I was talking about was LCRS channels. I find the center usually carries a majority of the movie so that's the one channel being taxed (with the mains and surrounds usually carrying much less content/power), and in loud scenes the center and mains come on in full force (that's the three channels being taxed, and only in instances the mains are run full range). |
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Post by creimes on Mar 24, 2017 19:54:03 GMT -5
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hemster
Global Moderator 
Particle Manufacturer
...still listening... still watching
Posts: 51,951
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Post by hemster on Mar 24, 2017 20:51:11 GMT -5
^While it is possible it may not be the best option, IMHO. I prefer as few components as possible in the chain - fewer possibilities for things going wrong (loose connections, etc).
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Post by rbk123 on Mar 24, 2017 21:22:40 GMT -5
There are many out there that will mop up the A-500 spec (and measurement) wise, it all depends on design and $$$. For instance my own very mid-level Yamaha A-1020 *measured" output is 114WPC two channels driven 0.1% distortion @ 8 ohms, and 64WPC five channels driven, so quite comparable No they won't. Mainstream AVR specs are always overstated and completely unreliable. There isn't a receiver out there, including yours, that will have the detail, the clarity, the authority and the tight bottom end that the A-500 has. |
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Post by copperpipe on Mar 25, 2017 8:18:50 GMT -5
I'm not sure why you think that. There are tons of movies where explosions are happening and that is definitely feeding much more than just 1 channel. Eg, "black sails", "master and commander" etc etc. In fact I'd sooner say the opposite; if you have one channel "being taxed", you more than likely have multiple channels "being taxed" at the same time. Or maybe I just watch different movies than you First off, explosions are handled mostly by LFE and bass managed lowpass so not part of this discussion, the on-topic amp in question only has to carry any non-bass managed or highpass channel content. Second, nowhere did I state only one channel is fed at any one time. What I was talking about was LCRS channels. I find the center usually carries a majority of the movie so that's the one channel being taxed (with the mains and surrounds usually carrying much less content/power), and in loud scenes the center and mains come on in full force (that's the three channels being taxed, and only in instances the mains are run full range). Explosions don't stop at 80 hz They go much higher than that (turn off your sub and see just how much sound is still going through the rest of the channels). Gunshots, car chases etc, any kind of action movie is going to stress pretty much all channels at one time, when the sound gets intense. Yes, the center channel is incredibly important, and where the bulk of the sound is coming from the majority of the time; but that's something different. My point is, for the small amount of time in the movies when the sound gets intense, you will be stressing the rears (so not just 3 channels up front) as well. If you don't believe me, watch the cannon ball scenes in something like Master and Commander with yours subs and front + center off. |
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Post by drysdale on Mar 26, 2017 11:06:31 GMT -5
There are many out there that will mop up the A-500 spec (and measurement) wise, it all depends on design and $$$. For instance my own very mid-level Yamaha A-1020 *measured" output is 114WPC two channels driven 0.1% distortion @ 8 ohms, and 64WPC five channels driven, so quite comparable No they won't. Mainstream AVR specs are always overstated and completely unreliable. There isn't a receiver out there, including yours, that will have the detail, the clarity, the authority and the tight bottom end that the A-500 has. |
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Post by drysdale on Mar 26, 2017 11:26:27 GMT -5
The problem I have with those that make blanket statements about audio gear is: Have you actually heard the amps and done side by side comparisions? (very unlikey). Also, people have different size listening rooms with different acoustic properties and they have different speakers, etc. Some speakers are hard to drive while others are not. Some amps will do well in one listening environment while others will not. One size fits all statements seem to be at best wishful thinking.
I'm seriously considering buying the Yamaha Aventage 1060 in a few months. Until I get it home and connect my Polk Audio RTI A5s, A1s, and CSI A6, I don't know if it has adequate power to power them optimally, or if I need to add at least a 2 channel power amp for the fronts. Time will tell. But I do know that my RTI/CSI speakers are very easy to drive. I also know the higher end Aventage AVRs have received very favorable customer and professional reviews. Are they accurate or over-hyped? I'll know once I get it home. Maybe the Emotiva A-500 would be a tremendous improvement in both power and sound. I do not know yet! I would need to get it home and audition it.
Please forgive me for not being all knowing and not being able to pre-judge the plethora of audio equipment covered in blanket statements without ever hearing it! I can only do my homework and make my best guess judgement before buying and hope for the best. Hence the 30 day return option. I bought a Yamaha R-S500 receiver to drive my RTI A5s and did not know until I hooked it up if it would work out for me! I was surprised and relieved to find a great budget receiver that was easily able to drive my A5s.
If I was on trial, I would ask my lawyer to dismiss uninformed, know it all, and prejudicial jurors from the jury pool. Would you do the same? If you are a know it all, would you please share with me the winning lotto numbers for the next upcoming powerball lottery? Lol.
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Post by creimes on Mar 26, 2017 13:24:19 GMT -5
The problem I have with those that make blanket statements about audio gear is: Have you actually heard the amps and done side by side comparisions? (very unlikey). Also, people have different size listening rooms with different acoustic properties and they have different speakers, etc. Some speakers are hard to drive while others are not. Some amps will do well in one listening environment while others will not. One size fits all statements seem to be at best wishful thinking. I'm seriously considering buying the Yamaha Aventage 1060 in a few months. Until I get it home and connect my Polk Audio RTI A5s, A1s, and CSI A6, I don't know if it has adequate power to power them optimally, or if I need to add at least a 2 channel power amp for the fronts. Time will tell. But I do know that my RTI/CSI speakers are very easy to drive. I also know the higher end Aventage AVRs have received very favorable customer and professional reviews. Are they accurate or over-hyped? I'll know once I get it home. Maybe the Emotiva A-500 would be a tremendous improvement in both power and sound. I do not know yet! I would need to get it home and audition it. Please forgive me for not being all knowing and not being able to pre-judge the plethora of audio equipment covered in blanket statements without ever hearing it! I can only do my homework and make my best guess judgement before buying and hope for the best. Hence the 30 day return option. I bought a Yamaha R-S500 receiver to drive my RTI A5s and did not know until I hooked it up if it would work out for me! I was surprised and relieved to find a great budget receiver that was easily able to drive my A5s. If I was on trial, I would ask my lawyer to dismiss uninformed, know it all, and prejudicial jurors from the jury pool. Would you do the same? If you are a know it all, would you please share with me the winning lotto numbers for the next upcoming powerball lottery? Lol. My first amplifier purchase was back in 2010, I added two UPA-1's to my RXV-1065 and noticed an improvement in SQ even at lower volumes, I'm not one with big fancy audio lingo but everything was presented cleaner and clearer to my ears, why it was I have no idea but it was the first major improvement for me and my system, though I was running Monitor Audio RX6 speakers which I also found to be a improvement over my Polk's I had before them, speakers also make a big difference as throwing a bunch of great sounding equipment before speakers that aren't capable of bringing those components to life is also a mistake. I was told by a guy I worked with who is really into 2ch to first get the best sounding(to me) speakers I could afford and then go from there. Remember this was my experience in room and my ears and we all will differ and that's what makes the 30 day trial that Emotiva offers to be great for each individual, I just don't find anything audio related that I can get from the local bestbuy to be the most revealing and outstanding in sound quality but that's just me, though they do carry the LSIM series which I have heard are good but for the price I have to pay for those here in Canada I would rather look elsewhere. Chad |
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Post by leonski on Mar 26, 2017 22:57:28 GMT -5
The problem I have with those that make blanket statements about audio gear is: Have you actually heard the amps and done side by side comparisions? (very unlikey). Also, people have different size listening rooms with different acoustic properties and they have different speakers, etc. Some speakers are hard to drive while others are not. Some amps will do well in one listening environment while others will not. One size fits all statements seem to be at best wishful thinking. I'm seriously considering buying the Yamaha Aventage 1060 in a few months. Until I get it home and connect my Polk Audio RTI A5s, A1s, and CSI A6, I don't know if it has adequate power to power them optimally, or if I need to add at least a 2 channel power amp for the fronts. Time will tell. But I do know that my RTI/CSI speakers are very easy to drive. I also know the higher end Aventage AVRs have received very favorable customer and professional reviews. Are they accurate or over-hyped? I'll know once I get it home. Maybe the Emotiva A-500 would be a tremendous improvement in both power and sound. I do not know yet! I would need to get it home and audition it. Please forgive me for not being all knowing and not being able to pre-judge the plethora of audio equipment covered in blanket statements without ever hearing it! I can only do my homework and make my best guess judgement before buying and hope for the best. Hence the 30 day return option. I bought a Yamaha R-S500 receiver to drive my RTI A5s and did not know until I hooked it up if it would work out for me! I was surprised and relieved to find a great budget receiver that was easily able to drive my A5s. If I was on trial, I would ask my lawyer to dismiss uninformed, know it all, and prejudicial jurors from the jury pool. Would you do the same? If you are a know it all, would you please share with me the winning lotto numbers for the next upcoming powerball lottery? Lol. The good news is that speakers designed or intended for HT use are generally an 'easier' load for amps. And perhaps even tend to higher sensitivity. At least ELECTRICALLY, this makes choosing them fairly easy. A speakers signature sound makes for a Must-Hear situation. By the time you are in Big-Bucks-Land, speakers are getting more specialized in the sense that some are intended for tube amps with little or no damping while others require amps capable of high output into very reactive (unfriendly) loads. Some exceptions exist, like Magnepan, which is of very low sensitivity but also a fairly 'easy' load otherwise. These speakers are a fairly easy load for any reasonable amp, including some of the higher powered EMO amps. Reviews are generally not meaningful unless you know the reviewers priorities. Few reviews are 'bad', right? YOU are the final reviewer. |
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Post by vcautokid on Mar 27, 2017 0:14:23 GMT -5
Not quite all Magnepans and Martin Logans are easy. At high frequencies their impedance characteristics can be exceptionally low. So a high current low impedance capable amp is a good thing. I ran an XPA-2 with my Magnepans to great effect. It is correct that ultimately you are the final "paid for them reviewer" in the end. The system is yours to change as you see fit. Or not.
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Post by leonski on Mar 27, 2017 0:54:16 GMT -5
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