Trying to find a good amp for my home theater (1 Viewer)

[HT4ME]

All,

I have trudged through the cornucopia of options in the home theater component world with great success; however, I simply cannot find much in "googleville" about amps. Will someone please provide me a few options and some details so I can put this to rest? My system is as follows:

Television - Panasonic TC-P65VT60
Receiver - Integra DTR - 70.4
FR/FL - Bowers and Wilkins CM9
Center - Bowers and Wilkins CM Centre 2
SS - Bower and Wilkins CCM 682
Subwoofer - Bower and Wilkins ASW12CM
Blu Ray - Oppo BDP-103

Thanks to all of you in advance for your assistance!

~HT4ME

 

[FoxyMulder]

Whats your budget for the amp. ?

 

[HT4ME]

$2,00.00

 

[schan1269]

Why will you need an amp with the 70.4?

 

[HT4ME]

It was a recommendation from the sound company I am working with. They indicated it would improve the sound quality.

 

[schan1269]

"Improve sound quality"="make us more money"You are being led on a strange path of expenditure. Your other threads tell me you have no ned for that much AVR. Sure, stick with an Integra. But why not the "baby" DHC?Less money than a DTR 70.4 and has none of the fluff you aren't going to need.

 

[schan1269]

I can't copy/paste from my phone(or just haven't figured out how to do it)...so, here you go...

http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?class=Preamplifier&m=DHC-40.2&p=i

OR pony up for the 80.3.

Or, in my opinion, buy the 70.4. Integra are stout enough on their own...that unless you are going to try and fill your room with dub step for 40 people to dance along...the 70.4 is more than enough.

 

[FoxyMulder]

It was a recommendation from the sound company I am working with. They indicated it would improve the sound quality.

I have to,agree with Sam, you don't need to spend money on any amps, the Integra is good enough, i thought there was another reason you wanted the amps, its your money but i'd stick with it and put the money towards a projector and screen.

 

[HT4ME]

I can't copy/paste from my phone(or just haven't figured out how to do it)...so, here you go...

http://integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?class=Preamplifier&m=DHC-40.2&p=i

OR pony up for the 80.3.

Or, in my opinion, buy the 70.4. Integra are stout enough on their own...that unless you are going to try and fill your room with dub step for 40 people to dance along...the 70.4 is more than enough.

All,

Thank you for the fantastic insight. I confronted the home theater company face-to-face questioning the need for the amplifier with the 70.4. Man did he squirm! His face literally went flush red reminding me of a seven year old with his hand caught in a cookie jar. When I explained that my project did not require an amplifier, he insisted that it did. It was at this point I decided to terminate working with them and find another group, one with a good reputation in my area. I did just that.

I am still going to go with the DTR 70.4 for my system but have eliminated an amplifier from my shopping list.
schan1269 - Thank you for asking the right questions. FoxyMulder - I appreciate your confirmation of what shacn1629 was stating.

With much appreciation,

HT4ME

 

[schan1269]

No problem there.
People are almost always amazed at how little power it actually takes to create sufficient volume. In this day and age of "20db headroom" being spouted around...people assume they need like 300wpc. In this year already, I have designed 7 theatres. Only one of those 7 "required" more than 100wpc to achieve 20db of headroom...on normal listening.
Why did it require more than 100?
http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMGW
Five of those with a pair of MMG.

 

[Mr645]

I don't put much value on "watts". I added an external amp, 85x5 to my Pioneer VXS-32 110x7 and the external amp made a big improvement in both sound quality and volume. Based on DB measurements, the 85x5 amp is more then twice as powerful then the receiver. Of course either drove the speakers to volumes greater then any realistic listening volume, but the improvement in bass and clarity with the external amp was very noticeable.


Pioneer VXS-32
Parasound HCA-855a
Vandersteen 2Ce

 

[schan1269]

I don't put much value on "watts". I added an external amp, 85x5 to my Pioneer VXS-32 110x7 and the external amp made a big improvement in both sound quality and volume. Based on DB measurements, the 85x5 amp is more then twice as powerful then the receiver. Of course either drove the speakers to volumes greater then any realistic listening volume, but the improvement in bass and clarity with the external amp was very noticeable.Pioneer VXS-32Parasound HCA-855aVandersteen 2Ce

But of course, 110x7 is "dream on". More like 45x7 in reality.The 70.4 here chews 11 amps off the wall.