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JohnRice · 07-19-2007, 11:35 PM

Getting back on track, now that I actually paid attention to the room size, and considering the speakers, I am quite confident that adding a 7 channel amp is gross overkill. So, unless you have money to burn, it would be better spent elsewhere. Possibly a 3 channel amp instead, for the front is a decent idea, mainly because power to the front is never a bad idea. For example, my HT is about 20x25 and I don't even use an external amp for the surrounds, and I play it at reference level regularly. We have equivalent Pioneer receivers, mine is just an older model.

As mentioned, acoustic treatments are always good. They can be panels of insulation, acoustic ceiling tiles, or things as simple as heavy wall hangings (I have both a wall hanging rug on the back wall and heavy drapes on the front wall, along with Sonex panels positioned to diffract direct reflections on the side walls and ceiling) or book cases with books of staggered depth. Anything to break up the sound waves.

As far as cables to hook up the amp, good heavy RCA cables are all you really need. You don't need to go with Monster Cable, which doesn't give much bang for the $. Believe it or not, you can often find very nice, reasonably priced ones at places like Target or Sam's (I'm serious) so long as you know what to look for. There is also Blue Jeans Cable, which is on this forum. I don't know if they still have them, but I have some very noce ones I got at Radio Shack for around $15 a set.

In the end, amps tend to be more fine tuning than something you will get a "noticeable increase in sound quality" from, particularly with speakers that aren't that difficult to drive. JBL is far too common a brand to make speakers which absolutely require a powerhouse amp. If you got those Paradigms, absolutely, put the $ into a brute amp. With the JBLs, there are better ways to spend the $.

07-19-2007, 11:35 PM	#9 of 10
JohnRice *John Rice* Member Location: Colorado Join Date: Jun 2000 Local Time: 12:40 AM Local Date: 12-02-2008 Posts: 8,487	Re: Outlaw amps Getting back on track, now that I actually paid attention to the room size, and considering the speakers, I am quite confident that adding a 7 channel amp is gross overkill. So, unless you have money to burn, it would be better spent elsewhere. Possibly a 3 channel amp instead, for the front is a decent idea, mainly because power to the front is never a bad idea. For example, my HT is about 20x25 and I don't even use an external amp for the surrounds, and I play it at reference level regularly. We have equivalent Pioneer receivers, mine is just an older model. As mentioned, acoustic treatments are always good. They can be panels of insulation, acoustic ceiling tiles, or things as simple as heavy wall hangings (I have both a wall hanging rug on the back wall and heavy drapes on the front wall, along with Sonex panels positioned to diffract direct reflections on the side walls and ceiling) or book cases with books of staggered depth. Anything to break up the sound waves. As far as cables to hook up the amp, good heavy RCA cables are all you really need. You don't need to go with Monster Cable, which doesn't give much bang for the $. Believe it or not, you can often find very nice, reasonably priced ones at places like Target or Sam's (I'm serious) so long as you know what to look for. There is also Blue Jeans Cable, which is on this forum. I don't know if they still have them, but I have some very noce ones I got at Radio Shack for around $15 a set. In the end, amps tend to be more fine tuning than something you will get a "noticeable increase in sound quality" from, particularly with speakers that aren't that difficult to drive. JBL is far too common a brand to make speakers which absolutely require a powerhouse amp. If you got those Paradigms, absolutely, put the $ into a brute amp. With the JBLs, there are better ways to spend the $. They flutter behind you, your possible pasts. Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.