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what kind of amp is needed?

post #1 of 10
11/14/11 at 5:40pm
Thread Starter 
I am building an open theater in my basement, have yet to put up any walls, and have done plenty of research. I am looking at the bipole def techs, a denon or marantz receiver with a speaker selector. I want to get a 2 channel amp to hookup to drive the front main speakers and the receiver to drive the surrounds and speaker selector. What should I be looking for in a 2 channel amp? Power? Cost? Etc?

thanks,
Jay
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post #2 of 10
11/14/11 at 6:56pm
You can use anything from a Behringer A-500 ($250) - http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=248-749 to a Mark Levinson Nº532 ($20,000) - http://www.marklevinson.com/Products/Details/21 Based on that, what are you main speakers and what is your budget?
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post #3 of 10
11/15/11 at 3:20am
Thread Starter 
the front mains will be def tech super towers,bp-8020st http://www.definitivetech.com/Products/products.aspx?path=Floor-Standing%20Speakers&productid=BP-8020ST, budget is around the $250 mark, but would spend a little more as I want the best value for the $1.

thanks
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post #4 of 10
11/15/11 at 6:01am
You won't need external amplification with those speakers even with the mid-end models from Denon or Marantz (pre-outs only available in mid to high end model ranges already providing 90+ watts per channel.) 3.5" midrange drivers and a 1" tweeter do not require much power to drive. The built in 8" subwoofer has it's own 150watt amp.

However, if you insist on getting a 2 channel amp, I would recommend the Emotiva UPA-2 (http://emotiva.com/upa2.shtm). But seriously, for the Def Techs in question, you simply won't need it.

JB
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post #5 of 10
11/15/11 at 1:11pm
Thread Starter 
John, thanks for the info. I was originally thinking of getting an amp to drive the speaker selector, as I did not want to overload the amp from the receiver. Then I thought if I were to get an amp, it mind as well drive the front mains...even considering that they are only 8 ohm 3.5 drivers, with 1 in tweeters. If an all speakers were on from the ht and 6 pairs were on from the speaker selector would an amp be required? Not necessarily to drive the mains but as an auxiliary amp?

thanks,
Jay
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post #6 of 10
11/15/11 at 1:12pm
Thread Starter 
John, thanks for the info. I was originally thinking of getting an amp to drive the speaker selector, as I did not want to overload the amp from the receiver. Then I thought if I were to get an amp, it mind as well drive the front mains...even considering that they are only 8 ohm 3.5 drivers, with 1 in tweeters. If an all speakers were on from the ht and 6 pairs were on from the speaker selector would an amp be required? Not necessarily to drive the mains but as an auxiliary amp?

thanks,
Jay
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post #7 of 10
11/15/11 at 1:53pm
Check out products from Niles Audio for multi room.

http://www.nilesaudio.com/product_selection.php?catcdID=7

Yes an an amp for driving 6 speakers is a good idea. What about another inexpensive 2 zone receiver possible with an A-B switch.
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post #8 of 10
11/15/11 at 4:17pm
Thread Starter 
I am actually looking at the Niles ssvc-6 for the speaker selector, along with a denon avr-3311ci, or marantz sr60, that is if I can still get one considering they are last years models. Are you saying that instead of a separate amp, I could look at a 2-channel receiver, the main receiver includes multiple zones. What would the 2nd receiver provide? Can I run multiple zones through the speaker selector?

I will also be getting a panamax m-4300m, can I get away with this or should I be looking at a higher panamax model? I plan on having a wall mounted 55" tv also connected to the panamax with its own dedicated 15-amp circuit.

thanks,
jay
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post #9 of 10
11/16/11 at 4:41pm
You can use an amp and a speaker selector for zone 2s and that may be the simplest solution. What I meant buy using a stereo receiver or an AV receiver was this is an another option. With the Denon 3311 or 3312 you have 3 zones Main , Zone 2 and Zone 3. Zone 2 can run one set of speakers easily. Zone 3 can be hooked up to an inexpensive receiver ($250) and run the other two pairs of speakers. Zone 3 out to CD in on the other receiver will do for the connection. Or you could buy a Niles 12 channel amp and bridge the channels for 6 speakers with volume switches but that a lot more money.

http://www.nilesaudio.com/product_amp.php?prodID=SI-1230&recordID=Multichannel Power Amplifiers&categoryID=System Integration Amplifiers&catcdID=4&prdcdID=FG00737
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post #10 of 10
11/16/11 at 5:20pm
Personally, I always think it is a good move to use external amps where HT is concerned. That Emotiva UPA-2 is a great deal, but it would be ideal to have 3 channels for the entire front. Unfortunately, Emotiva doesn't make an "economy" 3 channel amp. By the time you added another channel with a UPA-1, you could get an XPA-3, which would be better, if you have the room. It would also be overkill.
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