Is more power really needed? (1 Viewer)

[MikeNagy]

Exactly.

I did some quick research on Rotel, but they do not quote many useful specs on their website, and nothing pertaining to 4 ohms. Apparently the 1055 (all I could afford) is only rated for 8 ohms, something you find out only after you open the box (from what I've read somewhere on this forum). So scratch the Rotel idea.

So...762 or 752? I know a lot more about receivers now, thanks to the great responses in this thread, but I'm still stuck on this question. Maybe I'll do a best-of-nine rock-paper-scisors match to determine which one I go with.

 

[Chu Gai]

Since you can get your money back, I'd certainly recommend trying the lower power of the two. The difference in power is quite marginal and likely the cost differential is substantiated from NAD's point of view by an expanded feature set along with the typical 'let's give them a few more watts' thinking.

Rotels and for that matter any receiver that specifically states continuous power at 4 ohms should make it to your short list if you're unsure of the NAD.

The room you have is of a modest size and if you place those speakers in somewhat optimal locations, which does not mean flush against the back wall, I think they'll be quite competently driven by the lesser of the two NADs. Having a bit of extra money around is a very good thing for a college student unless you've found a source of women who have a thing for Ramen noodles. Good luck in your studies.

As far as that BMW story goes, this wouldn't happen to be the car you saw was it?

 

[Carlo_M]

Chu, I think the 762 has the torroidal PS and the 752 does not (but I could be wrong).

Would that also help justify the cost difference in jumping from the 752 to the 762 in your opinion?

 

[Chu Gai]

all power supplies, be they torroidal or anything else involve trade-offs that the engineers work around. torroidals are fairly popular today and are found in all sorts of audio applications ranging from professional to consumer based products. one things companies do is elevate often trivial differences to something major and the consumer, looking at it with a magnifying glass, magnifies that difference even more. assuming something like a 10:1 price:cost one could argue that the net manufacturing costs are on the order of $30, give or take a bit, more.

to me it behooves a college student to get something positive out of his education and to enjoy himself like there's no tomorrow while never loosing sight of the former. there's plenty a time for the 'ultimate' system. there's only a few years for memories and stories that will last you a lifetime. i'd take that $300 and put it to good use like spring break and finding out where 'girls gone wild' is going to be.

 

[MikeNagy]

Couldn't have said it better. Last year I was in the dorms still, and they got really strict about noise policies right at the beginning of the year, so I went almost all of last school year not watching any movies / listening to any music (except a few times on headphones...but I hate headphones). That was awful. But now I have a place off campus, and I'm very close to setting up the kind of system I could only dream about just a few months ago, so the movies and music will be back in full force.

 

[Robert Tonkin]

there's plenty a time for the 'ultimate' system. there's only a few years for memories and stories that will last you a lifetime. i'd take that $300 and put it to good use like spring break and finding out where 'girls gone wild' is going to be.

Yeah... I told my business associates 17 year old son ,who is being homed schooled (with zip social life [and it shows]), that he should be out Friday night pounding puss and wrecking cars instead of doing 2nd year college calculus... It didn't go over real good with dear old dad.... oh well...

Cheers!

 

[Chu Gai]

tell me you'll be getting renters insurance for full replacement in the event somebody 'liberates' your system.

 

[MikeNagy]

I haven't looked into it. Although, for the cost of insurance that will cover that kind of stuff, I could probably buy the rest of the stuff for my system.

 

[Carlo_M]

Renters insurance isn't actually all that expensive, but the trick is they usually have limits on equipment cost, like up to $1000 on one piece of equipment (which would not cover a $2000 HDTV or $1500 receiver). At least the popular ones I've received literature on (like Allstate). Maybe there are some companies you can get exceptions from though.

 

[Chu Gai]

My son, who was wise beyond his years, especially while in college, experienced first hand how wise his decision to not have renters insurance was. Yes he got ripped off and had to eat the money. I strongly recommend it and you can find many places that don't have an individual limit. Make some phone calls and ask around. If you're sharing that apartment, talk to your buddies and all of you pool your monies and split the cost.

 

[Michael R Price]

Good choice Mike. I didn't pick up on the fact that you're in college. As for me, well... I build amplifiers, and parts are cheap.

Who needs insurance? All my stuff is too heavy to move!

 

[Asim]

But it's like a 6 or 8 cylinder car vs. a 4 cylinder car. They both go 65mph but the ride difference is there between a BMW and a Corolla

Never driven a Subaru WRX Sti or a Mitsu Evo, have ya?

 

[RobWil]

Yeah... I told my business associates 17 year old son ,who is being homed schooled (with zip social life [and it shows]), that he should be out Friday night pounding puss and wrecking cars instead of doing 2nd year college calculus... It didn't go over real good with dear old dad

Hmmmm....can't imagine why? :rolleyes