do I need an AMP?????please help (1 Viewer)

[dee will]

I have the thx atlantic technology speaker setup...i have the yamaha dsp1 flagship reciever....it sounds nice but people tell me that I need an amp to make it sound better....is this true????would i be better off to get a thx amp or regular amp??do i need 2 channel 4 channel...6 channel????thanks for your time

 

[Chu Gai]

Unless you're driving your receiver into clipping, or are looking to biamp (am not familiar with the speakers you have), i see no signficant advantage in purchasing an additional amplifier. If you're looking to improve your sound from what you have you should rather consider the way your system interacts with the room its in and your preferred listening position(s). You see, most of spend a whole lot of time reading reviews, looking at receivers, speakers, looking to cut the best deal with the money we have available, and then, after buying what is probably a pretty good set of components, we place them in a room that really isn't so wonderful acoustically. In fact, its likely to be a nightmare. Windows where there shouldn't be any...irregularly shaped areas, doors in non optimum places...perhaps a significant other who insists that THIS is the way its going to be. Well as Clint Eastwood said, "a man's got to know his limitations." So first you need to define what are your limititations with regard to where things are set up now.
I might first begin by asking you some questions.
Have you worked on your speaker placement? That includes the sub.
Are the properly toed in? Have you examined lifting them off the ground a bit?
Do you have an SPL and have you worked on setting the levels.
Does your room have any frequency bumps?
Have you considered taking a stab at working on the acoustics of the room to get it better?
Buying a new amp to solve a problem that cries out for a solution elsewhere is going to do nothing. It's like a junkie looking for a fix. You'll feel better for the moment, but you haven't fixed anything at all. And then what? A bigger amp? A different pre/pro? Exotic cables?
The approach of working on the listening environment is anything but easy, but as you start learning and experimenting, you'll find that your starting to make your room acoustically better. You can even involve your significant other because often, we can use creative decorating to solve major problems.
Ball's in your court.

 

[dee will]

thank you...very insightful and helpful....thanks again