H/K AVR 520 + Axiom speakers + what amp? (1 Viewer)

[Leo_P]

Right now I have Axiom M3's and a VP100 and a pair of JBL N24's bringing up the rear, so to speak.

A little bit down the road, I plan on getting Axiom M60's and moving the M3's to the rear. The JBL's will go bye-bye.

Anyway, when I have the speakers in place I want to power them with a nice 5-channel amp. The M3's and VP100 are rated to 175 watts, so I figure a good 100W or 150W amp will do.

I really don't have a price range in mind, just want an idea of what's out there. Of course, I'd like to get the most bang for my buck. Any recommendations?

 

[Leo_P]

Hello... Is this thing on?
So nobody's using a 5-channel amp with a H/K AVR520 receiver? Or Axiom speakers? :frowning:
Anybody?

 

[peter_anderson]

Leo_P: i don't know that many people with the harman/kardon x20 series really desire an external amp with bookshelf speakers (which are what most people here have) because they have plenty of power and sound better than most HT receivers in the amp area!

to retain the "neutral" sound you are now used to, i would recommend Parasound amps, as others here have mentioned their affordability (used) and that they sound warmer than other power amps.

 

[Leo_P]

I thought the benefits of having an external power amplifier had been well documented.

I like the performance of my receiver very much. But I can't help but feel that when I get the Axiom TOWERS for mains, a little more wattage won't hurt. Axiom's are very efficient speakers anyway, so they don't require a LOT of power, but I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Thanks for the Parasound suggestion peter_anderson. I did a little digging and I think their HCA-1205A would fit the bill. Also saw that Rotel's RMB-1075 looks pretty good. Anybody have any experience with these or similar amps?

 

[Ron Reda]

Leo_P,

Taking the load off a receiver that towers present will make things sound a lot better. You may want to consider picking up some Marantz MA-500 monoblocks off of E-Bay or Audiogon. They are a good way to (modularly) add amplification without breaking the bank. I have one powering my VP150 center and have three on the way (to go with my other one in storage) for my two surrounds (M3s) right now and two surround back speakers down the line. They are 125W @ 8 ohms and usually sell for between $150 and $175 a piece. For my fronts (M50s), I'm using an Odyssey Stratos (150W x 2 @ 8 ohms). A 5-channel amp may end of costing you a considerable amount of money.