Want more power for my Polk's (1 Viewer)

[Paul Mor]

I'm pretty new to HT, so I apologize if this is completely off the wall. I'm driving Polk LSi 7's with an H/K 7200. I think it sounds great, but have read that the Polk's need lots of power to sound their best. Anyway, I have a 10-15 year old Technics shelf system that is seldom used anymore. It has an intergrated amp, but I wasn't sure if I could use it in comjunction with my H/K to bi-amp the Polk's. Here's what I was thinking (this may give some of you a good laugh): hook my pre-out on the H/K to an input of the Technics such as CD. Will this give me improvement, will it even work, or will I ruin everything? Thanks for any help.

Paul

 

[ColinM]

I have an HK AVR110, lowly 50x2 in stereo.

I recently shelved it and installed an HK 2 channel pre thet feeds a Yamaha M-4, 120x2.

The HK AVR sounded better, but it could be a DAC issue (better DAC in the AVR than the DVD player I use?).

My point is, power didn't help me.

Now - do I go try another source, install an outboard DAC, or what?

Be careful...this could lead to paradise or hell.

 

[John Garcia]

A receiver and an integrated amp are not the same thing. An integrated is basically a quality amp with a volume control, while a receiver handles processing as well and typiclally will not perform as well as an integrated. I would figure the amp in your shelf system would actually be a step DOWN, and would not help at all. The LSi7s should be fine with that receiver, but if you want more power, look at external amps.

 

[Will-Layfield]

I will def. agree with the fact that the polks need power to sound their best. I was in fry's the other day and listening to some rti4's and they sounded amazing. I have rti6's and they don't sound like those 4's did. I think its three things...1. Room acoustics...the room was quite small and each wall was pretty much carpeted. 2. Separate amp power seemed to open them up alot. 3. I don't have my speakers completely set up properly. Anyways I think amplification will def. help your lsi's.

 

[Adil M]

It seems odd that a speaker like the LSI7 which is more 6 ohm than 4 ohm is not receiving enough power from a quality receiver like the HK 7200. It's odd.
The receiver has the power of most entry to mid-range amplifiers.

 

[Paul Mor]

Thanks for your thoughts. I'll stick with what I've got especially based on your opinions John. Adil, your post expresses my thoughts exactly, but I've read several posts (some on the Polk forum) that say you need seperates for them to sound their best. I really can't imagine getting much more quality out of them, but I figured if I had an amp basically not being used, I'd hook it up and feed the LSI7 a little more power. Thought I could cure my upgraditis for free. My biggest fear was hooking the Technics up and frying either my HK, my Polks, or both. Again, thanks for the replies.

 

[Chu Gai]

With those three rather significant variables Will, how do you propose to determine which is the variable that most will improve the sound? Further, you wouldn't be the first person who went into a showroom that had one marginally competent receiver or amp, which btw had its output attenuated or was ill-suited to drive the speakers, and another that had reserves up the wazoo.