Please give opinions on which amplifier to buy.

[stormbringer3]

My HT setup is currently LSI 7's for the front speakers, some late 90'S Infinity speakers for the center and rear channels, and a Velodyne VA-810x sub.These are powered by a Marantz SR 8000.
I am looking to upgrade to a LSIC for the center channel and LSI 7's for the rear channels. Even though the Marantz powers my current setup without any problem I am worried that it will be inadaquate to power 5 4ohm LSIs. Therefore, I am considering adding an amplifier. So far I have three possibilities. They are a NAD T-955 for $799(new, but the discontinued color),
an Emotiva XPA-5 for $699, and an Outlaw Audio 7125 for $999. I am not familiar with these brands though my research shows that all seem to be well liked. My top criteria is quality/reliability. Please give me any opinions about these possibilities and also if there is anything else to consider that I am missing.
Thanks.

[heiney9]

My HT setup is currently LSI 7's for the front speakers, some late 90'S Infinity speakers for the center and rear channels, and a Velodyne VA-810x sub.These are powered by a Marantz SR 8000.
I am looking to upgrade to a LSIC for the center channel and LSI 7's for the rear channels. Even though the Marantz powers my current setup without any problem I am worried that it will be inadaquate to power 5 4ohm LSIs. Therefore, I am considering adding an amplifier. So far I have three possibilities. They are a NAD T-955 for $799(new, but the discontinued color),
an Emotiva XPA-5 for $699, and an Outlaw Audio 7125 for $999. I am not familiar with these brands though my research shows that all seem to be well liked. My top criteria is quality/reliability. Please give me any opinions about these possibilities and also if there is anything else to consider that I am missing.
Thanks.

Build quality and reliability is pretty good for either brand. All amps will sound a bit different so.......................based on the info you've given either one would work for you.

[Kex]

Welcome stormbringer3! Of those that you mentioned, all will work well, but I would get the NAD myself. It's not the most powerful of the three, but there is something magical about NAD that just seems to work, which I discovered when I bought my current receiver, a NAD T754. Despite having only 70w/ch, it performs much better with my system than an Emotiva LMC-1 & LPA-1 combo did, rated at 125w/ch.

Others will tell you that "watts are watts", and the more the better, so they would probably advise the Emotiva as the best bargain, but I would still get the NAD and consider it the real bargain. I just love what mine does to my music and HT alike, the extra detail and extra bass response has surprised me, and they are rated for 4 ohm and even 2 ohm loads at 0.03% THD. YMMV!

All three should be reliable (amplifiers are generally much more reliable than receivers). One thing to consider also: of those you mentioned, only the Outlaw has seven channels.

[heiney9]

Welcome stormbringer3! Of those that you mentioned, all will work well, but I would get the NAD myself. It's not the most powerful of the three, but there is something magical about NAD that just seems to work, which I discovered when I bought my current receiver, a NAD T754. Despite having only 70w/ch, it performs much better with my system than an Emotiva LMC-1 & LPA-1 combo did, rated at 125w/ch.

Others will tell you that "watts are watts", and the more the better, so they would probably advise the Emotiva as the best bargain, but I would still get the NAD and consider it the real bargain. I just love what mine does to my music and HT alike, the extra detail and extra bass response has surprised me, and they are rated for 4 ohm and even 2 ohm loads at 0.03% THD. YMMV!

All three should be reliable (amplifiers are generally much more reliable than receivers). One thing to consider also: of those you mentioned, only the Outlaw has seven channels.

He didn't inquire about sound, just quality and reliability. :D

[cfrizz]

Welcome SB3.

All of the companies listed make good products you would do fine with any of them.

However, I am one of those that will tell you to get at least 200wpc especially for the LSI's.

You won't have to worry about straining the amp & you will know that your speakers are operating closer to their full potential. The more power you feed those babies the better they sound.

Don't be afraid to buy used from Audiogon as well. Look for Sunfire, Parasound, Adcom, B & K, etc.

[Kex]

I came accross this review of the NAD, if you're interested.

http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/nad_t955.htm

Some of the comments mentioned, that reflect my experience with the T754 receiver almost exactly, are these:

... Because the NAD T955 sounded cleaner, with more control over the speakers, than the amps in my Sony STR-DA5ES receiver, I used the Sony to set the crossover point to a lower frequency so that more of the sound was produced by the speakers instead of the sub.

Although the Cinema 330 system isn’t particularly difficult to drive, the effects of using the NAD T955 instead of only the Sony were startlingly immediate. A good example was just after the opening scene of Mission: Impossible III, when the M:I theme breaks in with military-style drumming. Through the Sony plus NAD, the drumming sounded tighter and sharper, rather than the more relaxed, less distinct sound of the Sony alone.

Another area in which the T955 made a difference was the midrange; dialogue had greater clarity ... I spent less time hitting the remote’s Subtitles button. This can likely be attributed to the NAD’s higher-quality components and circuits, as well as to being able to set the crossover point lower with the NAD T955. Also, the noise floor in my system was a lot quieter through the NAD; as a result, dialogue was coherent even at lower volumes ...

With the T955, I found myself playing my system louder without realizing it -- while I was watching the DVD of Miami Vice, my wife popped her head into the room to ask me to turn the volume down. This was no doubt because clean power is less fatiguing, and the T955’s distortion ratings are far lower than my receiver’s. At high volumes, the highs didn’t sound brittle through the NAD, as they do when I crank up the Sony.
BTW, I think the 955 matches the new design, not the old design (it's hard to tell for sure from the pics), so you might want to check if you prefer one over the other.

[stormbringer3]

Thanks for the advice! I'm leaning toward the NAD T-955. A new possibility has emerged. There is a new Parasound -5125 on sale for $1199. I know that this is an excellent price, but would the extra $400 on a Parasound over a NAD be $ well spent? I'm also thinking of upgrading my sub and buying the Parasound would use up most of my sub money.
Thanks again.

[Kex]

Thanks for the advice! I'm leaning toward the NAD T-955. A new possibility has emerged. There is a new Parasound -5125 on sale for $1199. I know that this is an excellent price, but would the extra $400 on a Parasound over a NAD be $ well spent? I'm also thinking of upgrading my sub and buying the Parasound would use up most of my sub money.
Thanks again.
I don't know about the Parasound specifically, except that they seem to have an excellent reputation. That said, if you consider that the NAD is a good amplifier, and I obviously do, then the extra money would probably get you more impressive results when spent on a subwoofer upgrade IMO, rather than a different amplifier which may or may not be any better in reality.

[HHStuart]

I have front LSi 15's, a center LSi C, and will add rear LSi 7's. I have a Sony STR-DA3400 ES with (theoretically) 100 watt per channel into 8 ohms.
I am also concerned about the same problem. Do I need an amplifier?
Perhaps a two channel to handle the LSi 15's - surely the receiver can handle the rest? How much power do I need? Many of the better amps seem awfully expensive. Of those able to handle a high current load and more in my price range are
Onyko 282 (there is also a 282p) $349 - there was negative remark on this on Amazon (somewhat noisy)
NAD 272 - ($499) one negative reference but overwhelmingly positive overall
B & K Reference 125.2 ($648)
Adcom GFA-5400 ($539) 200 wpc into 4 ohms
Rotel and Denon are nice but pricey.
Polk's web site also mentions Yamaha, Harmon_Kardon, and Pioneer Elite.
Yamaha doesn't seem to have any 2 channel power amps except the MX-D1 at $2600 - just integrated amps or receivers.
Any comments about these or alternatives would be welcomed.

[ben62670]

Buy used. Those prices are way to high. Look at audiogon.com You will pay about 1/3 new cost. At those prices you can get a real nice powerful used amp. I think there is a nice Rotel 5 channel here in the Flea market.
Ben

Edit: BTW did you get initiated yet:D



No, you must also strip naked and run down your street yelling "Polk Rules!!!" and then take a dump at the end of the road, running back to the house using no toilet paper.

It's part of the Polk initiation dude. :D

[Kex]

I have front LSi 15's, a center LSi C, and will add rear LSi 7's. I have a Sony STR-DA3400 ES with (theoretically) 100 watt per channel into 8 ohms.
I am also concerned about the same problem. Do I need an amplifier?
Perhaps a two channel to handle the LSi 15's - surely the receiver can handle the rest? How much power do I need? ...
I would not put any LSi speakers on that receiver. Very few receivers will drive 4 ohm speakers. Your best option would be to get a multi-channel amplifier, but you'll have to check first if it has pre-outs (they are frequently close to the pre-out for the subwoofer, and should have one RCA connection appropriately labeled for each speaker - not to be confused with the multi-channel inputs for SACD and DVD-A).

P.S. Welcome to Club Polk, BTW!

[HHStuart]

Buy used. Those prices are way to high. Look at audiogon.com You will pay about 1/3 new cost. At those prices you can get a real nice powerful used amp. I think there is a nice Rotel 5 channel here in the Flea market.
Ben

Edit: BTW did you get initiated yet:D

I'm a little leery of used equipment. Maybe I'm not adventurous enough.

I bought my first Polk speakers back in 1987 so maybe I don't need to be initiated. ;)

[HHStuart]

I would not put any LSi speakers on that receiver. Very few receivers will drive 4 ohm speakers. Your best option would be to get a multi-channel amplifier, but you'll have to check first if it has pre-outs (they are frequently close to the pre-out for the subwoofer, and should have one RCA connection appropriately labeled for each speaker - not to be confused with the multi-channel inputs for SACD and DVD-A).

P.S. Welcome to Club Polk, BTW!

Thanks for the welcome.
I would think a receiver that can put out 700 watts per channel (7.1) should be able to handle an LSiC and 2 LSi 7's. It shouldn't be pushed enough to heat up and trip the protective circuits. The only question might be whether clipping would damage the speakers. Or are you saying the sound quality would suffer if I used the receiver for those 3 speakers? Of course it depends on the volume, I guess. The receiver does have pre_outs.

[ben62670]

Receiver amps are not like separate amps. It's all about current. Only a few receivers actually rate their power accurately. Also most will say something like "4ohm capable" all this is is current limiting. Apples, and Oranges. Ebay is a crap shoot. Audiogon.com , and the flea market here are pretty safe. Sometimes you can get lucky, and do local pickup. Receivers do kill tweeters;)
Ben

[cfrizz]

Welcome to Club Polk.

Your Sony does have preout for separate amplification. Your Sony does NOT put out 700wpc! It doesn't even put out the 100wpc when running more than 2 channels. Nor is it equipped to handle 4ohm speakers.

What you THINK that it "SHOULDN'T" do & what it WILL do when running LSI's are two different realities.

You will need to step up to the plate and purchase at least a 200wpc amplifier otherwise you put your receiver and more importantly your speakers at risk.

This has been talked about many times here so do a search & expand your knowledge of the great speakers you bought.

If you purchased used on Audiogon from someone who has good feedback you should be just fine.

Brands to look for are Rotel, Parasound, B & K, Sunfire, Adcom, NAD.

Outlaw Audio & Emotiva will also get you what you need. Look at Emo's XPA series.

Owning the LSI's is NOT a cheap proposition & they need better electronics if you expect them to operate to their fullest capacity.

[Pepi28]

Listen to what everyone here is telling you. I have a Sony 3000es rec. and didn't even fathom running 4ohm speakers let alone my LSi's off of it. I had my speakers sitting in their boxes for 3 months until I purchased the amps I have now. Buy used from audiogon, you will get more for your money and you definitelty will not regret it.

[HHStuart]

Welcome to Club Polk.

Your Sony does have preout for separate amplification. Your Sony does NOT put out 700wpc! It doesn't even put out the 100wpc when running more than 2 channels. Nor is it equipped to handle 4ohm speakers.
What you THINK that it "SHOULDN'T" do & what it WILL do when running LSI's are two different realities.
You will need to step up to the plate and purchase at least a 200wpc amplifier otherwise you put your receiver and more importantly your speakers at risk.
This has been talked about many times here so do a search & expand your knowledge of the great speakers you bought.
If you purchased used on Audiogon from someone who has good feedback you should be just fine.
Brands to look for are Rotel, Parasound, B & K, Sunfire, Adcom, NAD.
Outlaw Audio & Emotiva will also get you what you need. Look at Emo's XPA series.
Owning the LSI's is NOT a cheap proposition & they need better electronics if you expect them to operate to their fullest capacity.

I appreciate the feedback. I know the Sony doesn't have 700 wpc - sorry if it sounded like that. I guess I was thinking that I could take the load off the Sony by using a 2 channel amplifier for the LSi 15's. That would only leave the LSiC and the LSi 7's to be powered by the Sony. Granted that the Sony is not a high current amp and is not rated for 4 ohms, I thought that would still be sufficient headroom for only running 3 speakers - I don't think the LSi 7's are all that demanding. So far I've got The LSi 15's and the LSiC running off an older Sony at about the sound level of a Grand Piano and it sounds great (I had to turn my powered Subwoofer down). Of course, if I decide to play Also Sprach Zarathustra (very low bass organ at the start), all bets are off. That would need a black hole of power. So I guess people are saying that I would need to avoid using the amp on the Sony for anything?

[HHStuart]

Receiver amps are not like separate amps. It's all about current. Only a few receivers actually rate their power accurately. Also most will say something like "4ohm capable" all this is is current limiting. Apples, and Oranges. Ebay is a crap shoot. Audiogon.com , and the flea market here are pretty safe. Sometimes you can get lucky, and do local pickup. Receivers do kill tweeters;)
Ben

I'm sure you are right in that receiver manufacturer exaggerate their power. However, I keep hearing about low amp receivers killing speakers but I haven't killed one yet and I don't have high end stuff. Either I am not playing all that loud (or long) or I have had robust speakers. I started out with Dynaco A50's years ago and then added Dynaco A25's and powered all 4 of them with a Marantz 2230 (30 watts rms/channel). In 1987 I switched to Polk SDA 2's and never had a problem with them. The amp had 100 w rms/channel. I have played my music loud especially for parties but not all that often I guess. These were all 8 ohm speakers I believe. I'll keep an eye on Audiogon.com.
Do you think I have to run all of the speakers of a separate amp or would just powering the LSi 15's off a 2 channel amp take enough of the load off for the Sony to handle the rest? Thanks for the input.

[ben62670]

LSI's want power. Even a little Adcom GFA-535 with 80wpc at 8ohms will stomp most receivers out there. When amp shopping keep in mind that the LSI's are 4 ohm, and most dip to even 2ohms. That being said a typical 130wpc amp will put out roughly 200wpc at 4ohms. The 7's are fairly easy to drive compared to other LSI's.

[leroyjr1]

I use Rotels 1075 and it does a great job with LSI 's.

[curved]

My little 535 does a heck of a lot better job than my Yamaha AVR (at supposedly half the power - what a joke these manufacturer ratings are). The 535 doesn't even break a sweat....