(2 ea) 100 w/ch power amps - vs - (1ea) 200 w/ch power amp ?

[Turbota]

I don't have a firm grasp on audio electronics, so I would like to present to you a comparison. Lets say we have 2 separate 2-channel audio systems here:

#1: One single 2-channel Power Amp rated at 200 w/ch @ 8 ohms .. driving a set of (4 ea) 8 ohm speakers. Were taking about driving a pair of fronts and a pair of rears.

#2: A pair of 2-channel Power Amps rated at 100 w/ch @ 8 ohms each .. with each amp driving a single set of 8 ohm speakers. ( 1 amp driving the pair of fronts, and 1 amp driving the pair of rears).


Do I presume correctly that the (2 ea) 100 w/ch Power Amps, each driving 2 speakers will be same same as having single power amp rated at 200 w/ch driving all 4 speakers?

Anyone of these 2 systems better than the other? ... considering the specs on the amps are exactly the same

Just wondering ..

Ron,

[Dennis Gardner]

The load in the #1 system will not be 8 ohms since 2 speakers are used in each channel. In parallel, they will be a 4 ohm load and in series, they will represent a 16 ohm load. Each load is a large enough difference from the single speaker per channel setup that you may notice a difference in how the amplifier reacts.

I think the more important question is why you would want front and rear stereo rigs together, unless this is in a car?

[tonyb]

He's doing a 4 channel stereo rig, from what I can tell anyway. The 2-2 channel amps is your best bet in that given scenario. Still, I would just go with a good avr for those speakers and a squeezebox touch and your done.

[Turbota]

Why do I want 4 speakers? .... Well, the other 2-channel system I have in the Philippines has a set of front towers, and a set of rear bookshelves mounted on 30" stands.

I did a A - A/B test, and the system sounds better (more "open" and "Spacious") sounding when listening with all 4 speakers vs just the 2 fronts.

I am not audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but I just like 4 speakers running when listening to music ... Seems to fill the room with music better.


Even the system I had before that ... It was a late 70s era Pioneer Spec 1 pre-amp and a Spec 4 power amp diving a set of Pioneer HPM-1500 fronts. These fronts were massive to say the least. But, after awhile, I also bought a set of JBLs for the rear, and that stytem also sounded better with all 4 speakers running.

[Drenis]

You should come listen to some Tool on my rig. No extra pair of speakers needed to get that proper 3D sound behind you.

To each their own though.

[Turbota]

Oh well ... about all I listen too anyway is MP3 songs I ripped from Limewire (before they were shut down).

Mostly just 60s-70s oldies, some old country and western swing, and a little easy listening stuff.

Anyway, I have convinced myself that 4 speakers sound better than just 2.

Never heard of "Tool"

[zane77]

You could use an AVR and run the system in all channel stereo, most have this setting

[BrettT1]

western

ugh

[hochpt21]

Never heard of "Tool"

You should hear of them

[Turbota]

Western ...

ugh

So, I would assume you don't like "Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys" or "Asleep at the Wheel"?

[tonyb]

Never heard of "Tool"

Lucky you....they make me want to build a hideout in the middle of the woods.

You really need to get off the mp3 bandwaggon to gain any more sound quality. If 4 channel stereo rocks your world, then run with it. You seem to also have ONKYO on the brain as your sole source, coupled with MP3's, no speaker or amount of speakers will make that sound any better. Just my .02 of coarse. Also, if 4 channel stereo is your huckleberry, why not get 4 speakers that are the same ? Why the A3's ? You surely don't need a seperate amp for the A3's when the Onkyo 8050 can power those with ease. I guess I'm just still confused on your choices of gear for what you want to accomplish, but hey, I just turned 53, I get confused easily.

[Turbota]

Tony ... I just turned 64, so I have been confused for a long time

As for using 2 different sets of speakers, I always thought the larger 'dominant' speakers would go up front, while smaller speakers would be used in the rear as 'fill'.

As far as choosing Onkyo ... Well, the system I have in the Philippines uses an Onkyo integrated amp to drive all 4 speakers. I liked the sound, so I thought I would just buy Onkyo again. They don't make the amp I have in the Philippines anymore, so I had to find something different.

However, my choice of using 2 separate power amps was probably not thought out very well.

Here is a photo of the 2-channel system I have in the Philippines. You can only see one of the Mission (UK) rear speakers, but you get the idea. Again, to me, this system sounded really good (to my half-deaf ears), so I thought I might buy the same basic set-up here in the US.




This is a photo of the components I used to have here in the US, but unfortunatly I gave it all away when I moved to the Philippines ... This was a big mistake, but I had nowhere to store it. I still really like the stuff they made back in the late 70s. In fact, you could go into any miliary BX / PX store on base and see all kinds of amps, tape decks, turntables, speakers, etc on display. Now all you see is a handful of home theater recievers.

I guess 2-channel audio is pretty much dead as far as the average consumer is concerned.

[PreCd]

If I had a room like that for a rig it would be a nice two channel setup for music and then go with rears for HT. Seeing how much space you have there tells me you have a great amount of room for a nice sounding system. You may just need to re-arrange the furniture a bit.

[tonyb]

Nice looking setup there Turbo, nice room too. Well if Onkyo is blowing your skirt up, then run with it. Most would chose 4 identical speakers for a music only 4 channel system, but hey, it's not written in stone anywhere either. Hope it all works out for you.

64 huh....knock on wood bro, as long as your healthy the rest of this crap means diddly squat.

[Drenis]

If I can make a suggestion...

Take your front towers, move them in about 2-3 ft each end, decrease the toe-in and try that. Your front stage looks to wide in comparison to your seating position. How far back do you sit from the front?

Also your rear speakers look to have a slight toe-in facing the front stage? If so, that can't sound that good...?

[Turbota]

How far back do you sit from the front?

Drenis ..

I sit on the couch ... You can just see the side of the couch right next to that end-table you see that sets close to the rear speakers.

[Drenis]

Yes I saw. But do you know the distance?

Sometimes the preference is to have the speakers the same distance apart as they are distance to the LP. This is not ALWAYS common but a great basis to start at. I would still move those towers in a bit and straighten them out.

Those bookshelves should either be behind you facing you or facing the LP instead of the front stage as it appears.