AV Receiver vs. Seperate Amp

[cookaa]

I currently am running a pair of LSi15s, 9s, and an LSiC off of my HK AVR 300. The receiver does an all right job, but there is lots of room for improvement. I am considering upgrading the receiver, but am not sure which route I should take. I could either use the AVR 300 as a pre amp and buy a Parasound or Rotel 200 x 5, or get a higher end AV receiver such as a Denon 4802 or HK 8000. I have heard seperates are the way to go, but am not sure which route I should take. Any suggestions would be great.
Thanks

[mantis]

The Denon avr4802 would be a bottom choice,(avr5803 or if you can find one the avr5800 would be better suited for the job)
You need to get into flagship receivers running those awesome LSI series you own...Congrads!!!!
If I were you I would start with the Rotel rsx1065.It would drive those babies well, the Rotel likes to drive difficult speakers.
2nd up I would look at the B&K avr307 another receiver loving lots of load on it.This is a bit more then the Rotel but comes more action packed.
Pioneer Elite has 2 receivers on the market that can and would run the LSI's, the vsx49ts and the vxs47tx.They share the same power supply,caps and amps.The 49tx has video upconversion and more Inputs, better remote and a copper chassis.The auto cal is more detailed on its setup over the 47tx.
This should give you a good head start on receivers, I wouldn't recommend any less than the above in there respective classes.
Seperates is always the better choice but much more costly,not only are they more but you have to wire them together adding to the cost, good interconnects aren't cheap.Triggering on and off the amps also a concern.
Again Rotel and B&K are top on my list for those speakers.You really don't need seperates to get them to sing as long as you mate them with a flagship receiver.This is a hard task,where you bought them do they have top of the line receivers??I would go back and start listening to what they got to get started, then your speakers will already be there and you won't have to lug around the LSI9's(which is what I would do to demo other companies).
I'm glad you posted this post as I want to go back to Interstate Electronics and hear the LSI line perform again.I am serious about new speakers and don't count out the LSI's as I haven't heard them go except the LSI 15's.I want to hear them again as I read all the spec's on the entire line and found interesting finding's.The Rel I want to use would be a great choice as far as Freq's are concerned.If they can out perform the Audience line by Dynaudio,they will raise a serious eyebrow.My speaker quest could come to an end there.

[cookaa]

Mantis,
Thanks for the info, I am not sure which route I will take. As soon as the 15s get hear this week I will see how my old HK 300 handles them. I might wait a while since I just dropped 2500 on the LSi line, and I need to get a TV for my college house next this coming fall. As for demoing the LSis with anything high end, I live in Oregon, and I have yet to find a dealer within 200 miles, of the state!! There is about 1 or 2 audio stores other than CC or BB in the whole state, so my options are limited. My best bet would be to bring some amps home and try them once I have all the speakers set up. Some of the ones I have read about but not heard yet and am considering are Rotel, Parasound, Outlaw?. I am still debating on whether to go for an amp straight away, or by a high end receiver for 2000 and make it last for a few years. I have never heard a seperates compared with a high end receiver like the Denon 5803, so I don't know how much difference in sound there is, but I definately will do some tests before a drop a few gs on some more power. Let me know what you think of the LSIs after your demo.

[mantis]

i will

[mantis]

Ive been thinking of the LSI's for some time now.Did you consider anything bette then what you now???I bet your killing that HK.

[jmasterj]

HK AVR-300 FOR CONTROL
PARASOUND 2205 5X220 watts for POWER
You'll probably save money and get excellent results!

[mantis]

As I'm not a big fan of using a receiver as a preamp, but it can benifit you greatly to use better amps on those speakers.It will also get you into better quality sound,drive,clean power,dynamic range,etc for now.Then down the road when you can afford it, buy the correct preamp for whatever amp you buy.
Since you already own the speaker's, this will be a rare time I will support this kind of upgrade.It's all good.

[nascarmann]

this will be a rare time I will support this kind of upgrade.It's all good.

Well, well, well? My kingdom grows every day!