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Buying new amp, want to use 11 channels

post #1 of 10
12/13/10 at 7:31am
Thread Starter 
I'm looking at buying an A3000 since I've heard great reviews on it. Currently I have a yamaha 663 which is running great, but the lack of 3D and limited HDMI inputs have me looking to bigger and better receivers. Currently I have a 7.2 system setup in my room, but I have a 106" projector screen and people have stated that Yamaha uses "dialogue lift" to make it seem as if the voices are coming from the screen.

So my question is the A3000 only has 7 channels of amplification, so could I run the A3000 for the FR/C/FL and the presence speakers, and use the preouts to the V663 and have that run the four rear speakers?

If that can be accomplished how would I set the V663 so that volume level from the rears would match the fronts?
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post #2 of 10
12/13/10 at 8:10am
It's not an amp. It's a receiver.

IAC, if the manual states you can output surrounds and rears from the preamp outs while playing the presence channels, it is feasible. Certainly, the V663 can handle the job if the A3000 can send it. You should read the user's manual for details.
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post #3 of 10
12/13/10 at 9:05am
You would probably set the volume on the 663 to about 0 dB, and use channel trims on the 3000 to balance, as normal.

There are very specific amp configs in the 3000 depending on what you want to do. I forget the exact nature of an 11.1 setup using external amps, but I recall that the manual explained it.

This is less flexible than on my Z7. Perhaps Yamaha thought it was simpler the way it works now.
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post #4 of 10
12/13/10 at 1:43pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson View Post

It's not an amp. It's a receiver.

IAC, if the manual states you can output surrounds and rears from the preamp outs while playing the presence channels, it is feasible. Certainly, the V663 can handle the job if the A3000 can send it. You should read the user's manual for details.

I thought it could do that, but I wasn't sure if the V663 receiver with the 6 channel inputs were designed to do this.
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post #5 of 10
12/13/10 at 1:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelJHuman View Post

You would probably set the volume on the 663 to about 0 dB, and use channel trims on the 3000 to balance, as normal.

There are very specific amp configs in the 3000 depending on what you want to do. I forget the exact nature of an 11.1 setup using external amps, but I recall that the manual explained it.

This is less flexible than on my Z7. Perhaps Yamaha thought it was simpler the way it works now.

Will setting the volume to 0DB make it too loud or have too much gain, or is it set to that level so that it won't be too quiet when the A3000 sends it the appropriate sound level? Sorry for the probably stupid question.
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post #6 of 10
12/13/10 at 2:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TViewer2000 View Post

Will setting the volume to 0DB make it too loud or have too much gain, or is it set to that level so that it won't be too quiet when the A3000 sends it the appropriate sound level? Sorry for the probably stupid question.

MJH's advice makes the 663 look like a power amp in the circuit. Most consumer power amps have no volume control, so they're always "all the way up," and it's reasonable to expect zero on the 663 to be about there. You'll know if you have too much gain because you won't be able to get the channels balanced using the trims on the A3000. Then you'll turn down or up the 663 as needed to get within the range of the A3000's channel level controls.

The additional benefit of using zero for the outboard amp/receiver is that it's easy to ermember where to re-set it if it gets changed . . .
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post #7 of 10
12/13/10 at 2:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JHAz View Post

MJH's advice makes the 663 look like a power amp in the circuit. Most consumer power amps have no volume control, so they're always "all the way up," and it's reasonable to expect zero on the 663 to be about there. You'll know if you have too much gain because you won't be able to get the channels balanced using the trims on the A3000. Then you'll turn down or up the 663 as needed to get within the range of the A3000's channel level controls.

The additional benefit of using zero for the outboard amp/receiver is that it's easy to remember where to re-set it if it gets changed . . .

The advice so far certainly sounds like the best way to start out. The only info from Yamaha 'vaguely related' to setting up your 663 in this mode would seem to support this approach.

And don't forget to review page 145 in the RX-A3000 manual, Avoiding crossing remote control signals when using multiple Yamaha receivers.
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post #8 of 10
12/13/10 at 2:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TViewer2000 View Post

Will setting the volume to 0DB make it too loud or have too much gain, or is it set to that level so that it won't be too quiet when the A3000 sends it the appropriate sound level? Sorry for the probably stupid question.

0 dB is probably in the general vacinity of the point where the volume control chip would apply neither attenuation or gain. In other words, it would look like a power amp with it's gain set to max. I don't know the exact point where this occurs, but 0 dB is a nice simple number to remember.

You would also want to set the channels trims to 0 dB on the 663. You want to make it act as much as possible like a dumb amp. You probably don't have to turn of DSP based processing such as YPAO, but it does not hurt. Use the multi-channel analog inputs (I think the 663 had those.) They will bypass the most stuff.
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post #9 of 10
12/14/10 at 11:57am
Thread Starter 
Ok, that makes sense now. Now that I can add the presence speakers what is the general speaker placement in a 11.1 speaker system?
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post #10 of 10
12/14/10 at 12:04pm
See Yamaha's suggested placement in the manual. Presence speakers go a bit left of left and right of right, and somewhat close to ceiling if memory serves.
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