4 ohm speakers but only 8 ohm reciever

If you really like the speakers getting an amp is a solid idea. Consider the Boston A7200 for $800 (If you hurry).

Quote:
Also it is very probable that a 5 channel amp will off load your receivers power supply such that it will have no issues driving the remaining 2 (surround) speakers. I purchased a used Parasound 855A a whille back for

The 1015 officially supports down to 6 ohm speakers. However, as the others said a separate amp is the best choice especially for 4 ohm speakers (why risk damaging the receiver).

Pioneer AVRs built in the last 2 generations handle 4 Ohms loudspeakers reasonably well..

However..

Problems can surface when one or more of the following exists:
1. Loudspeakers are low in sensitivity, such

So, MCode, do you know if HK-635 will work with Magneplanar speakers (MG12 and MC1) in a 5.1 set-up with phantom center? Maggies are a steady 4 Ohm load with fairly low sensitivity (86dB/500Hz/2.83V). I have a powered sub and HK-635 would have to power MG12 (L + R) and MC1 (SL + SR) configured as small and crossed over at 80 Hz.

ericgl, thanks for the suggestion that right there is a STEAL and a half. I think I may go ahead and pick that up, but I would like to hear more about the five chanel amp idea... as you stated, one can be had on the used or refurbished market very inexpensively. Anyone else feel that this will be an adequate sollution?

Everybody has their preferences and none of them are wrong. My preference would be a Sherbourn 5 channel amp. (300 watts per channel at 4 ohms) Solid, powerful, dynamic, can be picked up new or used, and I agree that offloading your receiver's need to drive 7 speakers down to 2 would not stress your receiver at all. Why I would go Sherbourn, by the way, is that if you buy their 5 channel amp, it comes in the same chassis as the 7 channel amp, and as it is a monoblock design, if you need to or want to upgrade it to a 7 channel amp, you simply ship it back and they pop in two more monoblocks. Powerful, easy to upgrade, affordable, and sounds great. (yes I am prejudice as I have owned two)

Quote:
Hmmmmmm........

For normal listening levels and average size room, the 635 should do fine..

The Maggies present a resistive load to the amplifier and so you should be OK.. But as stated at other times and threads, if more amplifier power is rqeuired, just add the respective power amplifier...