[Ablackb2]

hey guys,
I've been roaming this site for a while but this is my first post ever.
I'm set to pick up a marantz SR7008 tonight, but I'm wondering if i will need to grab a separate amp to adequately push my system. I just picked up a pair of Polk RTi12s and I've heard they're real power hogs and that running a separate amp is a good idea. I don't plan on hosting full out concerts, but I do like to blast it hard once in a while. I know the marantz is a good performer, but I'm still concerned that I might be under powering my system as a whole. I've listed my other speakers in my profile for those who are wondering what else I'm using. Any advice and/or input on these pieces would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[jdsmoothie]

More than enough power. Test it yourself before worrying about adding an external amp.

 

[JHAz]

+1. My former Magnepans were said to be real power hogs, but they were neither measurably nor audibly different driven by my little 50 WPC Bryston or a 250 watt Theta amp, at least at my listening levels. The guy who sold them to me told me he had, over time, run them happily with 20 watt tube amps and a high powered Crown amp . . . FWIW. You can, of course, believe in magic if you want to. i did for quite a number of years, but got over it.

The only way I could make sense of the "power hungry" statements was that some folks listend loudly enough to push the speakers into compression, at which point, of course, they sound different because the sound is compressed . . . . Not my cup of tea . . .

 

[KidHorn]

+1. My former Magnepans were said to be real power hogs, but they were neither measurably nor audibly different driven by my little 50 WPC Bryston or a 250 watt Theta amp, at least at my listening levels. The guy who sold them to me told me he had, over time, run them happily with 20 watt tube amps and a high powered Crown amp . . . FWIW. You can, of course, believe in magic if you want to. i did for quite a number of years, but got over it.

The only way I could make sense of the "power hungry" statements was that some folks listend loudly enough to push the speakers into compression, at which point, of course, they sound different because the sound is compressed . . . . Not my cup of tea . . .

So true. I have MGIIs and whenever I would post that an ordinary AV receiver could drive them fine. I was disbelieved.

 

[itsf8]

hey guys,
I've been roaming this site for a while but this is my first post ever.
I'm set to pick up a marantz SR7008 tonight, but I'm wondering if i will need to grab a separate amp to adequately push my system. I just picked up a pair of Polk RTi12s and I've heard they're real power hogs and that running a separate amp is a good idea. I don't plan on hosting full out concerts, but I do like to blast it hard once in a while. I know the marantz is a good performer, but I'm still concerned that I might be under powering my system as a whole. I've listed my other speakers in my profile for those who are wondering what else I'm using. Any advice and/or input on these pieces would be greatly appreciated!!!!

future shop purchase I assume?
good price

 

[Ablackb2]

that's great to hear, thanks a lot guys. Yeah, it's on sale for $999! Couldn't pass up on it. Need to upgrade from a Sony STR DH540 :s

 

[itsf8]

Receiver is big time fun

 

[aztechnick21]

that's great to hear, thanks a lot guys. Yeah, it's on sale for $999! Couldn't pass up on it. Need to upgrade from a Sony STR DH540 :s

Good deal man, that usually cost $1,599.99-2K. $999 is a steal. Is this a used item?

 

[Ablackb2]

nope, not used, just on sale. The 7009 is out now so I think they're trying to get rid of any old models in stock

 

[Gooddoc]

+1. My former Magnepans were said to be real power hogs, but they were neither measurably nor audibly different driven by my little 50 WPC Bryston or a 250 watt Theta amp, at least at my listening levels. The guy who sold them to me told me he had, over time, run them happily with 20 watt tube amps and a high powered Crown amp . . . FWIW. You can, of course, believe in magic if you want to. i did for quite a number of years, but got over it.

The only way I could make sense of the "power hungry" statements was that some folks listend loudly enough to push the speakers into compression, at which point, of course, they sound different because the sound is compressed . . . . Not my cup of tea . . .

+1

I would simply add that compression is typically not identified as such until it is at driver damaging levels. Having blown my share of drivers, my approach has been to only purchase speakers where producing magic smoke from the drivers is so unlikely as to become a non-concern.

It's not the amps that are typically a problem, it's the drivers. A powerful amp could smoke the drivers just as fast as the under-powered AVR. Power is power. Clipping amps just present a lot of it to the drivers very quickly. A robust driver with high power handling will play that clipping all day long.

 

[bigguyca]

+1

I would simply add that compression is typically not identified as such until it is at driver damaging levels. Having blown my share of drivers, my approach has been to only purchase speakers where producing magic smoke from the drivers is so unlikely as to become a non-concern.

It's not the amps that are typically a problem, it's the drivers. A powerful amp could smoke the drivers just as fast as the under-powered AVR. Power is power. Clipping amps just present a lot of it to the drivers very quickly. A robust driver with high power handling will play that clipping all day long.

If the loudspeaker is a multi-way system with typical direct radiator drivers (with say a one-inch dome tweeter) a clipping amplifier will most affect the tweeter. As the amplifier output is more and more clipped, the output takes on the characteristics of a square wave and contains more and more high frequencies. The overall loudspeaker output may not get much louder as the volume control is increased, but the high frequency output will keep going up as the edges of the square wave are filled in. Because of this a tweeter, which usually can handle the least power, and has very small voice coil wires, is the driver most likely to be burned out or at least damaged. You many not even recognize the failure for a time. The bottom line is that clipping amplifiers are bad for tweeters.

 

[zgeneral]

The specs on them seem to be 8ohm, high senstivity, so external amplification is not needed. It would get you an extra Db or two if you play them very loud.

 

[Gooddoc]

The specs on them seem to be 8ohm, high senstivity, so external amplification is not needed. It would get you an extra Db or two if you play them very loud.

The AVR is rated at 125W. The speaker has a 500w power handling capability. That's a solid 6 dB difference. That's not a small difference in output.

You might not need that output, but I would. Not sure about the OP, maybe he needs it, maybe he doesn't. But to suggest that external amplification cannot be a benefit for this speaker is not true.

 

[zgeneral]

The AVR is rated at 125W. The speaker has a 500w power handling capability. That's a solid 6 dB difference. That's not a small difference in output.

You might not need that output, but I would. Not sure about the OP, maybe he needs it, maybe he doesn't. But to suggest that external amplification cannot be a benefit for this speaker is not true.

I didn't suggest that external amplification couldn't be a benefit for that speaker. Please learn how to read if you're going to quote my post.

 

[Gooddoc]

I didn't suggest that external amplification couldn't be a benefit for that speaker. Please learn how to read if you're going to quote my post.

My reading comprehension is quite good actually. Stating "external amplification is not needed" certainly suggests there is no benefit.

And "it would get you an extra Db or two" is flat out incorrect.

No need to get insulted.

 

[Ablackb2]

Sadly, the HDMI functions on the system quit after a week of use. Apparently not an uncommon issue with multiple Marantz models. After reading about this fairly common "pop of death" as well, I decided to exchange it for the Onkyo 838 today. Hopefully I have some better luck with it

 

[fatbottom]

That amplifier is 7 x 68W