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Is an amp the right solution?

253 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by MerlinOfKolvir, Oct 25, 2019

MerlinOfKolvir

Discussion Starter · Oct 24, 2019

(Someone moved this to a discussion about Aventage receivers. This issue predates the receiver, so it shouldn't be assigned to Aventage owners)

For the last 15+ years, I've been running a Yamaha HTR-5280 powering some JBL ND310 speakers. I've enjoyed the experience, but the avr needed upgrading, and I also noticed that I wasn't hearing a lot of the soundtrack unless I turned the volume up quite loud. I upgraded to the Yamaha RXA-2080 and I enjoy a number of improvements in the setup.

My problem comes from two aspects. First, I'm still noticing that unless I turn it up a fair bit, I'm still missing out on a lot of the sounds that I should be hearing. Some parts come through at the desired volume, but the rest is too quiet to hear unless I push the volume up significantly. Second, which just makes the first point more noticeable, I moved the HTR-5280 to my bedroom and hooked it up to some small old Kenwood bookshelf speakers, and even at very low volumes they create a much more full and detailed sound space than my JBLs have ever produced.

I would like my main theater to get that fuller more detailed sound without having to push the volume up so high. (Consider that the HTR / Kenwood sounds more detailed at -55db than the RXA / JBL sounds at - 35db). I was told that adding an amp would make the JBLs produce that more detailed sound at lower volumes, rather than just increasing the volume more easily. Is this a viable solution? Is there a better solution? The JBL ND310s are 3-way, dual 10" 250w RMS, 91db @ 1w speakers.

Thanks!

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bear123

· #2 · Oct 24, 2019 (Edited)

At low volume, 5 or 10 watts from a cheap, well designed amp won't sound any different than 5 or 10 watts from an audio jewelry amp. The two sets of speakers you have undoubtedly each have a different sound resulting in what you hear. Switch them from one room to another and the sound will follow the speaker. Speakers make sound, amps don't. If they are reasonably well designed, they just amplify the signal.

This is clear to see in your example. You moved the same amp from one room to another, and on different speakers, you like the sound better......with the same amp. It's the speakers that change/produce the sound.

I would try to find some measurements on your JBL's, and measure your in room response with REW.

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niterida

· #3 · Oct 25, 2019

Your problem sounds (pun intended) more like speaker positioning and/or room issues to me.
Try moving your speakers around and toeing them in/out etc to see if that makes any difference.
Is it just a stereo setup without centre, surrounds or a sub ??

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MerlinOfKolvir

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 25, 2019

niterida said:
Your problem sounds (pun intended) more like speaker positioning and/or room issues to me.
Try moving your speakers around and toeing them in/out etc to see if that makes any difference.
Is it just a stereo setup without centre, surrounds or a sub ??

I have it set up in a 7.1 configuration currently. I know the problem follows the speakers, so I know that at least part of the problem is the speakers. The reason I wonder if the speaker problem is that their being under driven is because literally every other speaker (all rated between 45-80w) I hook up to either receiver maintains a full range of sound even when the receivers are turned low, but these 250w rms JBLs just drop like 75% of the content when it gets to low volume. With my new receiver I can hear my 4 rear channels completely overtake my mains as I turn down the volume; they maintain the (mostly) full range, but the JBLs drop everything but (I think) the high range.

I'm confident that if I just replaced the speakers with smaller speakers, it would solve the problem (I agree with both of you there) I'm just wondering if these speakers will only play the full range at high volumes, or if more power will produce more of a full range without blasting the sound. (example would be, as I understand it, a bi amped speaker only needing a 15w amp to drive the mids and highs to the same level as a 100w+ amp driving the woofers). If Im wrong, please let me know what I don't understand.

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