[jobsavers]

I am setting up a multi-purpose media/HT room in my living room and am trying to get some insight in to how best use what I have. I have established a 7.1 speaker system comprised of Polk towers and center, four in-ceiling speakers for surrounds, and a good powered sub. The main question I have is how to best use my receiver and amp. I have an Emotiva Fusion 8100 receiver. I have an older Sherwood Newcastle A=965 Amp. The Emotiva has preouts for a 7.1 confiquration, but in itself can drive 7 channels at 65 wpc. The Sherwood amp drives 7 channels at 100 wpc. What is the best way to split up the amplification available through these two devices? Thanks in advance. Jobs.

 

[FMW]

There is no way that will make any difference. You don't need the amp. The receiver will handle things just fine.

 

[jobsavers]

There is no way that will make any difference. You don't need the amp. The receiver will handle things just fine.

For clarity, are you saying the extra power is too insignificant for the trouble of hooking it up? I've read a lot on these forums, so understand the principal that an extra 35 wpc is not going to make a huge difference in volume, but am under the impression a few extra wpc might help reduce clipping. Please clarify your response.

 

[RayDunzl]

I'd just run all 7 channels through the Sherwood only, if I wanted to try things out.

As for intermixing the two, if the gain of the amplifiers are different, one would get louder faster than the other if the internal gain factor is dissimilar as you turn up the volume at the preamp section.

The Sherwood has far more heatsinking, appears to have more transformer, more everything.

Weight -
Emo 25 lbs
Sherwoood 70.6 lbs

Then you can come back and say "FMW was right!" or not.

 

[Knucklehead90]

For clarity, are you saying the extra power is too insignificant for the trouble of hooking it up? I've read a lot on these forums, so understand the principal that an extra 35 wpc is not going to make a huge difference in volume, but am under the impression a few extra wpc might help reduce clipping. Please clarify your response.

To connect the amp and AVR together you'll need 7 RCA cables of sufficient length - then disconnect the speakers from the AVR and connect them to the amp. FWIW FMW is probably right - you shouldn't hear much if any difference at all. 35wpc adds about 2db of SPL to your headroom. If the Fusion didn't clip the amp won't either - if the Fusion clipped chances are so will the Sherwood. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

Power requirements and SPL are a logarithmic function not a linear one. It takes a doubling of power for each 3db of sound pressure level (SPL) - since you aren't adding double the power you won't get 3db more.

If I read the specs on the Fusion correctly it can drive 7 channels with 35wpc all channels driven. Probably the only AVR manufacturer to make that claim. Since I haven't seen bench test results from anyone you'll have to take Emotiva's word for that - or not. They seem to be an honest company but they do flub their specs from time to time.