[ahartig]

This may seem like a dumb question, but I have been searching the net for the past hour and cannot find a straight answer. I am going to purchase a Hafler Pro 2400 amp to power a pair of Acosutat Spectra 11s. I am going to use my current receiver, Yamaha CR-1020 as the pre-amp. Attached is a picture of the back. I know I need to connect RCAs from the pre-outs to the line in on the Hafler amp and thats it but do I need to turn the coupler on or off. What the hell does the coupler actually do?


Also, once I have the Hafler connected to the Yamaha, how do I select the pre-out? Will I still be able to use speakers A, B, and C on the Yamaha? I am assuming the pre-outs will always send the signal to the Hafler amp, no matter what input is selected.


Also, I would like to connect the hafler to the switched AC outlet on the back of the yamaha but the Hafler manual says the AC outlet on the pre-amp device must be a "switched 3-way AC outlet" and that the yamaha must be able to "supply a current of 10 amperes". From the pic the switched AC outlet says 120V, 60 Hz, 200W max, which I believe is nowhere close to 10 amperes becuase Watts/volts=amps....correct?


Thanks in advance.

 

[MichaelJHuman]

I traditional coupler is a metal bar joining the pre outs to the main in. They expect that when you remove it, you no longer use the receiver amplifiers and use an external amplifier.


It's probably not recommended to split the signal to use both the receiver's amplifiers and the external amplifier. Other people might be able to chime in on this.


You don't select the pre out, it's always on, at least in designs I am familiar with.


Don't connect ampllifiers to the switched output - it's probably not designed for that kind of load.

 

[ahartig]

So...if I understand correctly, with the coupler on, the Main In jacks are converted into another set of pre-outs?

 

[4WR]

Turn the coupler to "off"

Connect rca's from "pre-out" to new amp

connect speakers to new amp

Connect nothing to "main -in"

Yamaha's speaker selector will no longer function

 

[ahartig]

So I will not be able to listen to any of the speakers connected to the yamaha with coupler off?

 

[BGLeduc]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelJHuman /forum/post/16823387


I traditional coupler is a metal bar joining the pre outs to the main in. They expect that when you remove it, you no longer use the receiver amplifiers and use an external amplifier.


It's probably not recommended to split the signal to use both the receiver's amplifiers and the external amplifier. Other people might be able to chime in on this.


You don't select the pre out, it's always on, at least in designs I am familiar with.


Don't connect ampllifiers to the switched output - it's probably not designed for that kind of load.

In the OP's application, there is no need to route the signal back to the main ins, but it is not harmful to so.


At one point in time, I was doing just that with a NAD 320BEE Integrated amp, the purpose being to get a variable pre-out to a sub, while still running the L/R pair full range.


But again, no need for the OP to do that here.


Brian

 

[ClarkeBar]

ahartig,


To reiterate---


1. Do not power the Hafler amp from any of the Yamaha rear outlets.


2. As stated before, turn the coupler to off (thereby de-coupling the channels from the Yammy amp) and use the L-R pre-outs.


3. I would assume the B, C speaker selections are only available if your other speaker sets are hard wired to the Yamaha and you are using the Yamaha amp. Perhaps if you were using a multi-channel amp you could get it to work but I kinda doubt it. I think the multi speaker set switch is hard wired to the Yammy only.

 

[SoundChex]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ahartig /forum/post/16823264


What the hell does the coupler actually do?

The coupler selects whether the receiver's power amps are fed the internally generated source signal [always available at the pre-out terminals], or any source signal available at the main-in teminals.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ahartig /forum/post/16823264


[O]nce I have the Hafler connected to the Yamaha, how do I select the pre-out?

The pre-out terminals are always active.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ahartig /forum/post/16823264


Will I still be able to use speakers A, B, and C on the Yamaha?

If you leave the coupler in its current setting after you connect the external power amp, both the internal and [new] external power amp will receive the output from the receiver's preamp stage. However, while it is not obvious that there is any problem with doing this, manufacturers repeatedly advise against doing so [typically, without providing any specifics of what undesirable consequences may result!]

 

[jglapham]

That is a beautiful receiver. I have the almost identical big brother to yours, the CR-2020. If you don't have the user's manual, the CR-2020 is available online through
www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/pdf/av/english/AFR/CR-2020.pdf


Page 17 describes how to connect an external power amp.

 

[ahartig]

Those are actually not pics of my receiver, but yes, that one is awesome looking.


So if I may, let me beat a dead horse.


With the coupler "on", a signal is sent to the pre-outs and the yamaha powers speakers A, B, and C. Manufacturers do not recommend doing this though????


I essentially need the coupler "off", a signal is also still sent to the pre-outs although this way the A,B,C speakers on the yamaha will not work (lame).


CAn i still control the volume with the yamaha with the coupler "off"?

CAn I just have the coupler "on" and set the yamaha speakers to off until one day I want to use A,b,or,c speakers?

 

[MichaelJHuman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ahartig /forum/post/16824969


Those are actually not pics of my receiver, but yes, that one is awesome looking.


So if I may, let me beat a dead horse.


With the coupler "on", a signal is sent to the pre-outs and the yamaha powers speakers A, B, and C. Manufacturers do not recommend doing this though????


I essentially need the coupler "off", a signal is also still sent to the pre-outs although this way the A,B,C speakers on the yamaha will not work (lame).


CAn i still control the volume with the yamaha with the coupler "off"?

CAn I just have the coupler "on" and set the yamaha speakers to off until one day I want to use A,b,or,c speakers?

First, read the manual, if you have not done so.


Sorry if I confused you in my first post. What I was saying was that you "might" not want to try to leave the coupler on, and use the pre out jacks to power an external receiver.


That splits the pre out signal between the receiver's amplifier and the external amplifier. Is this bad? Maybe not. But my own receiver manual seems to discourage this.


The receiver is designed such that you turn the coupler OFF when you connect an external amplifier to the pre out jacks.


If you REALLY want to use the receiver's amps AND an external amplifier, you would have to leave the coupler switch on. I would make sure that's ok though before doing it.

 

[ClarkeBar]

These jumper pins serve the same function as your internal coupler. They connect the pre-out channel to the amp channel and are removed when external amping is used. With a Multi-channel receiver with Main-Ins like my trusty old HK510 (now packed away in storage), you have the flexibility to pick and choose which channels are externally amped and which, if any, channels are receiver powered. You can even use the receiver as an amp only. Sadly, Main-Ins are a thing of the past in the ever increasing multi-channel age. Of course, they are only really useful on a receiver with decent amping in the first place.

 

[ahartig]

Thanks for all the help. I hooked it up last night and it works great. The coupler needs to be off for the pre-outs to work the best. With the coupler on, the speakers hooked up to the Yamaha are louder than the Acoustats. If I need to listen to the A,B,C speakers, I will just turn the coupler on before powering on the system.


Thanks!!