Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Need quick input about amps, interconnects and SQ

Just because and amp is rated higher, does not mean it will play the source louder. I just means there is more headroom. Again, the center will not get the same drive the mains do. Also, if there is an imbalance, it can be adjusted via the pre-amp (which the Denon would be acting as).

True, and after doing a little more research on the unit, it appears to be a high quality amp. I just think for hat price, it's not worth the 1.5db gain. If I were buying, I would concentrate on the mains only for the problem that was posted.

Is this like standing in a hot shower or having a heater blowing on you where after a few minutes you feel you have to make the water hotter or turn up the heat more on the heater Although I've noticed that when I'm drinking beer in the shower the water doens't feel as hot

You got it, just like everything with the human body it adjusts to its environment. Just like after awhile at a rock concert the SPL is no longer a consideration, then you leave and the ringing in your ears is now noticeable, you are experiencing the same effect.

I also agree with everyone else, to noticeably louder than the Denon is capable of, you have to be looking at twice the power to start with, ~300W @8ohm.

When I added an outboard amp to my 3808, I didn’t notice a significant difference. Certainly not one that I would recommend anyone spending money that would be better spent on food for their children or some gift that would get their old lady horny….

Where I notice the most difference is when watching movies during scenes with aggressive dynamic peaks. Some of the action scenes can scare the crap out of folks if I have the volume too high, whereas without the amp, the peaks would just sound loud as hell.

I’m using a B&O Ice Power 5 channel amp. 200 WPC / 8 Ohm. Something like 350 / 4 Ohm. I got it for a heck of a bargain, so I don’t have buyer’s remorse. But if I would have dumped a couple grand on it, I’d be pissed for believing all the power mongers for touting the virtues of more power is better.

I’m not helping much with this indecisive responce am I?

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Actually I think you did, you helped prove the point about needing much more power than just a 200W amp would give. The added extra dynamics I can believe, as you now have more headroom with the ice amp, but to go much louder would take much more power

Edmond - I'm not sure what kind of a deal you were getting on the Sunfire, but for comparative purposes, here are some links to Crown amps, which Alan from Axiom has recommended as high-quality amps that will have no problems driving any of Axiom's line-up (including the M80s).

All wpc #s into 8 ohms, since you have M60s...

XLS 202D200x2, $299

XLS 402D300x2, $399.

XLS 602D380x2, $499

Note that while these are very affordable amps for the price, one feature they do not have that is a turnoff to many for home theater use is a power trigger that turns them on only when your receiver turns on (and vice versa). There are ways around this limitation, but it is an annoyance that should be kept in mind when comparing to other amps.

Jason

Bobby, reading this now isn't resulting in "quick input", but if you're going to "pull the trigger" maybe it would be better to do it at the firing range rather than on that amp. Your 3808 may have more maximum power capacity than you think(for example, note Hometheater Magazine test showing about 200 watt capability], and also keep in mind that 200 watts would only result in a 1.87dB louder split-second peak than would 130 watts. For example, a peak played at 105dB using 130 watts could play it at 106.87dB using 200 watts; very little difference. Unless you're actually playing material with a very wide dynamic range(e.g., some classical recordings)at extremely high sound levels that require more than the 3808 can output(rather doubtful), getting an amplifier that's rated at 200, or 400, or 800 watts isn't going to make any difference. Unused amplifier headroom is simply that: unused. Maybe the guy who suggested that what was needed wasn't more power, but rather, less beer, had it right.

Those Crown amps look like a great deal but it appears they only have balanced inputs

Would an XLR to RCA adapter work?