Hi, I am planning to go with the M80/7.1 system with an EP600 sub for a 7400 cu sq foot room and am trying to decide about amplification between the following options.
1) Yamaha rxv3900
2) Yamaha rxv3900 with an Emotiva XPA-3 for the front and center channels
3) Yamaha RXV663 with Emotiva MPS-2.
Benefits of option 1) rxv3900 would be it includes Rhapsody, which I love listening to on my computer, however, I have never been able to listen to compressed music channels on Directv, they sound horrible, so I'm not sure it actually be a useful feature or not. This option would also be the cheapest and there is a thread on Amazon in which an rxv3800 owner reports good stable sound running the m80/7.1 ep 500 configuration. The main question is whether 140 watts X 7 (980 total) would be sufficient given room size and not having to crank the amp in order to get clean sound.
Benefits of option 2 would be to supplement the amplification for the M80s and center and still have the Rhapsody included in the rxv3900. Not sure if this would be a pain to balance volume levels between the 2 amps though, is there some sort of master/slave setting that can be implemented with this type of arrangement so when you turn up the rxv3900 the volume automatically goes up in tandem on the XPA-3?
Benefits of option 3 would be sound closer to true audiophile, costs about the same as option 2 but would cost more overall if I run audiophile cables, which I definitely would, between the receiver and the amp. Downside might be that the rxv663 only has 2 hdmi inputs, 1 output.
Actually option 4 would be to look at the Sherwood receivers or amp on this site, haven't heard anything about them.
I guess the main question is whether I need more power than the rxv3900 to comfortably power the speakers in my living room of 7400 cu ft.
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
SK
