2x6 generously loaned me a spare Onkyo 282 100W 2 channel amp to see if it would help solve some issues in my HT. It has solved some of them.
For 2 channel listening not much difference, maybe none. Big difference for HT, though.
The Onkyo powers the mains, my Denon 2802 powers the center and surrounds. I feel much more comfortable turning up the volume now during movie watching, but the volume doesn't need to be cranked like before. Using an spl meter it hit 101 db at -12 on the volume scale during the whale scene of "Nemo". That was after recalibrating w/ all channels set near 0. Apparently the Denon is able to power 3 channels to much louder levels than 5.
My suggestion to those of you who feel your receiver may be lacking power, and/or damaging your speakers, would be to add an amp, but IMO it doesn't have to be a multi-channel monster. The results from adding this relatively inexpensive Onkyo have been pretty damn impressive.
When are you going to want this thing back, 2x6?
