Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners what control amplifier (Preamp) do Axiom users use

Hello, I only recently learned about Axiom and i Heard they have really great speakers and power amplifiers, but a great set of speakers and a great power amp isn't worth a nickle without a great control amp/control center to plug your components into. I noticed Axiom doesn't sell actual control amplifiers (if they do, I must have missed where they are located). What control amplifiers do you (Axiom speaker/amplifier owners) use?

P.S. I might have put this post in the wrong secton, I probably should have put it in "Home Theater".

Many of us just use a regular AVR from Denon, Onkyo, HK, Yamaha, etc., and don't use separate preamp/amp configurations. In many situations that is all you need to play as clear and as loud as you would want.

On the flip side, some use there AVR's as the pre and a separate amp from various manufacturers in the audio industry, or actual separates with preamp/amps from one manufacturer.

I know there are a couple of forum members that have Integra pre/pro's, beyond this, I think the majority with separate amps are simply utilizing there previous/current avr as the pre/pro for the separate amplifier..

+1 here, use the pre-amp out on my 3311 as a pre pro with good success. Though the audio guy up in my head wants a Emotiva XMC-1 if they ever get the darn thing built. Alternatively a Bryston SP3 but that 10g and i seem to be a be a bit short.

Just an Onkyo AVR here, although i have used a few other preamps in the past; a Parasound Halo unit, a vintage Phillips. a Sansui...

I use a Krell processor, and Krell amps.. However, i am kind of thinking about a new processor though... Don't know what i'm going with next though....

Yamaha reciever with preouts and an axiom ADA amplifier.

i use the preouts on a Marantz sr5005;

the Marantz directly drives the rear surrounds;
the 2 QSC power amps are used for the front and side surrounds.
(i don't use a front center channel).

check the links in my signature...

I use Anthem D2v + ADA1500

+1
I also use Pre-outs from an AVR and a separate power amp.
/Jeff

I previously used an Outlaw 990 preamp with an Outlaw 7125 amplifier. For a while I held out hope that Now I have an Onkyo HT-RC370 receiver that I use as a processor feeding the same amp.

I would go as far as to say, buy the AVR with the features that you want, just make sure it has pre-outs. Try running like that, and if you don't get the volume levels that you desire, then add the external amp.

I am running an Emotiva pre/pro and 7-channel amp connecting via XLR's, including the sub out from the pre/pro.

Looks like I forgot to finish a thought as I was editing a post:


... Outlaw would release a new pre-pro with "HD audio" support (Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD Master Audio), but that thing was delayed so long that for an upgrade to the 990 I went with an AVR, which, as many have noted, is in most people's eyes (ears?) sufficient for the task.

Aegis, welcome. I think that the point is that there's no need to spend time and money looking for a "great" preamp-processor. The receivers available at moderate cost have those functions done as well as is necessary for use with separate amplifiers. In addition, as Chris mentioned, having the receiver available allows making a determination as to whether its internal amplifier is sufficient for the job, making the question of a spending money on a separate amplifier moot.

Since were on this topic.

What do you guys think about the

Emotiva XMC-1 vs the Marantz AV8801?

I am looking for a new processor, and don't think i want to go with another Krell.. The other brands have way more options, and i dont think the Krell brand is worth the extra cash for their processors...

One of the "must haves" for me is XLR outs.. I can not use RCA's due to the electrical wiring in my house, i get interference if i use RCA's...

You might also consider the Outlaw 975, getting rave reviews at half the price as the Emo, but I'm partial to Outlaw. Recently Sound and Vision Magezine gave it a great review saying it can hold its own to preamp/processors costing 2-3 times its price.. at $549 killer price.

http://outlawaudio.com/products/975.html

I was just looking the Marantz MM7701 may be better for me. I have a 5.1 setup.. and i don't need 11 pre-outs.. The only difference i can see between the 8801 and the 7701 is that the 8801 has Audyssey MultEQXT32 where the 7701 has Audyssey MultEQXT. Minus the 32... Is that a very big difference? big enough to justify 2X the cost for my purposes?


I'll look at the outlaw in a minute. Thanks.

The outlaw doesn't have XLR outs, only RCA's...

If that is important, then your right.

FWIW I have an older Parasound Halo C2. It doesn't decode HD audio but I get around that by using the multichannel inputs with decoding done in an Oppo BDP95. This gives me XLRs and a very good setup overall. However I will eventually upgrade to a more modern unit. I agree that for audio quality alone there is probably little difference between this and a good quality AVR.

I was thinking about getting the Oppo and realized that i too have an older AVR now which doesn't have HDMI inputs.
However, i can do the multi channel audio as you say.
Then i also remembered the tv in that room would have to be replaced too.....

It is always that domino effect.

I used Yamaha for years, but switched to a Cambridge Audio 640R

Right now I'm using a Denon AVR-4311CI & Emotiva XPA-5 on my M80v3/VP180v3/QS8v3/SVS PB13-Ultra(x2) setup. I was going to get some Emotiva XPR-1 mono blocks after I upgrade to the M100's but I might get an Outlaw model 7900 which will let me bi-amp the M100's in my 5.2 setup. I'm also thinking about getting the newer Denon AVR-4520CI and switching out my Samsung PN50C7000 plasma for a projector. So many plans. Probably all wishful thinking.

Epic 80 - 7.2 Axiom Speakers
Sunfire TGA-7400 Amplifier
Onkyo PR-SC5508 Pre-Amplifier

See my entire theater (and the construction) here:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1350179/the-bacon-race-theater-patio-project

There's a level of incredible I'll never achieve.