Mono Blocks vs 2 Channel Power Amp

[Vivek Batra]

Hi FMs

I am quite new to this domain of hi end gear but not new to music. I have Denon 4500H to drive my Klipsch RP- 8000F and I am quite not happy as this was not the intention (Intention was a stereo integrated amp but somehow a wrong decision.). So thinking of doing away with AVR and going for separates. I have been reading around and watching some youtube videos on mono block amps and power amps. Will it really makes a difference by going mono vs 2 channel power amp? 200 wpc mono vs 400 wpc stereo power amp?

One thing that is not in my control is to find a dealer that could arrange a demo to compare this scenario. I am helpless on this until and unless I flew out of my city to find a dealer.

I am sure I will take away a good amount of knowledge from this forum and will be able to spend wisely.

 

[ONEMANARMY]

Looking at the specifications, your speakers are an easy load and very efficient, so do not require 200 watts of power, let alone 400wpc, unless you want to listen at ear bleeding levels.
You may not get much by changing from Denon AVR to another solid state amplifier.
If I were in your position, I would rather try a tube amplifier.
Even a low powered tube amp will be a big change especially because the speakers can be bi-amped.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Looking at the specifications, your speakers are an easy load and very efficient, so do not require 200 watts of power, let alone 400wpc, unless you want to listen at ear bleeding levels.
You may not get much by changing from Denon AVR to another solid state amplifier.
If I were in your position, I would rather try a tube amplifier.
Even a low powered tube amp will be a big change especially because the speakers can be bi-amped.

Thanks for your reply. I am used to listen at very low level and starving for clarity and dynamics at low volume levels say -35 db to -30 db max. Tube amps that I know can afford are primaluna prologue 4 for instance. I love McIntosh but they are damn too costly, one can buy an apartment at that price. Otherwise I have no experience with Tube amps are they too delicate to handle? more prone to malfunction may be just the tubes?

 

[jigarpatel]

If you are into stereo music only, then I would suggest to go for integrated or separate pre amp + power amp for stereo.
Depend upon your budget.
Any of your friend having integrated amp, try it out with your speaker.

Checked specification of your speaker and AVR.
Looks like your AVR (125w 2 ch driven 8 ohm) is not capable to provide power requirement of speaker which is 150 w continues.

 

[Vivek Batra]

If you are into stereo music only, then I would suggest to go for integrated or separate pre amp + power amp for stereo.
Depend upon your budget.
Any of your friend having integrated amp, try it out with your speaker.

Checked specification of your speaker and AVR.
Looks like your AVR (125w 2 ch driven 8 ohm) is not capable to provide power requirement of speaker which is 150 w continues.

Well not sure, how much RP-8000F needs all the times keeping in mind the high sensitivity of 98db. Yes I am in to Stereo setup only. So planning to replace the AVR now. Issue is to borrow a Stereo amp is a hard to realize option , but will check with my dealer again.

Thanks.

 

[MaSh]

Yeah receiver no matter what spec is not as good for music as a stereo amp.

In your case, a good stereo amp should be good since the speakers are quite efficient. A separate preamp + Poweramp combo is also a good option. You can look for a preamp with a built in dac having steaming features and necessary inputs.

MaSh

 

[ONEMANARMY]

Thanks for your reply. I am used to listen at very low level and starving for clarity and dynamics at low volume levels say -35 db to -30 db max. Tube amps that I know can afford are primaluna prologue 4 for instance. I love McIntosh but they are damn too costly, one can buy an apartment at that price. Otherwise I have no experience with Tube amps are they too delicate to handle? more prone to malfunction may be just the tubes?

If handled with care, tube amps do not pose any problems. Of course you will need to change tubes every couple of years but then the fun is in rolling different tubes to suit your taste.
Once you get hooked onto the delicious sound of tubes, and the variety of tube choices, it'll be difficult to go back to solid state, so beware it can be a very expensive journey

 

[Vivek Batra]

Yeah receiver no matter what spec is not as good for music as a stereo amp.

In your case, a good stereo amp should be good since the speakers are quite efficient. A separate preamp + Poweramp combo is also a good option. You can look for a preamp with a built in dac having steaming features and necessary inputs.

MaSh

I am dreaming for Anthem STR series Pre and Power Amps

 

[Vivek Batra]

If handled with care, tube amps do not pose any problems. Of course you will need to change tubes every couple of years but then the fun is in rolling different tubes to suit your taste.
Once you get hooked onto the delicious sound of tubes, and the variety of tube choices, it'll be difficult to go back to solid state, so beware it can be a very expensive journey

I am sure in Chandigarh where I live, there will be on one to change the tubes and for sure it would be a costly affair.

 

[ONEMANARMY]

These days you can buy tubes online quite safely and changing tubes is not such a difficult affair.
You mentioned that your listening levels are quite low which means that you are perfectly qualified to go the tube way.

Anyway, I just wouldn't want you to spend a large sum of money on getting another solid state amplifier only to realise that there isn't that much of a difference.
Happy hunting.

 

[Ashenden]

I’ve not heard your floorstander, but have heard klipsch RP600m bookshelf speakers paired with NAD 316BEE at a friends place. It had beautiful synergy with excellent dynamics and detail at low listening levels of around 70dB. They too were pretty efficient around 96dB with 2W. I guess your speakers are from the same series?

 

[Kannan]

Klipsch specializes in horn-loaded tweeters and this particular model seems to be a go to for both music and movies. I expect the upper mids and high to be a bit sharp attuned to the Klipsch house curves.
If you like you music more mellow in the highs, then I would suggest to go with an amplifier like NAD, Naim, Accuphase, Cambridge Audio etc.
Though it has a high sensitivity of close to 96, its power handling capability is 150 watts nominal (peak 600 watts), so I would advise against using a low power amp. Assuming you have a decently big enough listening space, go for something in the 75 to 150 watt RMS region for Class AB or minumum 50 watts of Class A power if you want to eek out details even at low volumes.
You can also look at Class D amps in the rating of 150 to 200 watt RMS region.

If budget is not a big constrain, go for pre/power combo of the same model, avoid mixing and matching.

 

[ONEMANARMY]

If clarity and dynamics is what you're looking for at low level listening, Class A amps would be my second choice but these would probably cost you as much as tubed power amps, if not more.
It's always better to audition before spending huge amount of money.
Sometimes, a not very expensive, low powered Single Ended Triode could bring about the magic that you've been searching for.
Sorry, but I am biased towards tubes (pun intended )

 

[newlash09]

If clarity and dynamics is what you're looking for at low level listening, Class A amps would be my second choice but these would probably cost you as much as tubed power amps, if not more.
It's always better to audition before spending huge amount of money.
Sometimes, a not very expensive, low powered Single Ended Triode could bring about the magic that you've been searching for.
Sorry, but I am biased towards tubes (pun intended )

Would fully agree. Tubes come first, closely followed by pure class A

 

[newlash09]

Hi FMs

I am quite new to this domain of hi end gear but not new to music. I have Denon 4500H to drive my Klipsch RP- 8000F and I am quite not happy as this was not the intention (Intention was a stereo integrated amp but somehow a wrong decision.). So thinking of doing away with AVR and going for separates. I have been reading around and watching some youtube videos on mono block amps and power amps. Will it really makes a difference by going mono vs 2 channel power amp? 200 wpc mono vs 400 wpc stereo power amp?

One thing that is not in my control is to find a dealer that could arrange a demo to compare this scenario. I am helpless on this until and unless I flew out of my city to find a dealer.

I am sure I will take away a good amount of knowledge from this forum and will be able to spend wisely.

Hi vivek

I think you are taking things too fast. Please spend some quality time with your system for a few months. Try to see what you like and dislike in it. Only then will you know, what improvements you would like to make in your sound. And then you would know what to get next.

Just buying your next set of amps or preamps blind without knowing what exactly you seek, might be a drain on your wallet. And in the end it might just not be the denon, it could be the klipsch that might need a change first. Only some longer listening will reveal those answers. All the best...and happy listening

 

[tuff]

1+ to what @newlash09 said. Spend some time with it. It takes time to really pinpoint what needs to be fixed after listening to a system for days, not hours. I have a NOS DAC that i thought was too mellow after i got it, but when i was out of choice after my preamp/DAC started giving problems, I started using it extensively. Now i can not believe that i had put it for sale on this very forum. Have patience. Use it for a month and see. Good luck.

 

[arj]

Hi FMs

I am quite new to this domain of hi end gear but not new to music. I have Denon 4500H to drive my Klipsch RP- 8000F and I am quite not happy as this was not the intention (Intention was a stereo integrated amp but somehow a wrong decision.). So thinking of doing away with AVR and going for separates. I have been reading around and watching some youtube videos on mono block amps and power amps. Will it really makes a difference by going mono vs 2 channel power amp? 200 wpc mono vs 400 wpc stereo power amp?

One thing that is not in my control is to find a dealer that could arrange a demo to compare this scenario. I am helpless on this until and unless I flew out of my city to find a dealer.

I am sure I will take away a good amount of knowledge from this forum and will be able to spend wisely.

Vivek, i have owned Klipsch RF3s for several years although 15 years back. Before thinking about mono or stereo, what you need is an amp which does the 1-10W very well. the rest may jsut be for the headroom

As suggested above, you can look at tubes or SS . it does depend on your budget and if you do go for SS a pure Class A is ideal since they are the most linear. I have used a Sugden A21a with them very well. A rega Brio also played them well.

An SET would be great but depends in the kind of music and how you like it to be presented.

 

[arj]

If you are into stereo music only, then I would suggest to go for integrated or separate pre amp + power amp for stereo.
Depend upon your budget.
Any of your friend having integrated amp, try it out with your speaker.

Checked specification of your speaker and AVR.
Looks like your AVR (125w 2 ch driven 8 ohm) is not capable to provide power requirement of speaker which is 150 w continues.

I think you are looking at this wrong as the number ot look at is the sensitivity. The 150W is the max rating and with a 98db Sensitivity your eardrums will blow out at just 25W he needs not more than 10W and that too is an overkill.

 

[Vivek Batra]

Hi vivek

I think you are taking things too fast. Please spend some quality time with your system for a few months. Try to see what you like and dislike in it. Only then will you know, what improvements you would like to make in your sound. And then you would know what to get next.

Just buying your next set of amps or preamps blind without knowing what exactly you seek, might be a drain on your wallet. And in the end it might just not be the denon, it could be the klipsch that might need a change first. Only some longer listening will reveal those answers. All the best...and happy listening

Hi

I fully agree with you that hit and trial is not the right approach here.may be I need some external help just to find out what's pissing me off whether it's the space or the receiver or the speakers. Being the first time owner of such a system it's beyond my knowledge to find the issue. I will give it some time to break in and see if things improve.

Thanks.

 

[reachkalyan.kr]

Hi

I fully agree with you that hit and trial is not the right approach here.may be I need some external help just to find out what's pissing me off whether it's the space or the receiver or the speakers. Being the first time owner of such a system it's beyond my knowledge to find the issue. I will give it some time to break in and see if things improve.

Thanks.

Did u tried Bi amping .

Hope Klipsch has bi amp terminal.

Remove the jumpers and give it a try