Stereo-amp to deliver 5.1 channel movie?

sonosphere

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Hi,
It's generally accepted on this forum that Stereo-amps are better for music than AVR-amps of same price-range. I have a couple of queries as a consequence...

1. Does this mean that if we use the stereo-amp for two front channels of a5.1 based movie, the SQ would be better >> compared to an AVR-amp driving the fronts?

Pls have patience to read the next qry....
2. If the answer to point-1 is yes, then why not use identical stereo amps for each pair of outputs (i.e front pair and rear pair) and may be use a third stereo-amp just to drive the center speaker. (The Subwoofer channel would still require an Active Subwoofer).

- You can set independent spkr volumes thru their respective amps (and stereo-balance control) based on room acoustics...whereas the overall-volume of whole setup will be controlled by the source dvd player (most DVDP have this facility)

Will the above setup have better SQ (since its based on better electronics of Stereo amp)?.... or there are some features in AVR electronics design that make them deliver better SQ in 5.1 movie compared to Stereo amps?

Regds,
Sonosphere

P.S: What sense does it make to go for the setup in point-2?... Well I am going by some statements in this fourm that an AVR having Music SQ of a stereo amp costs 1 lac+. If this is so, then why not assemble a collection of Norge Stereo-amplifiers to deliver 5.1 channels at a cost of 50k?
 
1. Does this mean that if we use the stereo-amp for two front channels of a5.1 based movie, the SQ would be better >> compared to an AVR-amp driving the fronts?

Many people do use that configuration. An AVR or sound processor and the fronts being driven by a high current stereo or mono blocks. The stereo amp must be able to act as a power amplifier, though.

2. If the answer to point-1 is yes, then why not use identical stereo amps for each pair of outputs (i.e front pair and rear pair) and may be use a third stereo-amp just to drive the center speaker. (The Subwoofer channel would still require an Active Subwoofer).

You can do this if the amplifier has a pre-in and you can bypass it's own pre-amplification. A more elegant solution is to have a sound processor, and have a single multi channel amp that can deliver sound quality of a comparable nature. To improve the quality even better, you can use 5 or 7 mono block amplifiers.

You can set independent spkr volumes thru their respective amps (and stereo-balance control) based on room acoustics...whereas the overall-volume of whole setup will be controlled by the source dvd player (most DVDP have this facility)

Speaker setting can usually be controlled at the sound processor level or an AVR acting as the sound processor. Remember when you use external amps, the amps must be just power amplifiers, and you cannot execute pre-amplification a second time. When the stereo amps act as power amps, their volume will be controlled from the processor.

To avoid all these complication, you have what is called a power amp. This could be a mono block, a stereo or even a multi channel amp. They have no pre-amplification at all and just execute the commands of the external pre-amplifier.

Will the above setup have better SQ (since its based on better electronics of Stereo amp)?.... or there are some features in AVR electronics design that make them deliver better SQ in 5.1 movie compared to Stereo amps?

Let us remember the basically different requirements of the two. A stereo amp is designed to deliver music effortlessly. The peaks and troughs in music are comparatively less as compared to a movie sound. At the same time, we look for smoothness, accuracy, and instrument & voice differentiation. A stereo set is designed to deliver all these with panache.

An AVR or processor/amplifier combination has different requirements. It has to handle multiple channels for one, worry about sound synchronisation across all channels, handle sudden and momentary peaks in power requirements, and of course decode a large number of sound codecs.

What many manufacturers are trying to do is to make AVR and/or processors/amplifiers double up as a good musical system. There is only so far they can go with that requirement as otherwise the system will fail in it's basic function or delivering movie sound well. There will a small compromise, but the gap is narrowing.

P.S: What sense does it make to go for the setup in point-2?... Well I am going by some statements in this fourm that an AVR having Music SQ of a stereo amp costs 1 lac+. If this is so, then why not assemble a collection of Norge Stereo-amplifiers to deliver 5.1 channels at a cost of 50k?

Simply because a Norge will fail miserably in delivering good sound for movies. And believe me, an 1 lac AVR can beat a Norge amplifier any day even for music, given all other parts of the system (source, cables, ICs, speakers etc.,) are the same.

Cheers
 
I had similar talk with Venkat Sir,I asked same to get 3 amp for HTPC/D2X.
I was worried whether they can handle high dynamics from mov & ans was in favour.
 
The Biggest Thing in here is how the hell will you give the inputs to the multiple Stereo Amps or Mono Blocks, if you are splitting the same signal to all the amps, its good for nothing, for this you either need a Source, that has 5.1/7.1 output or a dedicated 5.1/7.1 preamp that will split the signals, to get the exact Home Theatre Effects...

And regarding Norge....

You cant compare a Low Range product to a High Range product, whether they are of same Brand or different brands, as there are a lot of things that matters, than just price...
else companies who got low end and high end amplifiers, will go in loss on higher end systems, as, if there is no difference people will only go and buy the cheap once...
 
Thanks,but I am thinking to add this to my HTPC which has D2X.I found if I play mov in vlc & try to reduce volume,only few ch volume get low & not all.
 
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