Can I wire two amps (to be used alternatively) to B&W 684s?

[tbyrne]

I have a six year old Marantz SR4300 HT receiver which works fine as a HT receiver, but seems a bit underpowered for my new B&W 684s. Actually, I think the Marantz eventually makes plenty of power, but I really need to turn it WAY up to get it to play loud (from its baseline –72 db to about –5 db [I think +17db is the max volume level]). It makes me a bit nervous to turn the receiver up that high, but the speakers show no sign of stress at that level. I know it’s not an issue with the speakers because I hooked them up to an older Yamaha 70 watt HT receiver and they were louder at 40% (11 o’clock) than the Marantz is at –5db.

At any rate, I would like to upgrade to a 2-channel integrated amp and new CD player, but would like to keep the Marantz HT set-up for the once-a-month movie viewing we do. Would it be possible to connect an integrated amp (something like a NAD325 or Rotel 1062) to one set of posts on the B&Ws and to connect the Marantz HT set-up to the other set of posts? Obviously, I would never run both systems at the same time.

I realize I could use the pre-amp outputs on the Marantz to connect to a more powerful dedicated amp, but I am reluctant to use the Marantz as a pre-amp given the odd nature of its volume control.

Thanks in advance for your ideas -

[twitch54]

Your post is a little bit bewildering but I'll try a give a few thoughts......

Your speakers are effecient enough and with their nominal 8 ohm rating should not be much of a problem for most receivers. I have no working knowledge of yours though. I'm assuming that your using it to power L/R, center and surrounds ?? If you used it strictly as a stereo unit for your L/R does that make any difference ?? What is the music source that you are feeding it for two channel listening ??

Regardless of the above the thought of hooking up the way you suggest does not make sense. I do believe that if you have two sets of binding posts on the back of your speakers that one pair is for the bass driver and the other is for mid/tweeter....correct ?? Are they jumpered ?? This is to facilitate bi-amping or bi-wiring, again I'm not familiar with your speakers either.

Do yourself a favor...... get a nice two channel amp for your L/R speakers, utilize the pre-outs from your receiver and when time / $$$ permitt add a nice two channel pre-amp into the equation(one with a HT pass through) and you will be much happier.

In other words as soon as your able put the receiver into HT duty ONLY, your ears will thank you !

[Glen B]

In addition to the advice above, there is a reason why you get different loudness levels between the Yamaha and Marantz receivers at different volume control positions that has nothing to do with how powerful both units are. The volume control potentiometers in the two receivers each have a different taper (i.e., adjustment range). All a volume pot does in its action is attenuate or cut the source signal being fed to the amp or receiver. From your description, it is apparent that the Marantz receiver has a more gradual taper than the Yamaha, so that you have to turn it up quite a way before it lets more signal through to the internal amplification stages. The volume pot in the Yamaha receiver appears to be the opposite and lets more signal though in the earlier part of its adjustment range.

[Kal Rubinson]

At any rate, I would like to upgrade to a 2-channel integrated amp and new CD player, but would like to keep the Marantz HT set-up for the once-a-month movie viewing we do. Would it be possible to connect an integrated amp (something like a NAD325 or Rotel 1062) to one set of posts on the B&Ws and to connect the Marantz HT set-up to the other set of posts? Obviously, I would never run both systems at the same time.

No. First, you do not want to allow for the possibility that both will be on at the same time. Second, even with one off, there is the possibility of shunting the output of the active one, depending on the design of the output stages. Get a switch.

Kal

[tbyrne]

Verrry interesting

Kal, that's exactly the thing I was concerned about - is "shunting" the reason one needs a transfer switch to use a generator on a home breaker box? To keep power from going back out to the pole? I think I'll shelve the idea.

Glen, I figured that was the case - it is just unnerving to turn up the volume control to what appears to be (per a digital display, not a notch on the knob)75-80% of the full volume range.

Twitch - sorry to be unclear - the speaker does permit bi-amping if you remove the jumpers. I may try to get a demo amp from my local dealer to see how the pre-out/external amp idea works.

Thanks all!

[tbyrne]

oops - double post