...external amp connection.

[Patt]

My new (used) amp has two RCA jacks.....My reciever has four.

Which two on the back of the reciever do I use, the one labeled (pre-out) or (main-in)?

I have checked both the amp and the reciever manual. Only pictures of the jacks...no wiring diagrams/connections. Any suggestions are welcome!

[Cracking Oboe]

Hi Patt,

Use the pre-outs on the receiver and connect to the power amplifier.
I'll try to explain... "Pre-out" sends the source signal from the preamp section of your reciever to the amp bypassing the amplifier section of the receiver. "Main in" bypasses the pre-amp section of your receiver and sends a signal directly to the amplifier section of your reciever (so you may use the reciever as a power amp). I hope that helps.

Cracking!

[Patt]

Clearly understood.......now to hook it up.

Thanks Cracking! :T

[georgev]

What amps are they?

[autio]

pat,
Good luck with your new (to you) set up. I dont know if you have thought of this but you can now experiment with biwiring if your speakers have the connections. I used my reciever with preouts to do this a couple yours ago and back a few upgrades. You will need a y-connector of some kind and a extra set of speaker cables. MY speakers are very very efficient and I had a lot of power at the time 220 w/c and I still thougt the sound improved (dynamically)by putting my reciever amp into the mix. THe quality level of the amps probably wont be the same, neither will the levels but you dont have to leave it hooked in just experiment swicthing the amps between high and low. I think the results will surprise you.

[Patt]

Hi George,
It's a Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 that I'm hoping is going to make an improvment over the Denon #685 stereo reciever. I've been looking at amps and integrateds for quite some time and this old but very well kept CJS was offered to me cheap. For a first time it should be interesting.

Autio,
Right now I have some old 12Ga. double runs to the Paradigm speakers. The Sonographe has two sets of binding posts only, so just to get it running I'll double up connectors on the amp end. After deciding which speakers (Klipsch or Paradigm) it will be powering and find it will stay I'll probably have some custom made.
Thanks for the suggestion.....

[autio]

Pat I kind of worded what i said wrong I meant BI-Amping not biwiring using the internal amps of the denon.

[georgev]

I suspect you will hear a significant improvement with the new CJ. Keep us posted.
Be careful when bi-amping. You generally want to bi-amp with similar amps and not different ones. You should bi-amp with amps that have a similar gain.
If you get another CJ., then your Y connector comes in where you split the signal to the two CJ's and then to the speakers.

[Patt]

Thanks for the clarification Autio, now it makes sense.

I was thinking when the pre-outs are used it kills the reciever binding posts.......better check into that b/c I still need to make a run to the self powered sub.
With only two sets of binding posts on the amp things are getting crowded.

Just the 2 speakers w/o the sub the bass is much more pronounced and the music seems to flow more freely w/o being restrained. Now I see what amps are all about in my own home instead of on the showroom floor.

Thanks a million guys, it is so much easier and friendlier here than trying to talk to the salesmen............. Pat

[autio]

george,
Your 100 percent right about using the same amps (permanently)I was only mentioning this as an experiment for patt. everyone hears about these options but not every one really knows what its about on their own system. I really only meant he should try it bi amped one way, switch amps high to low and have another listen with some favorite and familiar music. It just fun and interesting to see the big difference in sound quality.