Get a 2-ch or 5-ch amp on same budget?

**Andrew Pratt** · 12 July 2005, 16:34 Tuesday

Interesting choices. For me I might lean towards the 1075 and simply bi amp the fronts for now. The 1080 is more powerful but the 1075's a solid workhorse of an amp that's never had any issues with it unlike the 1080.

**aud19** · 12 July 2005, 16:44 Tuesday

My 1075's been rock solid :T (Knock on wood!)

**junior77blue** · 12 July 2005, 16:53 Tuesday

What are you using for a reciever? 2 ch or multi-channel?

I wouldn't spend the money on an amp just yet. I would first get the speakers (biggest 'bang' for the buck). Then a 5 channel amp will be just fine for movies and music. You can always get an additional 2 ch amp if you enjoy pure stereo music listening and have yoursel and NICE 7 channel setup for movies.

As far as brands...there are quite a few...

adcom, parasound, rotel, b&k, krell, classe, anthem, bryston, sunfire...and many more!

**eddiem67** · 12 July 2005, 17:09 Tuesday

For 1600 you can get a Parasound Classic 5125, there is a review on the 5250 in home theater review. This should work for you.

**spyboy** · 14 July 2005, 11:41 Thursday

george_k

You can hear everything else properly, just not the dialogue in a 2 channel set-up? Who knows what is going on with that. With a 2 channel set-up, you simply can't elevate the center a few db to get the dialogue clarity you need.

Ideally, you would run the center at the same level as the other speakers in a multi-channel setup. However, many people raise the level of the center from 1 to 3 db precisely because the dialogue can be hard to hear clearly.

A more poweful 2 channel amp may just make everything but the dialogue too loud. If your premise is wrong you are going to be very disappointed.

Why not get the center channel, use your existing surrounds and see if that does not cure your problem before you go spending a bunch of mony on any amp?

**george_k** · 14 July 2005, 21:10 Thursday

spyboy,

You might be right, I could always buy a center channel and bump the center channel volume level up.

I find my current receiver, although powerful enough to play music at an excessive volume level, really lacks when it comes to movies due to the nature dynamic content. I really have to turn up the volume (knob is set to about 90% of the maximum volume level) to enjoy the movie at a comfortable volume level (as to hear the dialog). I haven't measured it with an SPL meter to see how this loud volume level is though.

I was thinking of focusing on building a really good 2.1 setup for now, what I still require is a sub and amplifier. Then slowly adding/replacing a center and surrounds in the future (the center and surround upgrades might take as much as a couple of years before I can afford them)

So that what brings me back to my original question. Do a buy a better quality 2ch amp for now since I won't be able to afford centers/surrounds for quite some time. Or do a buy 5ch amp at the same budget (which will be of lesser quality compared to the 2ch) and biwire for now.

**junior77blue** · 15 July 2005, 06:50 Friday

Dumb question....but are you sure you're not trying to play a 5.1 channel signal into 2 speakers? Go into you DVD setup menu. Do me a favor, plug a speaker into the center channel output of the reciever....if you hear anything while watching a movie, then yes that's your problem.

If that's not the case....

Buying a 2 channel amp, WILL NOT SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.

Buying a 5 channel amp, WITH NO MORE SPEAKERS WILL NOT SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.

YOU NEED TO BUY A CENTER CHANNEL AND A 3/5 CHANNEL AMP.

Buy cheap speakers if you have too....and replace/ugrade as u go along.

Get a 2-ch or 5-ch amp on same budget?

Get a 2-ch or 5-ch amp on same budget?

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