Do I really need that much power?

[Vinny]

Hi guys!
This is my first post here in HTguide. I've been reading the forum for a while and thinking about step into seperate by adding amp before next generation comes up(so I can afford upgrading one by one).
I'm considering about getting Halo A23 or NewClassic 2250(or Halo A21 even) for the front channels upgrade. My question is: The higher power rating would produce more detailed sound, but what if the listening volume is very low? My front speakers are Klipsch RB-5II that has 96db @ 1watts @ 1meter. As my setup locates in my bedroom that I never crank up the volume higher than 85db or so. In other words I will never use more than 1watt out of the ampflier. Would I get better detail out of NC 2250 or A21 over A23 at these low volume? And the difference would worth the money or not?

Thanks in advance!

[kfr01]

More power won't give you more detail, but sometimes manufacturers use more expensive parts in more expensive amplifiers.

I personally think you'd be making a huge mistake spending way more on your amplifiers than your speakers.

Speaker quality determines final sound quality WAY more than amplifiers.

[nicholtl]

I think I'd agree with that assessment.

PS - Karl, are you really THAT huge?!

[GregLett]

Proven that! put the $$$ into the speakers.

[kfr01]

lol, nope. Just a picture of Arnold. :-)

[Vinny]

Thanks for the advice.

Ummm upgrading the speakers....... I think I've two route to go........

1. stick with the current arrangment in my room that only allow bookshelf speakers to be front speakers. This way I don't have to move anything in the room but I can only stick with bookshelf speakers even upgrading.

2. reallocate the whole bedroom and get the RF3s back to the front before I think about any upgrades again? (or get a better pair of floorstanders for the front when I'm ready to move the heavy bookshelves, who knows? ) But this way would only allow me to place the floorstanders as main by then, no more bookshelves are possible(unless i spend extra couple hundreds on the stands).

As I don't plan on spending more than 2k on the newer upgrade this time, which route would I go for more improvement? :roll: Thanks!

BTW here's my system:

Front speakers: Klipsch RF3s or RB5s
Center: Klipsch RC3
Surrounds: RF3s or RB5s that left out from main
Sub: SVS PB12ISD
Reciever: Panny XR-55

[kfr01]

You stand to gain MUCH MUCH MUCH more by putting that entire $2k into new speakers. Speakers and room are far more important than electronics as long as you aren't running complete junk.

[nicholtl]

Hey Vinny, nice to see another fellow Klipscher!!! Why not upgrade to the RF7's, or perhaps wait until they release the RF83's?

[Chris D]

Hiya, Vinny, welcome to the Guide and Club Parasound! :banana:

I can definitely relate to your situation. I too chose Parasound to drive my Klipsch Legend setup. (KLF-30 mains, C7 center, four KSP-S6 surrounds) I debated when making the purchase whether to go with the "1-series" A21 and A51, or "2 series" A23 and A52. I didn't want to waste money with unneeded power. In the end I chose to go with the A21/A51, and have never regretted the decision, 3 years later. Here's my points that helped me decide, and may help you.

- If you are buying your theater now, and this is the only purchase you'll ever make, then YES, what the guys say above is true, and you should save money and put more of the budget to better speakers. However, we don't work like that. (even those of us who SWEAR that "this will be the last set of speakers I ever buy" or something like that)

- Given that, you won't be owning your Klipsch speakers forever, and will be buying something else someday. If you buy low-powered amps now, they may not be able to drive those future speakers. Do you want to have to buy a whole 'nother set of amps AND speakers later, or have amps ready to drive your new speakers when you buy them in the future?

- I highly subscribe to the purchasing theory of "buy it once, and buy it RIGHT." In summary, that means if you're spending big $$$ now on something, do you want to spend it all over again plus a few $$$ more for a slightly better model soon? Why not just spend a few extra $$$ now, get something really nice, something that won't wear out and need replacement soon, and not need to upgrade for a really long time?

- Yes, more power will mean more sound detail, but given your current setup, we're talking a lot of overkill, so to me, the above points are much more important, planning for the future. Plus, you may VERY well want to move this system out of the bedroom to the main house A/V system very soon.

Bottom line, my recommendation would be either spend the extra $$$ now and buy nice, high-powered, high-end amps, and then save up and buy nice high-end speakers later, or buy the nice speakers now, living with your current amps, and save up for nice amps later. I think splitting your budget between the two right now just compromises both components.

[kfr01]

I strongly believe it would be a mistake to buy amplifiers before speakers if you are interested in music.

I believe component synergy is very important for music. Much more important than it is for HT. HT is about going gangbusters like Chris suggests and going for the maximum number of features.

For music, pick speakers first, they have the largest sonic character of everything else audio you will ever own --- by decades of magnitude.

THEN pick components that complement your speakers. These can be selected to bring down sonic characteristics you dislike or supplement sonic characteristics you'd like more of.

Buy once if you feel like you must, but you'll get the maximum enjoyment for the longest period of time if you buy speakers once first then take care to buy the components that fit your speakers later.

[Vinny]

Hey Vinny, nice to see another fellow Klipscher!!! Why not upgrade to the RF7's, or perhaps wait until they release the RF83's?

Yea I thought about getting a pair of RF7s or 83s too. The newer 83s seems to be decent with the price if the performance gets right(I heard quotes for 83 around $1500 while RF7s are still 1400). Or I will not even think if someone throw their used RF7 out for less than $1000 :B (besides how my girlfriend would response when she sees the speakers that's heavier than her own! 8O )

---------------------------------------

Thanks! Amplifier would need more "future proof" than other stuff in this case as they use for longer period of time(um I said the same thing to the speakers while I get the RF3s a while ago ops: )
I'll probably hold on to the thought of amplifiers and go for the speakers at the moment. Let's wait and see how the RF83s perform :T

[Peter Nielsen]

Yes, more power will mean more sound detail.

No. (It may possibly have this effect if your current amp is too weak, or your speakers are a very difficult load. But in this case the choice of amp type and manufacture is probably still more important than power alone...)

Peter

[Vinny]

I strongly believe it would be a mistake to buy amplifiers before speakers if you are interested in music.

I believe component synergy is very important for music. Much more important than it is for HT. HT is about going gangbusters like Chris suggests and going for the maximum number of features.

For music, pick speakers first, they have the largest sonic character of everything else audio you will ever own --- by decades of magnitude.

THEN pick components that complement your speakers. These can be selected to bring down sonic characteristics you dislike or supplement sonic characteristics you'd like more of.

Buy once if you feel like you must, but you'll get the maximum enjoyment for the longest period of time if you buy speakers once first then take care to buy the components that fit your speakers later.

Definitely have to agree on the synergy between components... I used to have Pioneer reciever before this Panny...... I couldn't stand with the solo in violin because the combo of Pioneer and titanium tweeter with horn were too bright for me to listen. It wasn't either the speaker or the reciever was faulty but they just don't get it right when they put up together.

[GregLett]

I strongly believe it would be a mistake to buy amplifiers before speakers if you are interested in music.

I believe component synergy is very important for music. Much more important than it is for HT. HT is about going gangbusters like Chris suggests and going for the maximum number of features.

For music, pick speakers first, they have the largest sonic character of everything else audio you will ever own --- by decades of magnitude.

THEN pick components that complement your speakers. These can be selected to bring down sonic characteristics you dislike or supplement sonic characteristics you'd like more of.

Buy once if you feel like you must, but you'll get the maximum enjoyment for the longest period of time if you buy speakers once first then take care to buy the components that fit your speakers later.

Couldn't agree more!