Thoughts on paring A51 with a A52 for 9.1?

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Hi all,

Long time member, limited poster...

I currently have an A51 (w/C2) running 5.1 and I am starting to get an itch to upgrade my C2 and move to 7.1 and then eventually 9.1 down the road; so that means in-addition to the new pre/pro, I will need an another amp to drive the additional speakers.

It looks like I can get a really nice price on a A52 ($1400) as spending $ on another A51 is wife prohibited...

I thought would ask it there are any real issues with driving the backs & rear surrounds with the A52 at 125 wpc and use the A51 for the fronts (R,C,L and probably R-vheight & L-vheight) at 250 wpc?

Current speakers: JMLab Electra's (R,C,L) & JMLabs Colbalt's (Rr,Lr)

Thinking about relocating the Colbalts to R-vheight/L-vheight and get new in-walls for Rr/Rs & Lr/Ls.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[Kal Rubinson]

Should work well.

[Chris D]

There's certainly worse things in the world, and you'd get pretty good performance. Some things to think about though:

1. If you drop to lower wattage for some of the speakers, you may want to consider doing that for the rear surrounds and front effects, and keep the side surrounds on the A51. Front effect speakers are often very small and don't need as much power. However, I'm not familiar with your particular models of speakers. If the ones you're talking about putting up front are larger and need more power, and the in-walls would need less, then sure, go for the A51 useage you're thinking about.

2. On a similar note, remember that certain speakers are designed more for LCR use (direct radiating) and some more for surrounds (diffuse effects). Again, I'm not familiar with your Cobalts, but if they're diffuse designs for surrounds, you would not want them for front effects, which should also be direct radiating. Likewise, in-walls are typically direct radiating and don't do as well as surrounds.

3. You can see any number of my previous posts on the topic of matching speaker sets, and I HIGHLY HIGHLY advocate this. Using mis-matched speakers in your setup will "color" the sound coming out of one part of the room compared to another. I don't currently use front effect speakers, but in a setup I had many years ago, I did use them and found that to be VERY true with those, because they are largely an extension of the front main channels. I don't know if the Cobalts are sonically matched and designed to work with the Electras or not. A good start that they're made by the same company. But if they're not matched as speakers, you can find your mains putting out one sound, and the front effects putting out another, and getting a mis-mash all right in front of you in the front soundfield.

All thoughts on being optimal. In the end, if you want to do it, in the pursuit of "better" sound and are okay with the compromises, then all the power to ya!

[Peter Nielsen]

I agree with Chris. Don't change your current setup. Put the new channels on the A52. It should be perfectly adequate for the rear surrounds (7.x), front wide/high (9.x/11.x).

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There's certainly worse things in the world, and you'd get pretty good performance. Some things to think about though:

1. If you drop to lower wattage for some of the speakers, you may want to consider doing that for the rear surrounds and front effects, and keep the side surrounds on the A51. Front effect speakers are often very small and don't need as much power. However, I'm not familiar with your particular models of speakers. If the ones you're talking about putting up front are larger and need more power, and the in-walls would need less, then sure, go for the A51 useage you're thinking about.

2. On a similar note, remember that certain speakers are designed more for LCR use (direct radiating) and some more for surrounds (diffuse effects). Again, I'm not familiar with your Cobalts, but if they're diffuse designs for surrounds, you would not want them for front effects, which should also be direct radiating. Likewise, in-walls are typically direct radiating and don't do as well as surrounds.

3. You can see any number of my previous posts on the topic of matching speaker sets, and I HIGHLY HIGHLY advocate this. Using mis-matched speakers in your setup will "color" the sound coming out of one part of the room compared to another. I don't currently use front effect speakers, but in a setup I had many years ago, I did use them and found that to be VERY true with those, because they are largely an extension of the front main channels. I don't know if the Cobalts are sonically matched and designed to work with the Electras or not. A good start that they're made by the same company. But if they're not matched as speakers, you can find your mains putting out one sound, and the front effects putting out another, and getting a mis-mash all right in front of you in the front soundfield.

All thoughts on being optimal. In the end, if you want to do it, in the pursuit of "better" sound and are okay with the compromises, then all the power to ya!

Thanks Chris for your insight,

The Colbalt's are/was the series below the Electra back when I bought them. They are bookshelf with a 6.5" bass/midrange driver and a / 1" tweeter and are the best match for my fronts that I am going to get (share the same tweeter/driver tech) which is why I was leaning toward the front effects to keep the front soundstage consistent, but maybe I will need to pay with the location when I start to upgrade my system.

A52 was not really on my radar as my 5.1 system is fine for my current room size but saw the price drop and thought it would be hard find an better matched amp for the price and I really like deals - would unfortunately need box it for a little while before I could incorporate it in my system. My thoughts were with the speed of tech changes, if I need to wait on a new pre/pro that it would not be the worst thing - just delays my enjoyment of the newer DACs a little longer. Strangely, my wife thinks I should get the pre/pro now and wait to get the amp since I can't use it right away - maybe she is right (lucky for me she does not read this forum to see me say that!)

It is like the chicken or the egg first... choice 1) Pre/pro then Amp then speaker OR choice 2) Amp then Pre/pro then speakers

Need to do it in stages so my wife does not bulk at the upgrade...was a lot easier when I was single - lol...