Only Running 3 channels on 1095

[dbart]

I am only running the front three channels on my 1095 amp and am lettint my Pioneer 54TX reciever run the surround channels. Is it ok to leave the surround channels on the 1095 unhooked?

I think I'm hearing an improvement with my M&K 150 front speakers. Will this configuration give me more power for my front speakers?

[Kevin D]

I believe the front & rear for each side do share components inside the amp, so you certainly could be getting more effecient use in the fronts not using the rear sections of the amp. You won't damage anything.

You might get even better results passively biamping the fronts with 4 channels of the 1095..

Kevin D.

[htsteve]

1095

dbart,

I believe that the 1095 uses one power supply to run the mains and the other supply for the center and rears. Rotel would be able to let you know for sure.

Have you tried using the 1095 to power your rear channels? The performance of the rear channels was one area of significance improvement when I went from a receiver to an amplifier. Typically, the rear channel power is the weak link in a receiver (even good receivers).

However, I do like Kevin D's idea of bi-amping the mains if you are only going to run the front three channels.

Hope this helps.

[Kevin P]

There's no harm in leaving amp channels unhooked; depending on the power supply design it may allow more power for the channels you are using.

But since you have those 2 channels, why not use them? Drive the surrounds with them (you should hear an improvement), or bi-amp the mains.

[hidefdvd]

I am only running the front three channels on my 1095 amp and am lettint my Pioneer 54TX reciever run the surround channels. Is it ok to leave the surround channels on the 1095 unhooked?

I think I'm hearing an improvement with my M&K 150 front speakers. Will this configuration give me more power for my front speakers?

I'd take Kevin's suggestion about bi-amping your mains with the remaining 2 channels of the 1095. I do the exact thing with my NAD S250 and 56TXi.

[dbart]

M&K 150's are not bi-ampable. The reciever is just fine to power the surrounds which are 6 ohms. I mainly want as much power as possible for the front channels.

[Marcel B]

I don't understand why you would buy a 5-channel amp and then not use them.
Using the same amplifier for all channels will problaby be positive for the sound from all channels (beacause they have the same characteristic)
Especially with the 1095 you have a big enough power supply for driving 5 channels.

Marcel B

[PewterTA]

Yep, if you can't bi-amp them, you might as well hook up your surrounds to the 1095... Just because they are hooked up, in 2 channel mode, you will only use 2 channels on the amp... And the difference between using three speakers and five will only result in less than a 20 watt difference (all channels running). So you will only gain maybe like 10 - 15 watts more if running ONLY two channels.

The 1095 should be pushing all your channels since you can't bi-amp the main two channels.