Pre/Pro Recommendation to drive Krix Speakers

[CapitalK]

Hi Experts, 

 

I'm in the midst of setting up HT with 11.2 setup using Krix speakers:

 

Neuphonix MK2 - Front

Epicentrix MK2 - Centre

Symmetrix - Side and Rear

Atmospherix - Ceiling (x4)

Sub-woofer - Undecided

 

I have several suggestions to go with

1. Intergra DRX-R1 & Anthem MCA 5.1 power Amp

2. Yamaha CX-A5100 & MX-A5000 combo

3. Anthem MRX 11.2 & Anthem MCA 5.1 power Amp

 

Would appreciate if someone could provide some advise on the above or something else. Also, i'm still undecided on the subs too...

 

Thanks again

Cheers

K 

 

 

 

 

 

[Quark]

The room EQ on the Integra is a bad joke - very limited capability, based on penny pinching to avoid the cost of a second processor.

 

The Yamaha MX A5000 has a maximum power consumption of 650W. Apply typical Class A/B amp efficiency of 70%, then spread the remaining 455W over 11 channels and you're left with 41W per channel. My recollection is that the Neuphonix are power hungry nominal 4 Ohm speakers (with dips well below 4 Ohm) - not a good match.

 

The Anthem pairing would be a much better match and comes with good room EQ.

 

Subs - don't know your room size or budget - can't go wrong with SVS or Power Sound Audio - Peter at Deep HZ should be able to provide an in-house demo of both.

[Snoopy8]

Have a look at Anthem info here:

 

[CapitalK]

Hi Quark, 

 

First of all, many thanks for your valuable advise.

 

The room size is 5530mm by 4150mm.

 

 

[Quark]

18 minutes ago, CapitalK said:

Hi Quark, 

 

First of all, many thanks for your valuable advise.

 

The room size is 5530mm by 4150mm.

 

 

It depends on your budget and how much of a bass head you are.

 

Two subs will generally give more even response across the seating positions, but one larger one will generally go deeper.

 

For normal people 2 x SVS SB-2000 or 2 x PSA S1500 would be more than enough (and provide enough in reserve so you're not driving them close to their limits). For extreme bass heads, the sky's the limit...

[Bunno77]

As above I definitely wouldn't go with the Yamaha power amp.

[Hi-Fi Whipped]

Im no expert but id be pointing you in this direction:

 

Firstly be really sure you actually need 11 channels of sound.

 

Grab as powerful an AV Receiver as you can get you hands on, with the money you are spending you need to hear these things for yourself to see which one sounds right to you.

 

Grab a 5 channel power amp to power the front 3 channels and rears assuming you can allocate the internal amps of receiver to the sides and the atmos 4x.

 

Spend a lot more on your subwoofers than you do on your 5 channel amplifier, IMO subwoofers are where the magic happens and definitely get two. 

 

Good luck, you have a lot of coin to spend!

 

 

 

 

[betty boop]

couple of routes.... can grab a grunty avr...or alternatively a pre power like exploring. personally i think the power amps in the japanese brands(marantz, yamaha, onkyo/integra, are not much more than the likes of the power stages in avrs. so look else where for power side. likes of rotel, nad, elektra makes some good power amps and dont have to break the bank ! 

 

re subs... I will 100% suggest to get one solid decent sub rather than two average ones for same money. and krix make some good subs so should have you covered

 

 

[AudioGeek]

You could almost go 2 x 7 channel power amps and biamp the fronts. The problem will be finding a pre with enough outputs

[CapitalK]

Hi Guys, 

 

Thanks again for the info.

 

@:) al Noted on the sub and Krix would be my 1st pref.

Also, I take it that running the Integra DRX-R1 with the Anthem 5.1 Power Amp is enough to feed those hungry Krix at the front 3 channel, and the rear as mentioned by Hi-Fi Whipped?

 

Or would you suggest another AVR?

 

Cheers 

[Quark]

56 minutes ago, CapitalK said:

Hi Guys, 

 

Thanks again for the info.

 

@:) al Noted on the sub and Krix would be my 1st pref.

Also, I take it that running the Integra DRX-R1 with the Anthem 5.1 Power Amp is enough to feed those hungry Krix at the front 3 channel, and the rear as mentioned by Hi-Fi Whipped?

 

Or would you suggest another AVR?

 

Cheers 

 

I just looked up the specs for the DRX-R1 on the US site - max power consumption is 340W. Unless this is some BS eco number it's absolutely pathetic.

[betty boop]

6 minutes ago, Quark said:

 

I just looked up the specs for the DRX-R1 on the US site - max power consumption is 340W. Unless this is some BS eco number it's absolutely pathetic.

Definition of pathetic !

[Hi-Fi Whipped]

I've never owned one but I thought integras were meant to be beasts! Times must have changed!

[blybo]

55 minutes ago, Hi-Fi Whipped said:

I've never owned one but I thought integras were meant to be beasts! Times must have changed!

They have. Cost cutting in newer models.

[CapitalK]

1 hour ago, Quark said:

 

I just looked up the specs for the DRX-R1 on the US site - max power consumption is 340W. Unless this is some BS eco number it's absolutely pathetic.

@Quark @:) alWhat would you recommend in that price range?

[powerav]

I would never get the drx model Integra’s, all the goodness stops at the .6 models 

[Quark]

1 hour ago, CapitalK said:

@Quark @:) alWhat would you recommend in that price range?

Bang for buck, a Marantz SR6012 ($1870 here) and two used 7 channel Elektra Theatron power amps (market price should be ~$1400 each) would be my recommendation. The Elektras are very reliable and much more powerful than any receiver.

[Quark]

3 hours ago, Hi-Fi Whipped said:

I've never owned one but I thought integras were meant to be beasts! Times must have changed!

 

2 hours ago, blybo said:

They have. Cost cutting in newer models.

I used to be a real Integra fanboi in their heyday. Now owned by cynical private equity and run by tight@r$e accountants.

[blybo]

1 hour ago, Quark said:

Bang for buck, a Marantz SR6012 ($1870 here) and two used 7 channel Elektra Theatron power amps (market price should be ~$1400 each) would be my recommendation. The Elektras are very reliable and much more powerful than any receiver.

I've just bought my parents a Marantz SR5012 AVR as they only use a 5.1 system and bi-amp their mains. Compared to my 7702 Processor the abilities of the menu structures and the way it does the Audyssey Multi EQ XT etc leaves a lot to be desired however we have ended up with a sound we are happy with. The 6012 has XT32 as my Processor does so I hope the configuration possibilities are a big step up over the 5 series.

 

@CapitalK The Elektra power amps are what many of us here run. I bought my Theatron 2nd hand for $1800 5 years ago, in fact it was the reason I joined SNA after being on DTV for a few years, and it hasn't missed a beat. It will only be replaced by a newer model or delegated to Atmos duties if I ever go that way. I also run a SVS PB2000 sub and extremely happy with it (and also a Subsonic XS1 sub behind the 2nd row of seats). The other day I was home alone and decided to play some of the tracks from the Killer bass thread in my HT setup (at -15db) and my house gave up the ghost long before the subs did. Had rattles going on all around the house and could feel the breeze from my SVS sub on my legs 3m away, and that is off axis! Unless you have a massive room I doubt you would need any more oomph than 2x SVS PB2000's could provide

[cwt]

On ‎20‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 10:46 AM, CapitalK said:

I have several suggestions to go with

1. Intergra DRX-R1 & Anthem MCA 5.1 power Amp

2. Yamaha CX-A5100 & MX-A5000 combo

3. Anthem MRX 11.2 & Anthem MCA 5.1 power Amp

 

Hi K ; Apart from the good advise on powering your Krix with decent power Ide decide whether you want an avr like the Anthem or a pre pro like the Yamaha 1st . If building your system up gradually ie not getting any atmos/dts-x speakers yet ; Ide consider a pre pro like the anthem AVC60 that has very good ARC auto room eq or an Emo XMC1 that is modular unlike other pre pro's ..

 

If your budget doesn't stretch that far Quarks solution is a good one [can also vouch for Elektra as a biased owner  ]

[betty boop]

4 hours ago, CapitalK said:

@Quark @:) alWhat would you recommend in that price range?

id listen to quark.  if going 2nd hand in the amps then it might even allow the budget for a marantz 7702A mk2 or later which is might as well going i think if can agree from the need to go with the avr.

 

and re amps if have the space,

look what can buy in the 2nd hand amps, nads rotel, arcam all quality pieces and look at the power consumption of the arcam. 800VA for the 3 channel amp ! more than twice of that integra thats trying to drive how many channels ?? quality amplification doesnt have to be expensive and easily can out do what have on board AVRs. 

[powerav]

I was told 3 channel amps are really odd, just saying.

[Bunno77]

The new rotel rap 1580 sounds brilliant though I'm not sure if it's available here yet. Worth the wait.
I'd also wait for Cambridge audio to make something with atmos though haven't heard any news.

[betty boop]

21 minutes ago, Bunno77 said:

The new rotel rap 1580

looks indeed like a good thing

 

https://hometheaterreview.com/rotel-rap-1580-surround-amplified-processor-reviewed/

 

now this is what i call a power stage in an AVR

 

 

 

looks not far off their stand alone power amps inside 

 

 

and note only tries to do 7 channels and at a good honest 100wpc rather than the inflatorama power specs of some other brands  !  

 

 

 

[powerav]

On 21/11/2017 at 9:52 AM, Quark said:

 

I just looked up the specs for the DRX-R1 on the US site - max power consumption is 340W. Unless this is some BS eco number it's absolutely pathetic.

Must be something wrong here as the DRX 5 the one below it is 710W which is still not good but more than double that of the flagship drx 7