[RF-7II amplifiers...]

Let’s not completely dog on me getting talked into the receiver, he also gave me a good deal on a pair of rf-7’s.  He just wasn’t an audio guy. Small town - the electronics store is geared towards surround systems. That’s why i didn’t end up with a stereo amp like i wanted - they didn’t have any.... 

 

I get the problem is likely the reciever. I mean to Biamp correctly I had to hook a tv up to it. It’s designed for something I’m really not using it for.... surround sound. 

 

What I’m looking for is good reccommendations, and suggestions. Also looking to learn more; What works well together. Tube preamps, bi-wiring sounds interesting (although in reality I’m not there yet). I’d like to even try tubes one day, although i recognize i wouldn’t probably get the volume i wanted (i don’t have that kind of money). 

 

Right now now i am kind of leaning towards the Emotiva, but would like to hear other people’s experiences with it, or comparisons. 

[RF-7II amplifiers...]

Loud music is the issue, not the most important. I listen to a variety of music at a variety of volume. Current system sounds great, but when i feel like turning the volume up i want to be able to. 

[RF-7II amplifiers...]

On 2/3/2019 at 12:53 AM, garyrc said:

@Clinton,  If you  have hooked up the biamping correctly, I'm very surprised you get all that distortion.

• How big is your room, in cu. ft.?  20 x 20 by what?
• Is it acoustically live, medium, or absorbent?
• How close (in feet) do you usually sit from the speakers?
• If you dance around in a 20 x 20 foot room remember that indoors you loose about 3 dB for every doubling of distance (you would loose 6 dB per doubling outdoors with the speaker away from all large surfaces, including the ground).  To maintain the same volume, you would have to double the power for each 3 dB loss.  That's why "0 dB" on a main volume control means nothing (is "free floating")  unless you have your sound system and room calibrated by a room correction or other device to make "0 dB" equal a certain sound pressure level like Dolby/THX/Audyssey Reference level.   Otherwise your RX A10 70 doesn't "know" if it is in a 2,000 cu ft room or a huge hall or stadium.  In your large room, you might have to turn your Yamaha up too far to get the SPL you want.  Yet, the RF 7 II is one of the most efficient speakers around, second only to the Klipschorn, La Scala, Belle or the Jubilee, so I'm still a bit surprised.
• Do you have an SPL meter?  What dB reading do you get on peaks at the main listening position at "c" weight?  With the kind of music you like, you should be cautious that you don't damage your ears or your speakers if you are playing too loud.  Also, if your amp is clipping (distorting badly) that may increase the chances of speaker damage.
•  If you give me the information I asked for, I may be able to respond in more detail.

For example, in a 4,000 + cu. ft. room, at 13 feet from the speakers, in a room of average liveness, with RF 7 IIs, you would need only about 8 watts to produce a clean 104 dB, or about 64 watts to produce 113 dB, which should be for very brief peaks only (milliseconds).

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

@garyrc The room is 20 ft x 20 ft x 9 ft.  The room is probably considered absorbent.  It's the room I had - with one wall mostly open, bookshelves in the back of the room.  Likely not the best room.  I probably sit around 12' from the speakers.  I wish I had a SPL meter and initially looked into it when the distortion started but never ended up getting one, any recommendations?

 

I can't tell you if the amp is clipping or not, it does not sound like its cutting part of the sound off, but a loud low harmonic hum overpowers the music.  I don't always listen to the music loud and when I do I'm quick to turn it down.

 

The Emotia XPA-2 Gen3 looks interesting or the QSC PLX, but I already made the $1200 mistake on getting the Yamaha when I really just wanted a stereo amplifier (its tough to wait when you bought speakers and the yamaha is right in front of you).

 

@radblue mentioned a tube pre-amp with the emotiva.  What would I really look for matching a tube amp with a integrated amp?  The orbit turntable has its own built in amp, but I'm not sure the quality of it.

 

Also any recommendations of books, 'audiophile' websites, or websites that review this type of stuff would be greatly appreciated.  I'm in the remedial stage of learning about all this, and now recognize how difficult it can be finding good equipment based on spec sheets.  There is a lot more into audio equipment/engineering than I ever suspected and I find it fascinating.

 

[RF-7II amplifiers...]

Yes I know this topic has been beat to death, but I don't jump out and spend G's on an amplifier without doing research.  Well wait, I already have and am not entirely happy.

 

Current setup: RF7II, Orbit turntable (upgraded with cork mat, ortolan 2M blue stylus), Yamaha RX-A1070 bi-amped, large listening room.  I was talked into the RX-A1070 by the only local shop which essentially specializes in surround systems.  I'm not interested in surround systems.  Stereo 2.0, with A/B speaker set up.  The 1070 allowed me to bi-amp OR have the A/B speakers (I have not run the wires for the second set of Klipsch bookshelf speakers.  The RF-7II are primary)

 

My biggest issue is how loud the system gets.  I'm a 90's kid, I listen to 90's music: STP, Sublime, Alice in chains; I listen to 60's/70's Led Zepplin, Doors.  I like music loud a lot of times, but will also listen to it at normal levels depending on the music and people (fleetwood mac, David Bowe). 

 

My issue with my setup is how load it gets.  I assume its power issue or something; near 0DB on the amp, or 1-2 and I get a terrible distortion.  I get that over 0db on the amp is pushing more power than it has, but the distortion seems to come instantly and overpowering.

 

Ok, so where do I go from here.  I am willing to spend a couple thousand (2k-3k) on a new amp.  I'm interested in tube amps, but have concerns with the price per watt output.  I have never heard a tube amp, so excuse my ignorance.  If I go tube amp do I bypass the orbit pre-amp and get a tube pre-amp? Will I get the decimal in a larger room (stepping off its 20'x20').  If I don't go tube amp (eventually I need to try tubes), then what would you recommend?  In your opinion what should the financial ration between amp and speaker be?  I spent $2400 on the speakers (got a deal before they went RF-7III) and $1200 on the receiver but I'm not entirely happy.  Then again is it just the larger room?  Has any one Bi-wired the RF-7II's?  how difficult is it?