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List of actuall receiver power output - scary:


kenratboy

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Receivers have many excellent features, but poor amplification. Most receivers will benefit from an external amplifier. IMO, the main benefit of separates is the higher quality amp.

Low receiver output means that high sensitivty speakers and a good subwoofer are the way to go in home thaeter. Klipsch is great for power challenged receivers.

Bill

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I am kinda new around here, but I must say that chart came as no surprise to me...

I am currently building my second ever home theater system (my first was a disaster), and my previous receiver was a Technics from Sears. It was rated at 100 Watts per channel in stereo mode, and 50 Watts per channel Front, center, right, and 35 watts per channel left and right rear surrounds. At least they published the specs for home theatre mode!

Anyway, its a rough estimate, but for most mass-marketed receivers, what I do is see what the power rating is in stereo. Add the two channel ratings up, then divide that factor by the total number of active channels (7 in this case since its a 7.1 channel reciever) to get what I consider a close estimate of real world performance in home theater mode.

Example, the receiver I am planning on purchasing is the Sony STRDA1000ES. It the lowest of the line "ES" reciever. Its rated at 100 Watts per channel X 7. It also happens to be rated at 100 Watts per channel in stereo mode. So, L+R Stereo power=200 Watts. For simplicity of the math, say 210 watts total. Divide that by 7 for seven channels, and I expect in HT mode, I can expect about 30 watts from each channel.

Again, its a rough estimate, but it ought to get close. I think the amplifier circuits in these recievers are capable of the rated output, I would guess its the power supplies that can't keep up with that kind of power with that many channels...

Now, a related, but off the wall question...

What is louder: A single speaker receiving 100Watts of power, or 2 identical speakers receiving 50 Watts each?

The reason for this question, is maybe the manufactuers do this on purpose? Otherwise, switching from 2 channel mode to 7 channel mode and keeping the same power ratings, but now at 7 channels would mean you would have to turn the volume up and down when switching modes...Just wondering...

-Alan

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Glad you guys liked that. It was a link from the Home Theater Forums and I had not seen it posted here.

Remember, most magizines do lab work on the amps they test and give the real power, so if you want, you might be able to find in print and online (for a fee), a review of your current to to-be receiver and the numbers.

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On 9/8/2003 8:10:08 PM FirebirdTN wrote:

What is louder: A single speaker receiving 100Watts of power, or 2 identical speakers receiving 50 Watts each?

Theoretically the are the same.

Keep in mind that in movies, it is not real common that all channels would be driven to their max at the same time.

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Thanks for the link. I book marked it.

Remember though, there's much more to an amp than its power. I had a Denon 4802 for a couple of months (not shown but it should be in the 90's) and it could not control my Forte's for crap

My favorite qoute

"Sony tells us, the receiver was not designed to deliver full power..."

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I have the same problem with my Technics SA AX6... performance doesn't come close to my old Pioneer SA-8800 driving my Fortes' ...someday I'll get that output driver fixed....clips at about 15 watts rms the amp was rated at 85 watts X2 20-20,000hz at I believe .02%thd and the technics is rated at 100 X6...and I'm not sure about the rest...but anyway it's not the power output...It's the design, and the quality, that make it work

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