AVR --> Integrated Amp --> Power Amp

welshy

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Has anybody got this setup or tried it out? I currently have an AVR for HC with a 2 channel MF M6si integrated amp for music with HT bypass powering the front L&R. This amp is rated at 220W 2 channels driven. I am now looking into purchasing a power amp to power the rest of my ear level speakers and just use the AVR for the 4 x ceiling speakers.

I'm thinking of a Nord Acoustics with 500W modules for LCR and 250W modules for the sides and rears. I'm thinking that the LCR should all be at the same level for HC and have the most power. But will three amps in the chain cause an issue?
 
I have had this set up previously and it worked okay. Just a lot of devices and cabling. But it is not an uncommon set-up, and shouldn't cause any issues, unless you have gain mismatch. Which AVR are you using?
 
Denon X6200W. So will the L&R sound signals just pass through the M6si to the Power Amp without issues? I use the M6si for hi-res audio from Tidal Masters using a DAC and sometimes a CD player.
 
Nope but similar replace the middle part "integrated amp" with a stereo analogue pre amp. Works well and upgrade over the avr (av pre amp)
 
Has anybody got this setup or tried it out? I currently have an AVR for HC with a 2 channel MF M6si integrated amp for music with HT bypass powering the front L&R. This amp is rated at 220W 2 channels driven. I am now looking into purchasing a power amp to power the rest of my ear level speakers and just use the AVR for the 4 x ceiling speakers.

I'm thinking of a Nord Acoustics with 500W modules for LCR and 250W modules for the sides and rears. I'm thinking that the LCR should all be at the same level for HC and have the most power. But will three amps in the chain cause an issue?
I can't see how that it going to work. Your 'three amps in the chain' and the thread title seems to indicate you are trying to output AV front LR through firstly the M6si and then through into the Nord.
A signal flow of 'AVR --> Integrated Amp --> Power Amp'
Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you are trying to do?


Either replace the M6si with the 7 channel Nord or, to use both (but not at the same time), put a speaker switch unit fed by the Nord and the M6si and then switch between them for either AV or music use. The M6si would no longer be connected to your AVR.

Music
M6si
Speaker switch unit
AV
LCR and surrounds/rears: Nord 7 channel
atmos: AVR 4 channel

Or you could just get a 5 channel Nord and feed it the centre channel and surrounds keeping the M6si as was.
So
LR: M6si
C and surrounds: Nord 5 channel
atmos: AVR 4 channel
 
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Thanks all. I'll try to explain a bit better, I listen to Tidal Masters audio often using my Audioquest usb dac from my phone to my M6si playing through my front L&R. I also use the ht bypass feature of the M6si so that I can use the same speakers for a full 7.1.4 setup for movies using my AVR. This seems to be a common setup for many for both movies and music.

I want to beef up my other speakers as I know I'm lacking in power so I thought of using a power amp. But then I thought do I need to have the same amp feeding the LCR (I've read this many times here on these forums) so I believe I need to connect AVR to Int Amp to Power Amp but the AVR will not be used at all for music.

I'm not sure if the whole thing will work unless I try and that could be expensive if it goes wrong.
 
doug, I did think of a 5 channel amp but as stated I've read many times that the front three should be fed with the same amp.

EDIT: THe M6si has a pair of RCA Pre-outs so I guess it's designed to work with a power amp?
 
doug, I did think of a 5 channel amp but as stated I've read many times that the front three should be fed with the same amp.

EDIT: THe M6si has a pair of RCA Pre-outs so I guess it's designed to work with a power amp?
Yes, I'd looked at the manual but I think they are being fed from from the M6si pre-amp not a 4K equivalent passthrough when M6si is powered off. I take it you want to use the Nord 500W amps all the time and not the M6si 220W amps?

So you appear to need to be able to output to the Nord from the M6si pre amp and to the same channels of the Nord from the X6200W pre amp both using pre-outs.. This might have the solution you are looking for How do I switch between 2 pre amps with 1 power amp??
 
I take it you want to use the Nord 500W amps all the time and not the M6si 220W amps?

yes, that is correct. I will read the thread you linked, thank you.
 
Doug is wrong, you can do what you had planned, and I have done similar previously with a Denon 4400, a Musical Fidelity M3i and several different power amps.

However, it seems a waste of your M6si to use it as a pre-amp only, as the power amp section in there is stonking. I would keep that as is and just add extra power via the other pre-outs to the additional speakers, if you want to upgrade the power from using the AVR's internal amps. The golden rule of having to use the same power for the front three channels, is not proven, and is there to be broken (IMO)!

However, if you really want to, you could just use the M6si as a pre-amp, and for HT use with the AVR, using the HTbypass input and the pre-outs into a power amp, the audio would just pass straight through it.
 
I wholeheartedly agree with you using an integrated stereo amp for your music needs alongside the X6200, it is pretty poor for stereo music. I owned one and now own the X6500 and the same music problems are still there.

How big is your room that you feel the need for a power amp as only the centre will really bear the brunt of the power needed with the 6200 driving the remaining connected five speakers.

You could still use a five channel power amp alongside the M6i by connecting all the needed pre-outs. Timbre will be preserved because it's the 6200 pre-amp that the important driving force.
 
Good points and thanks all. So yes, based on what you have said Rambles, and doug earlier with your second option, I could purchase a 5 channel PA saving money and keep using my M6si for the front L&R.

Yes, gibbsy, I connected my Audioquest Cobalt DAC to my AVR with my M6si in front and played some Tidal Masters music and it was awful, really bad.
 
Yes, gibbsy, I connected my Audioquest Cobalt DAC to my AVR with my M6si in front and played some Tidal Masters music and it was awful, really bad.
The ideal of having a stereo amp is to have all your music sources connected to that so that the receiver plays no part in any music performance apart from multi channel. I use a Rega Elicit R for exactly those duties with a single SACD player going into it for music.
 
Since your integrated amp is powerful then no need for dedicated. That leaves center.

What about a monobloc for center and use avr for all others?

You don't need 250w for side and surrounds.
 
Dougs option 2, you don't want to loose that MF amp stage for stereo music. Or sell it to me for a grand🤣
 
A Behringer A800 makes a very powerful and affordable mono block for a centre channel!
 
I'll look at the Behringer so thanks all for your input and suggestions
 
did you ever test a bridged a800 on your main speaker(s)
Yes, I used one bridged on my centre for a while, no problem. I also like the vu meters on the front which show the input voltage in real time - quite fun!
 
great. did the amp only get `reasonably` hot ..for long term use in this mode in your opinion. and did SQ take a hit. some say it probably will take a slight hit ..others who have tried it stated the sound actually improved somewhat. in any case my main concern is heat. but I might get 2 of them for the fun of it anyway and test bi amping if it doesn`t work out to bridge, speakers are quite power hungry at 200rms 500peak 4-8ohm
 
great. did the amp only get `reasonably` hot ..for long term use in this mode in your opinion. and did SQ take a hit. some say it probably will take a slight hit ..others who have tried it stated the sound actually improved somewhat. in any case my main concern is heat. but I might get 2 of them for the fun of it anyway and test bi amping if it doesn`t work out to bridge, speakers are quite power hungry at 200rms 500peak 4-8ohm
I never noticed any heat of concern, it is not in a cabinet, just on an open shelf, and I used it all through the heatwaves without issue. Sound quality sounded exactly the same whether bridged or not.
 

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