2200 amp

need the advice of you experts out there.

ok so I have a very basic system compared to most if not all.

I have the Marantz 5010 receiver connected to B&W 602 S3 speakers, front and Center.

I am thinking about adding a 2200 mono amp for the center channel only. with the current set up I find the audio somewhat dull....hope that makes sense??

does adding a 2200 amp make sense ? and if I make the investment, what can I expect in terms of sound / performance from the center channel?

thanks everyone!

dm

Hard to say. Most receivers power ratings are based on 1 or 2 channels operating at the same time. It is likely you are not getting a true 100 wpc from your center. That said the 2200 is a 200 wpc amp but that only gets you a theoretical 3 db increase in spl compared to the Marantz. The 602 s3 are not too hard to drive so I would expect something else is masking your sound. Could it be the room or maybe some dynamic gizmo turned on in the receiver. Try moving your speakers around some ad see if that helps and go through your menus to set that part good.

Hi xeononman and many thanks !


perhaps instead of investing in the 2200 I should consider a better center channel?

Have you measured and set the sound level of the center channel using an SPL meter?

I have found over several generations of B&W speakers that the center channels often have less efficient ratings and therefore need to have the level trimmed higher to match the front left/right. My current setup needs +5db in the center to match SPL across the front speakers. In my case I also angle the center channel up slightly towards the listener since the console it is placed on is substantially lower than ear height. I use two of the angled foam inserts from a pair of auralex mopads which helps decouple the center from the console and get more on-axis response at the listening position.

All of XenonMan's suggestions still apply, moving the speaker even just a few inches or changing the listening position could have an impact.

I think you would hear a substantial difference. Receivers are notoriously over spec'd when it comes to output ratings and every extra channel driven just makes it worse. I no longer use a receiver but when I still did we noticed a difference in both output and clarity when I moved to a separate amp for my center channel. I bi-amp a Polk CS400I using an old Yamaha CA-1000 class AB


YMMV obviously

You should be able to get about the same performance increase just by jacking up the center channel input by 3-5 db. That will give you a good idea of what a 2200 amp would sound like in your system if it were feeding the center channel.

He can do that of course but it will not be the same as running a separate amplifier. Looking at the specs on the Marantz page his unit is rated at 100wpc when driving two channels only. Load it up with seven channels and it is probably closer to 50wpc

I have god awful tinnitus so the center channel is critical for me while it may not be for others.

to OP, what speakers are you using as this would give us a better idea of amplifier loads and what you might be able to expect.

It is a lot cheaper to increase the signal strength by 3-5 db. Almost never does anyone run their system anywhere near the max output. Channeling more signal to the center channel is a good way to get an idea of what a separate amp would sound like and avoid having to get a separate amp. The OPs speakers are 90 db efficient at 1 wpc. Even at 50 wpc the SPL would approach 105db which is way louder than most can listen at for very long.

I missed his speakers. I am spoiled when it comes to amplifiers but not everyone cares or can hear the difference between the various types.