Help me power my Kappa 8.1's please!
Thanks @matt0404, will look into that one tonight... Any love for the Onkyo Integra A-8170 in the forum?? One came up locally on CL and it got me thinking. For $250!? Super sounding integrated amplifier. The amp is conservatively rated at 80 watts at 8 ohm per channel, and more than double at 4 ohms, and has lots of audio headroom. The amp will drive low impedance speaker loads without strain. |
The Audire Otez can be found at the top of your budget. It’s not pretty, but it’s a powerhouse that sounds absolutely wonderful. Mine has dislodged McIntosh monoblocks among many other fine, higher dollar amps. This amp drives the hell out of my ADS L2030’s. While they’re more efficient and an easier load than your Infinities, I don’t think it’ll break a sweat given it can double down all the way to 800 wpc at 2 ohms. There’s one on Reverb now that I know can be had just over your budget (~$1000 + shipping). Might be able to find another one for less if you’re patient, but they don't come up for sale very often. |
As one member here said, "Bi-wiring may or may not make a difference, and if it makes a difference, it may or may not be better." Some speakers have actually been designed for Bi-wiring, but for the majority, it's just "audio fashion." Bi-amping done properly means you would need to bypass the speaker's internal crossover and use an external crossover. Keep it simple with one quality amp and a single run of speaker cable, you'll have less headaches and more enjoyment. Here's a good read... https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/blog/2016/06/08/bi-wiring-speakers-exploration-benefits/ I already have bi-wire speaker cables. If nothing else, it's less resistance. But I do hear a difference. It's subtle. I noticed a much bigger difference when I wired my speakers in parallel (ch A to High Fr and ch B to Low Fr) on each speaker. I did this with my cheap Sony 2 channel amp (100W per channel @ 8ohm) and ran A+B at moderate volume levels for a month or so before someone told me I was crazy to do that and so I stopped and went back to bi-wire. Its a cheap amp though and it sounded WAY better so I'm thinking about doing it again! There was more separation, and energy, especially through the midrange. I don't know the internals of this specific amp but it made everything sound better. This is why I want to bi-amp these speakers if I'm going to spend money on an upgrade... |
Given your budget, you will need to get an integrated amp. Forget dual monos unless you plan to spend multiple thousands. And just so you know, An integrated amp is a combination of a basic preamp and power amp. If you used a stereo power amp or dual mono amps, then you would also need a basic preamp. |
Yes, the speakers are power hogs, however it will be best to have that power in one amp. Bi-amping is more complex than just using two amps. As I said, it is best to use an external crossover. The only arrangement that can work OK without an external crossover is a vertical bi-amp with two identical amps, however it would still be better to have the same power in one stereo amp or two monoblock amps. |
As one member here said, "Bi-wiring may or may not make a difference, and if it makes a difference, it may or may not be better." Some speakers have actually been designed for Bi-wiring, but for the majority, it's just "audio fashion." Bi-amping done properly means you would need to bypass the speaker's internal crossover and use an external crossover. Keep it simple with one quality amp and a single run of speaker cable, you'll have less headaches and more enjoyment. |
"Could (2) pioneer elite A20’s do the job?" No, those speakers need serious power. There's some amps available at less than 100wpc that could drive that speaker properly, however they cost well beyond your budget. Save up more money so you can buy an adequate amp. Also, you could get more amp buying used. Something like this, https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis95cd4-anthem-int-225-solid-state |
