My NHT 2.5 Speakers Are Hungry

Tough price point.You have actually a pretty high current amp and contrary to what you have heard it not all watts.Some designs have more current delivery than others and HK recievers actually deliver on the order of mid fi like NAD,Adcom,Rotel,etc better and louder than 2 channel or AV recivers from the likes ofYamaha,Sony,Kenwood,etc).So your 65 delivers loudness (volume before distortion sets in) more like 80-100 watts of other designs.If you are still looking to have radio and not concerned with surround sound why not sell the HK and get their 100 watt (HK3450???Been a whilke I used to sell them).When folks ask me knowing I sold high end like krell,McIntosh,B&W and want to spend the least and can't spend $500 on some Adcom seprates or a NAD integrated I say the $450 list reciver froim HK sounds almost as good as a pre and seprate power ampo from say Adcom but sells for about 60% list.Too bad you can' step up to mid fi set up like Rotel,Adcom,NAD etc because you have two seperate power supplies and this leads to less distortion because current is drawn for the pre amplification from one for volume and one fopr output.The circuts are physically sperated and this helps.But again if you look at specs it's the current delivery that with certain designs that is greater or lesser and this makes some lower powered designs actaully as loud and possibly at same time sound better at high volume levels than cheaper designs.Look on ebay for sperate amp and power amp but am affrain $200 won't get you their.Tryu to find 100 watt HK reciever of recent vintaghe qand you'll come close.
Chazz

I had a pair of NHT 2.3a's that were the same way. The Adcom GFA1 or GFA1a will drive them well. On Ebay for around $200. They put out 200 wattts and are fan cooled. You may or may not hear the fan and you will have to clean the dust out of it from time to time.

So from the first post it sounds like my present receiver might be giving it enough current. Would the Adcom GFA2 (which I can get for about $200 on ebay) give me a significant improvement? Can I use my front L and R pre-outs to feed the amp and then run my fronts from that while continuing to run my surrounds from the amp in my receiver?

I guess I'm wondering if a $200 price point amplifier would help my system or not, and if I can still use my surround receiver in my system.

I use a B&K Reference ST 125.2 Series 2 with my NHT 2.5I.I found my amp on ebay at a good price.I going to match them with 2 NHT sa-2 amp and bi-amp them and see how they do.I have my going into my Yamaha RX-V2400,which I use the pre outs for the B&K amp for the fronts(nht)and the sub out for my sub and use the reciever for my center and rears.

You are correct the 2.5's are very power hungry. I drove mine with an Acurus A150 for quite a few years. A couple of years ago bought a McCormack 0.5 Deluxe and WOW what a difference. Didn't realize the 2.5 were that good. Still have them in my bedroom where they work awesome. Save your money and spring for a used Aragon (4004 or 8002) or McCormack DNA 0.5 you will hear them like you have never heard them before. By the way the 2.5's really taxed the Acurus as good as it is, just not right for the demands of the NHT.
As a side note if you've noticed the looking down into the soundstage (I call it the balcony perspective) with the 2.5's, lift those puppies up off the floor about 8 to 12 inches, you will be rewarded.

I have to second Ig316b's comments. I, too used the acurus a150, then switched to the aragon 8002. that was many years ago. and he's right, the speakers open with better juice. as stated above, save your pesos for an older aragon. you won't regret it.