Citation 7.1 CUTS out, do I need More Power?

I wanted to thank each of you for your help. After several attempts with different amps, Citation 7.1, McIntosh MC-352, Marantz MA-24's, California Audio Labs CL-2500, and the Bryston 4B, (which all clipped) I have found the solution! No clipping, incredible clean mids and a top end that does just sing with a bottom end that DOES NOT STOP, the 4 channel Citation Audio 7.1 in a BIAMP configuration!
I had been bridging this amp which was probably a large part of the issue here. The amp is 210 x 4 into 4 ohms, and plays ever bit of it! The imaging is far superior, but not sure if it from NOT running it bridged or if it from the benefit of BIAMPING, but I FOUND IT!

Thanks so much for all of your help. I also have a call into the Aerial, Mike Kelly, to verify my hearing/sanity.
(really to be sure I won't blow the midrange and/or tweeter with this power.

Again, thanks for all your help and insight, it is threads like this that allow suggestions to be sought, issues recognized, and problems solved!

Dan

You are better off not bridging if the 10Ts are of 4Ohm nominal. The amp ends up seeing half of that load in bridged mode. Stability is also an issue in bridged mode. That said, the Citation 7.1 is supposedly stable down to 2 ohm and can still deliver down to 1 ohm. It's available power retracts when the load is 1ohm and will probably shut down for less. Given all this, I'm curious to know at what SPL level this is happening, and how the SPL isn't affecting you.

P.S. How do you like the 7.1 compared to the rest of the amps that you tried? Also, I have some factory power specs for the 7.1 that I found on the digitaltheater forum. Let me know if you want it.

Wywhcan,

First, I would LOVE the factory power specs, please do send them!

As I mentioned, when I had this amp bridged, it stays in 8 ohms. After switching to BIAMP the speakers, the 7.1 runs 150 x 4 @8 ohms, and 210 x 4 @4ohms. This has made ALL the differences in the world. It was 11:30OPM last night when I made the switch and wasn't able to run very loud very long. The clipping/shut down happens ABOUT 100-112db. I am using the Radio Shack analog SPL meter and am just figuring out how to use it. The shut down happens around 100, give or take.

I don't sit around and listen to music (or Madonna for that matter) at these levels, but I am setting things up and like to push the limits, checking things like this at the same time.

I think running 4 channels of the 7.1 to the 10T's and 2 channels of the other 7.1 to the CC3B will be plenty of power, and good sonics as well. This leaves me 6 MORE channels (since I am using 3 7.1's) for surrounds, sides, and for the deck speakers.

Thanks for the input Wywhcan, and please do send me the specs!!

Dan

Dan,

I emailed you the spec. Hope it helps. By this spec, in bridged mode, the drivers of 10Ts will probably reach their mechanical limit/extension before your 7.1 runs out of gas.

Hey Dan - looks like you've received some pretty sound advice thus far - but I will go out on a limb here and ask if this problem occurs mostly during DTS playback?