New Denon 4400 - Is it worth using my Audiolab MPwr 2 ch Power Amp

Harkon321

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My Denon 4200 died and today I've had a Denon 4400 delivered.

It'll be running 3 Monitor Audio Apex A40s, a pair of Monitor Audio RXFX and then 4 ATMOS in ceiling speakers.

As the Denon 4200 could only amp 7 channels, I used the little Power Amp to run the top middle atmos speakers. The Denon 4400 can amp all 9. Should I just use the Denon to run all 9 or should I still use the 2 ch amp to take some load off the Denon?

Thoughts?
 
Are you likely to be listening at reference or close to as far as volume goes?

If you are quite a ways from reference, say -15 or quieter then I don't think you should need the other PA. Chances are you are running at barely a fraction of the AVR's power output.

If you are closer to reference than adding the PA may help in some small way. I would be very surprised if you notice much of a difference in heat produced from the Denon with it. The Denon is still doing the larger workload of the front 3 and bottom 2. It's going to get hot or at least warm.

FWIW I noticed a difference in heat from my Denon when going to a PA on the front 3. But after a 2 hour film both are still fairly warm to the touch as opposed to hot without it. You could try the Auto Eco mode if you want to try and run the AVR cooler. It is supposed to be fairly clever in how it works to not strangle any dynamics and it shouldn't be discernible to having it off at lower volumes. I personally don't use it since both my AVR & PA are on little tables that are open to the room so heat buildup isn't a big deal. In an enclosed unit it may succeed in keeping the unit cooler with little to no loss of sound quality.
 
Prob about -10 or -15 max. Rarely louder. Many thanks for your input. My amp is quite enclosed but I have 2 fans on top linked to a thermostat.
 
Using the power amp for the Atmos channels is taking some strain but very little and as pointed out may not be worth adding one for those channels. The use of power amps is best given to the front speakers, either as a power boost for the front three or from an integrated stereo amp with HT bypass if music is important. There is no doubt that with this arrangement the receiver will benefit. I have a Rega amp powering my left and right speakers with my main music provider, a SACD player, connected to it directly. Works extremely well.

Even with the stereo amp running for film and broadcast the Denon still runs a little toasty even with Eco Auto employed.
 
Your Monitor Audio speakers have quite a high sensitivity rating, I don't know about the in ceiling Atmos channels. And you don't seem to listen very loudly. So, possibly you don't need external amplification.

I would give it a listen with and without the extra power amp, as loud as you are likely to want to go, with an HD audio soundtrack, as they generally have high dynamic peaks. Listen to the loud bits and see if it sounds any different with the power amp in place.

As well as using a stereo integrated for the front main speakers (to improve 2 channel music performance) I also have another stereo power amp on a couple of my atmos speakers, they are 4 metres from the listening position, and have quite a low sensitivity rating. But, even so, it may be more for peace of mind, and the knowledge that I have plenty of headroom, than it be strictly necessary. It is hard to measure clipping without expensive equipment, so you might just have to trust your ears.
 
I'll give it a go. If I ever move room and set up 7.1.4 I'll probably run a 3 channel power amp anyway to give me some headroom.
 

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