# amplifier/receiver recommendation for 250 watt pro audio studio monitor



## buyabook (Sep 26, 2013)

Hello 

I am looking for an amplifier/receiver to connect my computer to both my studio monitors to play mp3s/movies off my computer through an spdif out or an HDMI out or standard 7.1 3.5 mm. jacks. I would prefer a digital output seeing as I don’t want to lose on sound quality.

There are two studio monitors. They are of the Pro Audio brand. The monitors have a tweeter horn, midrange woofer diameter of 6 inches and 12 inch diameter woofer on the bottom. The front plate has the following information on it:

1.	power 250 watts program
2.	min pwr 5 watts
3.	nominal impedance 8 ohms
4.	sensitivity 95 dB 1W/1M
5.	Digital Ready
6.	Liquid Cooled

I could not find a model number on these speakers. I also cannot tell if these speakers are of high quality.

Can you please recommend an appropriate amplifier to fulfill this purpose that will help me experience the true potential of these studio monitors? Looking at how big that woofer is, I feel the bass is lacking. For the past 5 years, they have been connected to a panasonic sahe75 5.1 receiver that outputs 100 watts per channel. I am looking for a worthwhile upgrade.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Those monitors are designed to be used in a large venue like a club or dance hall, they are not going to do a good job with over all clear reproduction of the full frequency range. I suspect they are only going to go as low as 35Hz and upwards of 16KHz. You wont need much power to drive them so any receiver with a rating of around 100watts per ch will do just fine as they are very efficient speakers at 95db.


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## buyabook (Sep 26, 2013)

Do you think I can gain any significant increase in sound quality and power if I purchased a higher quality receiver (Yamaha rxa -730) or a NAD stereo receiver compared to my current receiver (Panasonic SAHE75) that I bought for 300$ retail


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Yes, its very possible. That Panasonic has no room correction or even HDMI so its fairly old and outdated given its features.
I would highly recommend getting this Onkyo 818 for $650 you cant go wrong. Are you thinking of getting a sub or do you already have one?


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## buyabook (Sep 26, 2013)

no sub, Onkyo 818 and yamaha rxa 730 are in the same class (category) of price and quality? I am tryign to find some kind of reference for dtermining the tiers of amplifiers by sound quality and reliable power supplies but I can't find such a grading system.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

No, the Onkyo is much better as it uses Audyssey Multi EQ XT32 room correction as well as a top of the line video processor. It also weighs twice as much as the 730 so I can guaranty the Onkyo will have a much higher true power output.


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## fmw (Aug 11, 2013)

buyabook said:


> Do you think I can gain any significant increase in sound quality and power if I purchased a higher quality receiver (Yamaha rxa -730) or a NAD stereo receiver compared to my current receiver (Panasonic SAHE75) that I bought for 300$ retail


No.


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## buyabook (Sep 26, 2013)

I would prefer an amplifier to a receiver for this setup because I don’t need multiple inputs and outputs on the back. I only need to connect the amplifier to the computer for sound and I can connect computer video to my TV using a cable. I would prefer having an spdif in/hdmi in on the back of the amplifier (assuming that I am not losing sound quality.) If this is not possible, I’d consider using a 3.5 to rca converter to connect my computer audio to the amplifier. What kind of amplifier/equipment would I purchase for this setup if it weren’t a receiver?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Then your looking at a stereo receiver as you wont find a dedicated amp that has any digital inputs like your looking for as they are strictly designed for amplification nothing else. The challenge is that most two channel stereo receivers that have 100watts per channel or more will cost you about the same as a multi channel receiver and with a multi channel receiver you get room eq and many other good features that you dont get with a stereo receiver.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

buyabook said:


> I could not find a model number on these speakers. I also cannot tell if these speakers are of high quality.
> 
> Looking at how big that woofer is, I feel the bass is lacking.


Honestly buyabook, these speakers look pretty low-end. It’s not unusual for high-efficiency PA speakers of this type to have poor extension, maybe 100 Hz if that. That’s the reason you aren’t getting the bass you want.

Bottom line, better electronics isn’t going to improve the sound of inadequate speakers. The $650 you’d pay for the Onkyo or Yamaha receivers would be better spent on some good-quality speakers instead. 

Regards, 
Wayne


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