Given the following equipment, how would you configure external amplification on the Denon?
Denon x4800h: 125W into 8 ohms x 2 channels driven, reduced by some factor(?) with more channels driven. Minimum impedance 4 ohms.
Triad PAMP4-100 (this is a bridgeable 8 channel amp): 50W into 8 ohms x 2 channels driven or 200W into 8ohms BTL. This appears to use the same main ICEPower board and power supply as the 16 channel version, and unlike that version, I can't find any specs for all channels driven so I think the reduction factor might be much less. Minimum impedance 2.5 ohms, so hopefully 5 ohms BTL, fudgeable to ~4 if I'm not playing at reference levels?
Speakers:
I got the Triad for cheap thinking I could bridge three of the four zones and use them for LCR. After looking at impedance specs I'm wondering whether it might be a better idea not to push that amp and instead offload most of the surround channels to it, leaving more power on the AVR for driving the (pretty efficient) LCR:
Option A: LCR on Triad using three bridged zones (4th unused), remaining channels from Denon
OR
Option B: Overheads and Rear Surrounds on Triad using stereo zones, remaining channels from Denon (could also put SS on Triad)
Could I start with Option A and move to Option B if the amp starts going into protection mode, or do I risk clipping and amp and/or speaker damage? Feedback greatly appreciated; this is my first post but I've already learned a ton from lurking over the last few years.
Denon x4800h: 125W into 8 ohms x 2 channels driven, reduced by some factor(?) with more channels driven. Minimum impedance 4 ohms.
Triad PAMP4-100 (this is a bridgeable 8 channel amp): 50W into 8 ohms x 2 channels driven or 200W into 8ohms BTL. This appears to use the same main ICEPower board and power supply as the 16 channel version, and unlike that version, I can't find any specs for all channels driven so I think the reduction factor might be much less. Minimum impedance 2.5 ohms, so hopefully 5 ohms BTL, fudgeable to ~4 if I'm not playing at reference levels?
Speakers:
| Channels | Speaker | Nominal Impedance | Minimum Impedance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 LR | Revel F12 | 6 ohm | 3.7 ohms |
| 1 C | Revel C12 | 6 ohm | 3.9 ohms |
| 2 SS | Revel S16 | 6 ohm | unknown, though M16 = 4 ohm |
| 4 Overheads | JBL Control X | 8 ohm | 5 ohm |
| 2 Rear Surrounds | Bookshelf TBD | TBD | TBD |
I got the Triad for cheap thinking I could bridge three of the four zones and use them for LCR. After looking at impedance specs I'm wondering whether it might be a better idea not to push that amp and instead offload most of the surround channels to it, leaving more power on the AVR for driving the (pretty efficient) LCR:
Option A: LCR on Triad using three bridged zones (4th unused), remaining channels from Denon
OR
Option B: Overheads and Rear Surrounds on Triad using stereo zones, remaining channels from Denon (could also put SS on Triad)
Could I start with Option A and move to Option B if the amp starts going into protection mode, or do I risk clipping and amp and/or speaker damage? Feedback greatly appreciated; this is my first post but I've already learned a ton from lurking over the last few years.
