• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Klipsch rp-600m with older Class AB, high current amp

tjtremor

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Messages
73
Likes
22
Found this for 40$ locally, old Onkyo TX-SR605 WRAT receiver 90w min, 210w dynamic power
Using bi-amp with the speakers, so they have plenty of power.

I noticed a small improvement to dynamic, clearer, sharper high frequency & a small boost to bass definition,volume.
I think the mids sound about the same.

My even older receiver was TX-DS474 55w min (also had them bi-amp with this receiver).

I was thinking going with another old Onkyo I would get the same sound signature, but no. The not so perfect amplification of the TX-DS474(22 years old) gives the Klipsch this weird very musical tone, softer highs & longer bass notes.

From what I'm reading, the TX-DS474 is a basic differential amp where SR605 is negative feedback circuit with each channel having access to the full 780w power supply.

This negative feedback is tuned for stopping / stabilizing speaker return after moving & handling crazy impedance , phase swings.
The high current, helps with 3 ohm loads.

While 115db with the TX-DS474 is crazy loud but fun to listen to; 115db with the SR605 I can only describe it as getting hit with a shovel in the face at that high volume lol

Not sure what my post is about, I thought you guys might enjoy reading my noob review of these old amps with new rp-600m speakers.

I liked my TX-DS474 -60db +15db volume dial; this new amp 1 to 99 volume doesn't really tell me much and 1 to 40 steps are wasted ( too low volume output) .


1644606551418.png

1644606646807.png
 
Last edited:

ThatM1key

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 27, 2020
Messages
1,048
Likes
882
Location
USA
I have the Onkyo TX-SR606, pure junk. Digital inputs sounded bad and the HDMI board is going out (Due to Onkyo being cheap-asses and not gluing a fan on it & making an HDMI board that runs hotter than the AMP itself). It sounded fine if you used "Direct" mode with a outside DAC via analog.

I don't enjoy Onkyo AVR's at all. The relay clicks are annoying as hell, I'm surprised nobody is annoyed by it. My father has the Onkyo TX-SR494 and every time we watch a movie and there's a quiet section, *click*. Going from 5.1 to 2.0 source, *click*. Switching DSP modes *click*. Like god damn Onkyo, Sony can make a AVR that doesn't click at all, only on startup (My Sony STR-DN1080), that's it. The older Onkyo has the same problem too, so Onkyo doesn't learn jack shit. My father got so tied of the clicks he put an old Sony ES AVR on layaway. Essentially that is why I'll never get an Onkyo AVR.

Usually bi-amping on AVRs doesn't do much at all unless you have really high-end one.
 
OP
T

tjtremor

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Messages
73
Likes
22
I have the Onkyo TX-SR606, pure junk. Digital inputs sounded bad and the HDMI board is going out (Due to Onkyo being cheap-asses and not gluing a fan on it & making an HDMI board that runs hotter than the AMP itself). It sounded fine if you used "Direct" mode with a outside DAC via analog.

Usually bi-amping on AVRs doesn't do much at all unless you have really high-end one.

I didn't pay much attention to digital dac on these. My computer 1220-vb, sabre dac, audio caps is pretty good, 32bit 192khz output.

The TX-SR605 HDMI board puts out some heat. Not sure if i should thermal tape some heatsinks; I don't use HDMI but I did test it and it worked. The only thing that doesn't work is the OSD that suppose to display on the TV.

I do run them direct, that's pretty much the only reason I runs these ancient receivers.

On the TX-DS474, bi-amp is the only way to get 110w rms to the Klipsch.

For the TX-SR605 might not be needed , since it's 90w+ rms per channel but still nice to have 180w rms per speaker for the front since the output will be cleaner using two channels half power vs one channel full power per speaker.

The other thing, having two power channels going into the crossover board does improve efficiency; helps with the woofers since they drop around 4ohm-6ohm vs tweeter 16ohm+
 
OP
T

tjtremor

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2022
Messages
73
Likes
22
the analog inputs might be going through some kind of DSP, sounded bad vs direct pass (multi- channel)

Tried the DAC on the Onkyo (optical out at 24bit 192khz) and it sounded the same to me vs 24bit 192khz analog output from the pc

The Onkyo DAC is only 24bit 192khz, and I was comparing with 32bit 192khz output from the pc during ultra hd playback 24bit 192khz songs on Amazon.

To my surprise I started noticing artifacts added to the end of sound patterns with 32bit 192khz output. 24bit 192khz output, no more artifacts.

This old Onkyo DAC is usable, too bad I'm limited to only -15db sub vs -30db with multi-channel.

*edit
Going to try the Onkyo DAC for few days, got my -25db SUB with L,R at +10db and -15db for SUB
 
Last edited:

ThatM1key

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 27, 2020
Messages
1,048
Likes
882
Location
USA
the analog inputs might be going through some kind of DSP, sounded bad vs direct pass (multi- channel)
They'll go through DSP if your not using "Direct mode", which results in worse sound
The Onkyo DAC is only 24bit 192khz, and I was comparing with 32bit 192khz output from the pc during ultra hd playback 24bit 192khz songs on Amazon.

To my surprise I started noticing artifacts added to the end of sound patterns with 32bit 192khz output. 24bit 192khz output, no more artifacts.
When you play 24/192 music through 32/192, it's gonna mess with the sound because of resampling and other factors.

The TX-SR605 HDMI board puts out some heat. Not sure if i should thermal tape some heatsinks; I don't use HDMI but I did test it and it worked. The only thing that doesn't work is the OSD that suppose to display on the TV.
I think the room correction chips are tied to that HDMI board. The OSD is very flakey but I wouldn't worry about it. The lucky thing about that generation of Onkyo's, is that all the settings & menu's are available through the AVR's main screen. It would be a very good idea to put a fan on that HDMI board.
 

GDWL34

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2021
Messages
21
Likes
49
Found this for 40$ locally, old Onkyo TX-SR605 WRAT receiver 90w min, 210w dynamic power
Using bi-amp with the speakers, so they have plenty of power.

I noticed a small improvement to dynamic, clearer, sharper high frequency & a small boost to bass definition,volume.
I think the mids sound about the same.

My even older receiver was TX-DS474 55w min (also had them bi-amp with this receiver).

I was thinking going with another old Onkyo I would get the same sound signature, but no. The not so perfect amplification of the TX-DS474(22 years old) gives the Klipsch this weird very musical tone, softer highs & longer bass notes.

From what I'm reading, the TX-DS474 is a basic differential amp where SR605 is negative feedback circuit with each channel having access to the full 780w power supply.

This negative feedback is tuned for stopping / stabilizing speaker return after moving & handling crazy impedance , phase swings.
The high current, helps with 3 ohm loads.

While 115db with the TX-DS474 is crazy loud but fun to listen to; 115db with the SR605 I can only describe it as getting hit with a shovel in the face at that high volume lol

Not sure what my post is about, I thought you guys might enjoy reading my noob review of these old amps with new rp-600m speakers.

I liked my TX-DS474 -60db +15db volume dial; this new amp 1 to 99 volume doesn't really tell me much and 1 to 40 steps are wasted ( too low volume output) .


View attachment 185933
View attachment 185934
try a vintage Tehcnics amp with loudness! My RP’s just rock
 
Top Bottom