TV & Home Theater

[TitaniumMike]

Hi there, I have a pretty simple question regarding receivers. I will be running two Cerwin Vega 12's (tower speakers), not a complete surround sound system. I need a receiver that can provide maximum wattage for these guys. They perform better with more power. Ideally: - keep it under $1000 - integration/compatible with my TV - bluetooth, Airplay, Network WiFi adaptable Any recommendations? Thanks, TM

[bobberuchi]

What is the peak power handling of your speakers?

What is their impedence?

[bobberuchi]

However, all that aside I have a Harmon Kardon home theater receiver that I have been using for many years. It sounds just as good today as the day I bought it.

One thing I really like about HK is they have dedicated channels.  Meaning it has a separate processor for each speaker output and dedicates X power to that channel.  I power 5 Boston Acoustic speaker sets and it sends a singnal to a powered sub.   

Best Buy carries many fine brads of receivers but I really take a shine to the Harmon Kardon, Denon, and Onkyo

[TitaniumMike]

Specifications:

• 1" Soft Dome Tweeter with Ferro Fluid
• 6.5" Woofer with Fiber Impregnated Cone
• 12" Cast Frame High Excursion Woofer

Performance Data:

• Frequency Response 43 Hz - 20 kHz (-3 dB) 37 Hz - 20 kHz (-10 dB)
• Power Capacity: 300 watts (Peak)
• Sensitivity in SPL: 90.8 dB (@ 8 ohms @ 1 meter full)
• Impedance: 6 ohmsCrossover Frequencies: 380 Hz / 2.4 kHz

[bobberuchi]

Oh yes them are some big speakers. 300 Watts is in the holy cow range.  Cerwin Vega are some good speakers.

They can certainly take a lot of power and have always been able to take a beating

What you are going to want to look for in the amp is the RMS or Watts per channel.  Your speakers can handle 300 Watts. However your going to want to select an amp that can provide just a little more power than 300 to each channel.

The accepted criteria is that when you run an amp at maximum power your going to get distortion at the higher levels. Having a slightly more powerful reciever will produce less distortion at those higher levels.  

And with those speakers you could cuase structural damage in a small space. Hee Hee.

[TitaniumMike]

Thanks for the response. 

Yes, the Cerwin Vegas are pretty incredible. 

By chance, do you or anyone else reading this know of some Best Buy receivers that offer high RMS per channel?

[bobberuchi]

I think most of Best Buys receivers are geared towards Home Theater.  

do you happen to have a model number for your speakers?

[TitaniumMike]

Cerwin Vega 12" XLS

[mstng87gt Trusted Contributor]

As Bobberuchi metioned the Peak wattage is 300 but the RMS is what you need to go by. 90 percent of receivers out there are Home Theater which are 50w through 90w per channel into 7 channels.  Most receivers that are  2 channel stereo that I find are also in the 75w-100w per channel range.  That should be more than enough.  The other question I have is do you have a receiver already? If you do and its just not a high powered receiver you can look into amplifiers.  Without spending 1200-1600 your not going to find a high powered amp. 

[TitaniumMike]

Thank you for the response mstng87gt. I'm a first time homebuyer, so I am getting things for the first time. I think I have landed on an ONKYO receiver that pushes 180w / channel. That should be enough for anything I add to the system. I am paying more than I intended but I have made the decision to pay for quality now and keep it for a long time.