[grodri02]

Hello,

Looking to get some recommendations regarding an amp for the four atmos speakers. I'm going to go with a NAD M28 amp for 7 channels and looking whats the best solution for the rest...the atmos celling speakers. Looking for a cost effective route....

Thanks

[zybar]

Hello,

Looking to get some recommendations regarding an amp for the four atmos speakers. I'm going to go with a NAD M28 amp for 7 channels and looking whats the best solution for the rest...the atmos celling speakers. Looking for a cost effective route....

Thanks

Can you use your receiver or do you need 4 more channels? 

What do you consider "cost effective"?

George

[WGH]

I'm curious to see what people suggest. I always thought a 4 channel Class D amp would be perfect but I haven't seen a cost effective one. Although...

There are a bunch of Class D stereo amps on eBay that would probably work out fine. The Atmos low frequencies are rolled off at 80 Hz by the HT processor so high power isn't necessary. Poking around eBay I found a Mini Class D Power Amplifier HiFi Stereo 2.0 Channel Digital Audio Amp 50W+50W for $35.14 with FREE SHIPPING. $70.28 for 4 channels is a deal.

I went a different direction. All my amps are class AB so I went with a used Adcom GFA-7300 5-channel amp and use 4 channels. The amp has 60 high current watts per channel with all 5 channels driven simultaneously (90w/channel into 4 ohms). The amp weighs 36 lbs. My Atmos speakers are Triad InWall Bronze/4 Surrounds, with a 84dB efficiency and 6 ohms I wanted an amp with the ability to drive the speakers effortlessly to their 103dB limit if needed. I never watch movies that loud but Hans Zimmer soundtracks always surprise me, he likes pushing the limit on what is possible.

Reverb has a used Adcom GFA-7300 listed for $309 + $55 shipping.
https://reverb.com/item/42439805-adcom-gfa-7300-mid-90s-black-5-channel-power-amp?gspk=SGlmaXNoYXJrLVJldmVyYg%3D%3D&utm_campaign=Hifishark-Reverb&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack-legacy

 

[TomS]

I have a 5.4.1 setup with an Anthem MRX 720, so I needed 4 more channels. I bought a Ghent Audio case with all the connectors prewired, 2 Hypex nCore NC252MP (stereo) modules, and it was pretty much plug and play. This works very well and runs cool.

[rklein]

Buckeye Amps is a turnkey solution to what TomS is talking about...

[zybar]

Buckeye Amps is a turnkey solution to what TomS is talking about...

A quick search showed that amp would run almost $900...not sure if that would be considered "cost effective".

Personally, I am going to run L/C/R and two surrounds with a Parasound Halo A-51 and drive the remaining 2 surround channels and the 4 height channels with a Denon AVR-x3700h.

If the Denon isn't up for the task, I have old ATI five channel amp I could pull from out of storage.

George

[rklein]

A quick search showed that amp would run almost $900...not sure if that would be considered "cost effective".

Personally, I am going to run L/C/R and two surrounds with a Parasound Halo A-51 and drive the remaining 2 surround channels and the 4 height channels with a Denon AVR-x3700h.

If the Denon isn't up for the task, I have old ATI five channel amp I could pull from out of storage.

George

Yep.  I agree.  I only pointed it out if you did not want to diy.  My dedicated HT room is not yet completed but I have all the parts and pieces.  I plan on running a new denon x6700h with speakers from DIYSG.  3 HTM-12's for LCR, 4 Volt-10's for my surrounds and 4 Volt-6's for my ATMOS along with 2 HSU ULS-15 subs.  We are talking efficiency in the 96 db range so the x6700h is up to the task.  However, I would also like to find inexpensive amplification so that I might try the AVR in pre-amp mode where the AVR actually shuts down the internal amps(I believe that your x3700h can do the same).  However, it is all or nothing so I would have to find 11 channels of amplification.

[Phil A]

An old Adcom GFA-2535 can probably be had for around $400 (give or take) - e.g. https://www.ebay.com/itm/294759823195?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=7031ebd4-88ef-11ec-aa0a-623639343262    An Emotiva BasX A4 is $549 new and perhaps can be had for less used.  Niles makes and has made multi-channel amplifiers that probably can be found used from time to time.  I vaguely remember (perhaps mistaken) an old Onkyo amplifier that had 4 channels.

I do 7.1.4 in the main system and use a separate 2-channel amplifier for the mains and in a spare system I do 5.1.4 (all amps built into the receiver).   In the spare system, I have in-ceiling for the rear Atmos speakers and use a pair of Ohm Microwalsh Talls (had them in a 2-channel system but now using a different pair of speakers) for front Atmos speakers (pic below).

[grodri02]

Hi,

Thanks for all your input.

I really wanted to keep it less than $600 for the 4 ch amp. I did see the Emotiva and looks like a good potential.  I would imagine it is OK to go with this type of amp since it is a AB amp has oppose to the NAD that is a class D.

I will look at the buckseye solution.

Thanks

[grodri02]

I'm curious to see what people suggest. I always thought a 4 channel Class D amp would be perfect but I haven't seen a cost effective one. Although...

There are a bunch of Class D stereo amps on eBay that would probably work out fine. The Atmos low frequencies are rolled off at 80 Hz by the HT processor so high power isn't necessary. Poking around eBay I found a Mini Class D Power Amplifier HiFi Stereo 2.0 Channel Digital Audio Amp 50W+50W for $35.14 with FREE SHIPPING. $70.28 for 4 channels is a deal.

I went a different direction. All my amps are class AB so I went with a used Adcom GFA-7300 5-channel amp and use 4 channels. The amp has 60 high current watts per channel with all 5 channels driven simultaneously (90w/channel into 4 ohms). The amp weighs 36 lbs. My Atmos speakers are Triad InWall Bronze/4 Surrounds, with a 84dB efficiency and 6 ohms I wanted an amp with the ability to drive the speakers effortlessly to their 103dB limit if needed. I never watch movies that loud but Hans Zimmer soundtracks always surprise me, he likes pushing the limit on what is possible.

Reverb has a used Adcom GFA-7300 listed for $309 + $55 shipping.
https://reverb.com/item/42439805-adcom-gfa-7300-mid-90s-black-5-channel-power-amp?gspk=SGlmaXNoYXJrLVJldmVyYg%3D%3D&utm_campaign=Hifishark-Reverb&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=partnerstack-legacy

Very intereting regarding the minis….they have a 100w version too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/133482841535

Sounds too good to be true…dont want to kill my speakers. My atmos speakers are Revel C563.

[Doublej]

Here's a 4x50 under $100 one.

https://www.aiyima.com/products/bluetooth-amplifier-aiyima-b2d2204-50w-4-four-channel-tpa3116d2-ne5532-5-0-bluetooth-amplifier

[zybar]

Very intereting regarding the minis….they have a 100w version too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/133482841535

Sounds too good to be true…dont want to kill my speakers. My atmos speakers are Revel C563.

You’ve spent how much on your HT and you now want to try a $50 amp?

I think you know the right answer to this situation…

George

[Digi-G]

I say go with the Emotiva 4- or 5-channel amp.  It's right at your price point and should have plenty of A/B power.  I haven't read anything bad about them yet - every owner seems to love them.

I'm considering getting a 7-channel version for my surround and Atmos (in the works) system.

[Vince in TX]

I was going to move my Marantz SR6012 into my 7.3.4 theater room, but decided to keep it in the game room in a 7.1.2 configuration.   For the theater room, I'm running a Marantz SR8015 since I wanted a "one and done" for more than a few years.   I have the front channel speakers running pre-amp off the Marantz to a pair of Odyssey Kismet amplifiers (one stereo for L/R, one mono for the center).

Definitely not the most cost-conscious setup, but certainly much less expensive than some other systems I've seen.

[rklein]

Here ya go...

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649772438-adcom-gfa/

[Doublej]

Emotiva seems to be one of those love them or hate them brands. The hate them is due to quality problems that people have experienced. I have a friend that had a Sherbourn AVR from them. It had a problem, he sent it back for non-warranty repair, they fixed it  for a fee and then at some point it failed again so he tossed it in the trash and said never again from them.

Monoprice has a 50wpc class D 2 channel amplifier in a small form factor for under $120.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=18514