Panasonic XR45 questions.

Merle · « **on:** 1 Aug 2004, 10:10 pm »

Seems to be more digital amp experts on this board than anywhere else on the net so I thought this would be the place to ask. I bought a used XR45 for $100 basically on a whim to see what all the hype is about. Bone stock, it whipped my Anthem Integrated One so bad it wasn't funny. I've since bought a higher end Audioquest digital coax cable to take advantage of the Panny's digital inputs. Better yet! I've got a Cardas power cable on order that should arrive tomorrow. Next, I bi-wired my speakers [Shamrock Audio Keelins] using the "party" setting. Better sound again! My question then is this, once I "bi-amped" using the party mode setting, I've seemed to lose some power. When I was just using the main speaker outputs, I listened with the volume setting around 30-36. Now, I have to go around 20-24 to get the same volume. Why would this be? It would seem to me that bi-amping the speakers would result in more power, not less. It will still play louder than I care to listen but I'm curious about the appearent loss of power.

Wayne1 · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 03:45 pm »

Merle,

There is no loss of power. The ouput section is the same.

What is hapening is that there is a reduction of the "gain" of the system when you use the SFC modes. All this means is that you have to turn it up a little more to get the same spl .

Do not equate volme with gain or power or watts or spl. They all are different.

The best bang for the buck upgrade would be to replace the two prong power inlet with a real IEC. Then you will have you choice of a whole world of power cables to use. This mod will only cost you $85.00.

Replacing the speaker connectors and the internal wiring will improve thigs quite a bit further . I do this and the power inlet mod for $350.00

The digital cable does happen to make a difference. I do have a few folks who like the cable I make. A couple are even using the ICE digital with a Bybee purifier built in. I personally feel that Bybees are a good thing in the digital input line on a Panasonic.

AphileEarlyAdopter · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 08:43 pm »

Actually, I had the same question as Merle.
The volume drops in party mode.
I understand the left and right rear speakers are reversed. So I took this into account. When the volume dropped I was afraid even the phase might have been reversed. I hope my suspicion is not true (?).

Wayne1 · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 09:01 pm »

Phase stays the same, but you are correct that the rear left and right do reverse. If you are going to Bi-Amp you need to connect the right surround output to the left main speaker woofer input (if you are using the left main output to the left main speaker tweeter)

The reason for this is "Party Mode" is included to use if you are having a "Party" with your surround sound system." This mode uses the front and surround speakers so the sound is in stereo regardless of the direction you are facing. "

Zoe · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 09:16 pm »

And what happens if you overlook this heretofore unpublished piece of information? I have mine hooked up the way any normal person would. (i.e. bi-amped but with both right outputs going to right etc.) Have I been running my setup in some kind of degraded mode?

Wayne1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Aug 2004, 09:51 pm »

Somewhere in the massive number of posts about the Panny receivers on this site, it was mentioned. You mean you haven't read and memorized them all?

You will get left channel information in your right channel, the way you have them hooked up now. Just reverse the connections on the back of the receiver from your surround outputs and take a listen. You can tell us what you hear as a difference.

Merle · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 12:59 am »

Interesting about the rear speakers being reversed. I switched mine back today because, frankly, I thought it sounded better just running the Audioquest Bedrock bi-wired from the main speaker terminals. I may try the "party" mode again, reversing the leads. BTY, my Cardas powercord came today. Sounds very good!

Andrew JC · « **Reply #7 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 01:36 am »

Merle, What Cardas cord did you get? The Twinlink with the C7 connector? If it's like any Cardas cable it should get better with time.

Merle · « **Reply #8 on:** 3 Aug 2004, 02:15 am »

Twinlink with C7 from Audioadvisor.

Ears · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Aug 2004, 06:20 pm »

What worlks even better is two 45's bi amped in a 2 and 6.1 channel configuration.
Levels matched seperatley and one remote to control it all.

Modified, this could prove to be sonic nirvana as the stock improvement is obvious in 2 channel digital mode, and startling in 6.1 mode

Red Dragon Audio · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Dec 2004, 07:43 pm »

Hey Wayne,

How come we use the 4-pole Jensen cap on the main board? Are they better than the standard 2-pole types?

Would you want to put an even larger one on there if you were allowed to cut the top of the chassis?

Thanks!

Wayne1 · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Dec 2004, 08:30 pm »

http://www.jensencapacitors.com/audio/white-papers/4pole.html

Red Dragon Audio · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 07:50 am »

Thanks Wayne..that was a good read.

Would this be overkill?
10,000uF 80v 4-pole cap

...Do I want/need overkill in this application or is there something I am missing? Like at some point there is a tradeoff for more capacitance but worse ESR rating?

Would it be better to do this one:
6800uF 63V 4-pole

Wayne1 · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 02:22 pm »

The main PS cap has to be rated to 200 volts. The largest that will fit in that spot is 1,000 uF @ 200v.

I mod the Panny receiver's for money. I don't do it for fun.

Please don't ask technical questions that are intended to take money out of my pocket. My knowledge about the receiver is one of the things you pay for when you buy the mod.