AMP for driving NHT VT 2.4


I am trying to buy a stereo amplifier that works with NHT VT 2.4 speakers. The Amplifiers are rated at 4ohms or 8 ohms.

1. What is the speaker impedence of this speaker? I read somewhere that it is 6 ohms
2. Should I get a 4 ohms amp or an 8 ohms amp or are there such things as 6 ohms amps?
3. What is the power output these speakers can handle?
4. What is the optimal power output for them ? Would 100 watts/ channel be sufficient?

I don't have the user manual for this and support@nhthifi.com is bouncing....

Your helping out a rookie is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
-Anu
anuruddhak
HI, The Vt 2.4 have a sensitivity rated at 88db and a 6 ohm impedence. They have a power rating of 50 to 250 watts. You will get the best results with NHT towers using high current amplification of at least 100 watts preferably more but because of the 88db sensitivity 100 will do the job.They like and work well with more clean power and high current amps. A good quality amp at 8 ohm will work excellant and will have no problem with the 6 ohm rating of the NHT's. I don,t know your budget but from personal experience I know that the musical fidelity amps work very well with them especially the 308 cr rated at 250 watts a channel. Just be carefull not to get an amp that is to bright sounding as the tweeters in the NHT will emphasize it. The older classe amps work well also. Your choices are vast with the 2.4's just remember , high current at least a 100 watts ( more if you can ) and avoid amps known to be a little on the bright side. Both my home theatre and two channel set ups are NHT and I have owned NHT speakers of one model or another since 1993. If you look on the back of speakers the info for ratings I gave you should be on the label above or below the speaker terminals. Cheers
Has2be - thanks for your response - I will check out the Amps you mentioned (Musical Fidelity). Do you know anything about "Monarchy Audio SE-100" ? Do you know if they will be considered "bright" ?

I have the NHT VT 2.4's hooked up to an Onkyo TX-SR 701 - works fine for Home Theater - but I feel its missing something when it comes to pure music listening.

I have considered NAD C272, Quad 909 and now looking at the SA-100 monoblocks... let me know if you have an opinion on how these will sound with the speakers...
The Quad has a very good midrange but lacks in the bass end and the treble is not as extended. The Nad is a little on the warmer side and in the long run you will end up wanting to change it. I am not familiar with the Monarchy when mated with NHT's. Since you are using the Onkyo and want to add better amplification you should realise the pre amp in the onkyo will still have a strong hold on how good it will or will not sound. I have an Onkyo Tx/Ds 939 Receiver that other than the lack of the HDMI for home theatre still competes with some of the best for home theatre! I was not that happy with its 2 channel music though being an old vynil guy. I ended up getting a really good deal on a Magnum Dynalab MD 208 receiver that has home theatre pass through. The magnum drives the fronts for music and does so very well. 30 amps high current , 100 watts and sounds excellant for music. This works because for two channel I am not only using the amps in the Magnum but also the pre amp section as well. Pretty sure sim audio did the amp/pre section in the magnum. I don,t envy your situation as I found trying to integrate home theatre and good 2 channel in one system is difficult and can be costly. I like the approach of the integated 2 channel with a processor loop. Lets you get descent music first then add the home theatre instead of the reverse which is difficult. I still have a seperate 2 channel system in the upstairs living room with NHT 3.3's I listen to for vynil and would keep it over the home theatre if I had to choose. Cheers.