DynAudio Audience 52: What Amp?

I am, horror of horrors, actually building a small home theater system in a back bedroom, and am going to use the smaller Dynaudio Audience 42s for the system. In listening to a couple of AV receivers with them, the one that stood out as the best sonically with it to my ears was the current $1300 Rotel unit, and not by a small margin, either, compared to the $500 Marantz I was listening to (closer call with an Arcam). I would therefor recommend a Rotel amp (assuming you just don't go whole hog and replace the Yamaha); whether you can do it depends of course on whether your Yamaha has a pre-out function, or at least a tape loop. Not knowing how the Yamaha works, if it does have a way to bypass its active preamp circuitry (usually through its tape loop), get an integrated with a better pre section than the Yamaha's; if not, then it makes no sense to go through two active preamp circuits vs. one. I think you'll find that a lot of the Yamaha's sound comes from its preamp section; using it with a warm-sounding amp may not necessarily cure the problem.

I have a pr. of the 52se and I use a Rotel RX1052 two channel reciever and am very happy, Plenty of power, I do not find the Dynaudio's overly bright at all and in fact picked them after months of auditioning due to their warmth and that they are so easy to listen to. If you are driving more than one set of speakers though the impedence may be an issue. The Rotel handles the 4ohm load without any difficulty but I would not want to drive two sets or a surround of them.

Thanks for the insight. The yamaha does have pre-outs for the mains, center, and rears. I appreciate the advice in regards to the intergrated. I might as well go with it if I am looking for a discernable difference in sound.

Good luck with the 42's in the HT set-up. Should be nice and coherent if used all around. Peace_

Thanks. It certainly sounded good at my dealer's, and apparently they're coming out with a sub to match as well. I've always liked the smaller Dynaudios everywhere I've heard them; of course, I also like their big speakers!

Do see if you can use the tape outs in your Yamaha with a Rotel integrated, that might be your best bet sonically for two-channel.

Nice Rotel. Thats the new one, right? I guess what Im trying to do is take some strain off my A/V by adding an external amp and letting it just power the center and rears. Looking for something big and burly to really rock the mains when I need to and enjoy the headroom. Im guessing my existing receiver is putting out close to the same power of the Rotel, sans the current. Thanks

I am driving my Dynaudio 70s with Outlaw M200 monoblocks. They are very transparent and at 200 W/ch easily drive the speakers. I was using an older Denon with pre-outs until I stepped ou to an Aragon pre-pro. They are less than $500 new, with a great warranty and customer service. You would still have money left over for decent cables and some power protection. Good luck!