Final thought: barring identification of a better option, I am definitely going to put the Bryston back on the center. Having spent a couple of days trying the Marantz's amp section on the center for comparison, clearly miss the Bryston. Driven by Rowland and Bryston, the three (center and mains, all Thiel) speakers across the front really do present a seamless sound profile. Just goes to show that the "keeping it in the family" theory of center channel speaker selection is for real. But with the center on the Marantz amp section (at a rated albeit dubious 105 watts), the center channel kinda stands out like a sore thumb. You notice it -- in a brighter, thinner, entirely not-so-good sort of way -- whereas before it dissapeared. So, anyway, aint broke and stick with the Bryston perhaps I should....
Multi-Channel, Light-Duty, Economical, Digital Amp
Short version: looking for an economical-leaning, three channel, preferably digital amp to leave on all the time for center and surrounds in a HT setup. So, by no means needs to be the last word in refinement or musicality (or much else) -- just clean, reliable power will do the trick. The crop / strata of class D amps that I am aware of (Rowland, Bel Canto, Wyred 4 Soud, Spectron, D-Sonic, etc.) are all a bit -- and some significantly -- more spendy than I suspect the task at hand deserves. What else is out there that's worth considering?
And for the longer version: So, I've been driving my center channel speaker (Thiel SCS3) with an 800 watt monoblock (Bryston 4b-st, bridged mono, previously driving mains, and since it was around after an upgrade I -- what the hell -- put it to work...). Which is a little silly.
Well, blew an internal fuse the other day. No problem, it's blown fuses before and I even have extra on hand -- but it really drove home that it's really not designed to be left on, you know, indefinitely.
So, having made the leap to more efficient class D amps for my main speakers (where I really do care a lot about how things sound) seems arguably silly to run a sucking A/B monster for the center or surrounds (where I really care relatively little). Of the crop of digital folks out there that I am aware of, the D-Sonic 3 x 250 definitely fits the bill on paper, but is likely just flat-out a better amp than the application warrants. And more expensive (although, I’d be happy to trade one for the Bryston…?).
To really set the stage, the center and surrounds are currently running off of the amp section on a Marantz SR7000 (or with the center through the Marantz pre-outs and the Bryston). The Marantz, really, is probably adequate for what I'm after in the center and surrounds: clear dialog from the center, while the rears do whatever it is they do, all ambience like, in the back. I feel like I am interested in doing better, but, you know, not all THAT much better....
Anyway, longer version aside, same question: any other ideas to fill the need? Many thanks.
And for the longer version: So, I've been driving my center channel speaker (Thiel SCS3) with an 800 watt monoblock (Bryston 4b-st, bridged mono, previously driving mains, and since it was around after an upgrade I -- what the hell -- put it to work...). Which is a little silly.
Well, blew an internal fuse the other day. No problem, it's blown fuses before and I even have extra on hand -- but it really drove home that it's really not designed to be left on, you know, indefinitely.
So, having made the leap to more efficient class D amps for my main speakers (where I really do care a lot about how things sound) seems arguably silly to run a sucking A/B monster for the center or surrounds (where I really care relatively little). Of the crop of digital folks out there that I am aware of, the D-Sonic 3 x 250 definitely fits the bill on paper, but is likely just flat-out a better amp than the application warrants. And more expensive (although, I’d be happy to trade one for the Bryston…?).
To really set the stage, the center and surrounds are currently running off of the amp section on a Marantz SR7000 (or with the center through the Marantz pre-outs and the Bryston). The Marantz, really, is probably adequate for what I'm after in the center and surrounds: clear dialog from the center, while the rears do whatever it is they do, all ambience like, in the back. I feel like I am interested in doing better, but, you know, not all THAT much better....
Anyway, longer version aside, same question: any other ideas to fill the need? Many thanks.
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