Given that the majority of audiophiles disregard outdated surround sound amplifiers, I find it quite regrettable. That’s why the concept of modifying outdated surround sound amplifiers into integrated amplifiers emerged. This approach serves several purposes. Firstly, it contributes to environmental conservation. Secondly, it aims to change the impression that surround sound amplifiers have poor sound quality among audiophiles. Thirdly, due to their eco-friendly nature, outdated surround sound amplifiers can save a considerable amount of money. The models we focus on for modification are primarily from the period between 2000 and 2010, and particularly, not all previous models, especially Prologic surround sound amplifiers, are suitable. Why not choose newer models? The answer lies below. However, what are the uses of these modifications? If there is no application or purpose, the modifications would be futile.
When it comes to the uses, we need to consider the modifications first. In essence, we can convert the surround sound amplifier into a stereo integrated amplifier, stereo power amplifier, multi-channel amplifier, or multi-channel power amplifier, and the highest level would be a mono power amplifier/integrated amplifier. If circumstances permit, audiophiles would prefer to have a separate stereo system and a surround sound system. In this case, the modified integrated amplifier, power amplifier, or mono power amplifier can serve as the core of the stereo system. The modified amplifiers, especially those converted into mono power amplifiers, deliver sound quality that is in no way inferior to conventional amplifiers.
This is a stereo system that uses two Onkyo modified to become mono power amplifiers. (The middle one is another Onkyo temporarily modified for stereo comparison.)
If your setup only allows for one system to be used for both surround and stereo purposes, modifying the amplifiers can provide greater flexibility to your system. Whether you are aiming for a 5.1, 7.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.4, 7.1.4, or even X.4.X configuration, it doesn’t matter much because you can easily add or subtract channels as needed. All you need is a surround sound processor or a surround sound amplifier with preamp outputs, which can be connected to the modified power amplifier. It is well known that combining a surround sound processor with dedicated multichannel power amplifiers produces optimal audio effects. This is something that audiophiles would generally agree upon.
This is a system that utilizes two modified mono power amplifiers and one modified seven-channel power amplifier to form a 5.1.4 nine-channel surround sound system.
From the example above, we can see that this nine-channel system uses Denon’s Atmos surround sound amplifier as the preamp output for surround processing. Two modified Yamaha amplifiers are used as mono-power amplifiers to drive the left and right channels respectively. The modified Rotel amplifier is used as the seven-channel power amplifier to drive the other channels. The advantage of this setup is that when the user wants to listen to stereo sound, they only need to activate the two Yamaha amplifiers as dual mono power amplifiers. When using the nine-channel surround sound, the system operates in a 1+7+1 configuration. The flexibility of using old surround amplifiers as stereo or mono power amplifiers in a multi-channel setup provides better sound performance compared to using a single amplifier of the same level (I will explain this in detail later). This setup can also be easily modified according to space limitations when used in a surround sound combination. For example, the 1+7+1 configuration can be changed to 1+1+6+1, 2+7, 2+5+2, or 4+5. If you have the audacity and your home’s power supply can handle it, even dreaming of a 1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1 setup is not too extreme. If you are already using a multi-channel power amplifier, you can use this method to expand the number of channels indefinitely. Even if you switch to a nine-channel setup, you don’t need to give up using the existing five or seven-channel power amplifiers.
Why use old amplifiers instead of new ones? The reason is simple. In recent years, the majority of the cost of surround sound amplifiers has been allocated to processors and additional features. The cost of the amplifier section is so low that it can’t go any lower. Just think about it, initially, putting five channels in the same unit, the high-end models weighed at least 40 to 50 pounds. The era of six and seven channels was similar. Around 2010, the weight of seven and nine-channel surround sound amplifiers did not increase but gradually decreased. This trend is most noticeable in the mid-to-high-end surround sound amplifiers. For example, one of the current generation’s flagship thirteen-channel surround sound amplifiers weighs only 50 pounds (compared to Denon’s AVR5803 in the year 2003, which had seven-channel output but weighed 66 pounds! It had the grandeur of a flagship model in terms of size and weight). We are not talking about Class D amplifiers (this type of amplifier is not my cup of tea, at least not for now. I will temporarily set it aside and not discuss it for now). The mid-to-high-end seven-channel/nine-channel AB class surround sound amplifiers of the current generation weigh only about 20/30 pounds, and the actual output power when driving multiple channels can be reduced from 100 watts per channel to only about 40 watts. As a result, some manufacturers now declare that their surround sound amplifiers guarantee a minimum power output above a certain percentage when driving multiple channels. This is a rather sad phenomenon, similar to the “made with real cheese" label on a cheese cracker box. Many people have debated this power issue, with some arguing that surround sound amplifiers do not need much power when driving multiple channels. I don’t want to argue about this issue here. Amplifiers and cars are actually quite similar. The most powerful supercars today have over 1400 horsepower, while regular cars have around 100 horsepower. Both cars can only travel at speeds below 50 km/h on city roads. In this case, if you can’t discern the difference in engine output between the two, you might think that a low-power surround sound amplifier is more than sufficient. Because in general listening situations, surround sound amplifiers only require a few watts of output. From a technical standpoint, it is more than enough to handle multi-channel output with only a few tens of watts. I’m not accustomed to listening to music at extremely high volumes, and I don’t appreciate genres like Heavy Metal or Hard Rock. But what I need is not just a high-power amplifier; I also need equipment with quality. This aspect cannot be compromised, at least not for me. Generally speaking, high-power, high-current AB class amplifiers require powerful power supply sections and large heat sinks to handle the load. These factors contribute to the weight of the amplifier and sound quality. Amplifiers with lighter power supplies and less quality heat sink components naturally weigh less. To be continued next time.
Paul K (04/24)
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