Help with Amp choice

[pat bateman]

I currently have 7.2.2, and am adding 2 more height channels. My AVR can process 11 channels, but only amplify 9, so I need an external amp. This is my first time buying an external amp, so excuse the newbie-ness.

I was thinking either 1 of 2 approaches; A. Buy a cheap amp for the additional 2 overhead speakers only or B. Get a nicer 2 channel amp to run the F/R speakers, and let the AVR amplify everything else.

All my speakers are Klipsch RP, and as I understand they are very sensitive already, so I need to manage my expectations that external amplification will not make a difference for the F/R - or so I've read. Is this accurate information? I do have possible hopeful plans to upgrade to RF7IIIs when I can also upgrade the size of my room, but right now I have RP280F as F/R, but if its basically a "for sure" thing that I will not notice any sound quality difference with external amplification to the F/R, I either A. buy the cheap amp for the +2 overheads or B. The opposite direction cost-wise, and get a new AVR that will amplify 11 channels instead of spending 1K-ish on a good 2 channel amp, and also enjoy the new bells/whistles that come with that.

To clarify - I do not need my F/R to be any louder. My room is not large. I am specifically wondering if sound quality would be noticeably improved with external amplification.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Marplot]

Just spitballing here but wouldn't it make more sense to use your new amp on the 4 ceiling?
Not evertything we listen to is in ATMOS so it will reduce the power needs of your current AVR when you are listening 2/4/5.1

 

[pat bateman]

Just spitballing here but wouldn't it make more sense to use your new amp on the 4 ceiling?
Not evertything we listen to is in ATMOS so it will reduce the power needs of your current AVR when you are listening 2/4/5.1

I would think that externally amplifying the ceiling speakers would kinda be a waste considering not a ton of sound is coming from them, and I would think their power needs are lower, but now that I type that out, I have 10' ceilings, and they are considerably farther away than my Surrounds & SB....

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I would get a stereo Amp for the fronts. Do you have a budget? Are you willing to go used?

 

[pat bateman]

I would get a stereo Amp for the fronts. Do you have a budget? Are you willing to go used?

I have my eye on the Marantz MM7025. I'm fine with used locally, but online - I have trust issues with sizable purchases that cost a lot to ship.

 

[atlantasteve]

I have an emotiva 4 channel amp for my height speakers and an NAD 7 channel amp for everything else.

 

[Horbus]

I would also go with Marplot's suggestion to use additional amplification just for the Height's where you probably won't hear tonal differences of the different amps. This could be a cheap pro amp i.e.. I was never a friend of mixing different amps/technologies or speakers from different companies unless for the use as Height's or Subwoofer. I have a seperate pro amp for my passive subwoofer which serves me well.