Use old HT equip for PC?

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dclapps

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
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I've got a few questions regarding my current audio setup.

I've got a 15 year old Sony amp that puts out "overall output: 135W (front, at rear/center off at 8 ohms)" for the front speakers, which is all I will be using. First, do I take that to mean RMS or peak? I've taken that info from the manual.

That is hooked up to two sony speakers (part of the original old system, but were the rears) that are rated 25W RMS. I am looking to upgrade my audio, but not sure if I want to keep this older amp and buy some passive axiom m3s/av123 elt525m, or ditch the amp and go with some active audioengine a5s. Any thoughts on the age of the amp negatively affecting the ability of the new monitors?

P.S. If the amp has a headphone out, but the manual only says "accepts low and high impedance headphones", does that mean it does not amplify headphones?

Thanks in advance,
Danny
 
dclapps said:
First, do I take that to mean RMS or peak? I've taken that info from the manual.
Click to expand...

Sometimes one, sometimes the other, no way to be sure if they don't say. Probably peak.

dclapps said:
Any thoughts on the age of the amp negatively affecting the ability of the new monitors?
Click to expand...

Old stuff, new stuff...if it sounds good and still works, keep it. Some of my stuff is from the 80s and plenty of people have even older than that.

dclapps said:
If the amp has a headphone out, but the manual only says "accepts low and high impedance headphones", does that mean it does not amplify headphones?
Click to expand...

Why would "accepts headphones" not mean "accepts headphones"? :confused:
 
I wasn't sure if it amplifies the headphone sound, or just passes the signal through from the computer, as there are no specs for what the actual output would be to headphones. Obviously I am missing something.
 
What you've got is probably what's referred to as an integrated amplifier. It has two stages internally, a preamplifier which does some cursory amplification from line-level as well as supplying a volume control, and a power amplifier that steps it up from there to speaker level. The preamp output is generally at "headphone level" and is more or less what you get at the headphone jack.
 
dclapps said:
I wasn't sure if it amplifies the headphone sound, or just passes the signal through from the computer, as there are no specs for what the actual output would be to headphones. Obviously I am missing something.
Click to expand...

Generally speaking, if there is talk about impedance, that implies there is an amplifier involved.

You can't talk about ohms, amps, or volts without talking about all of them at once.

Current (amps) = Voltage (v) divied by Resistance (ohms)

Power (watts) = Voltage (v) multiplied by Current (amps)
 
It's actually a power amplifier, so says the manual. It has no volume control, and has a special cable that links to the receiver (which I haven't setup). Does this change the possibility of amplifying the headphone jack?
 
Well that's just weird. Pics?

If it really is just a power amplifier - and it could well have that written on it and not "be" one, although the lack of volume control tends to suggest it really is - then the headphone jack could be just a passthrough. Speaker level into headphones is usually a bad idea (with a few exceptions).

The manual would be nice about now. Or maybe a model?
 
http://www.docs.sony.com/release/TAN721.PDF

Should have included it earlier, my fault.

edit- I thought I knew that it was 135Wx2 RMS, but couldn't find the info so I asked that question. Upon re-reading the manual, I see it in bold on the top of the specs page. Bold makes it harder to find, who knew.
 
Wow, the Engrish is strong in that one.

I think this amp takes for granted that it's getting input from a preamp or receiver, rather than line-level signals. Since those are often already enough for headphones, and since it cautions you to set the volume on the inputting device to minimum before connecting headphones...I'm guessing it doesn't do much to the headphone signal between input and output.
 
Do you think it would be a good fit/worth the investment with those passive speakers, the axioms, av123s, hsus?
 
I'm pretty fond of my ELTs. I don't know how good the amp is, but I'd get the speakers and try it out with them before looking for a replacement. It's probably fine assuming it hasn't been damaged.

Just so you know, it's also quite possible that the headphone jack runs off the power amp and is then reduced using a voltage divider or whatever. It would explain the "low or high" impedance thing after a fashion.
 
The Gizmo amp has a subwoofer output. Normally it doesn't respond to the volume control; they fixed it.
 
Thanks ashmedai, I appreciate it. I was thinking about moving to a pair of headphones, and using my current amp, but I think I'll keep the amp and look at a set of axioms. Thanks for the help.
 
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