I'm aspiring to a good level AV system, in a separate room to the Audio system, but am reconciled to getting there gradually. At what level does the law of diminishing returns really take effect with power amps in this scenario? Due to some recent bargains I already have Allaes for the fronts, an Axess for the centre and N-Sats with stands as rears. I was planning a 200/175 as an interim measure, and moving onto a 250-2/145 later, moving the 200 to the rears. Or is it too much? Would a 150x be enough for the rears, keeping the 200 for the fronts? This second system would play quite a few CD's too (AV2/DVD5).

Neil.

A 150x would be enough for the rears since nSats are easy to drive. If this meant you'd have enough to go 200/145/150x, then it would be well worth doing. If not, then a 200 powers n-Sats beautifully giving them a lot more punch and contrast so the 250.2/145/200 solution would work really well.

I have DVD5/AV2/200 and V175.
I once tried 200 on rears to have an idea on "where to" the system should evolve. That's magic the way the 200 widens the space all around-behind compared to the V175.
I think that for coherence front and rear amps should idealy be the same with identical speakers. 2x200 should be great (+145 in the center because there's no 200 mono nor 200 3 ways available )

Thanks; that's useful as I haven't had a chance to dem these options. It sounds like these alternatives all work and it's a question of how much to spend when (as usual!)

Neil

Neil,

Make sure you do get a chance to demo the 145 as an amp for your centre speaker. It brings a LOT of extra coherence and punch to what as we all know is the most important speaker in an AV set-up. Expensive, it may be but not something I have ever regretted buying.

Nick.