I am setting up a new 7.2 home theater with the full Klipsch THX Ultra2 speaker system with three KL-650 in front and 2 KW-120 Subs.

My room is 20x30 with 10' ceilings.

How many watts per channel should I look for in my amp?

Can you recommend a good pre/pro amp combo or a powerful AVR to power the speakers?

What should I buy to drive these speakers? 

Thank you! 

Welcome to the Madness Fastlane!

You have an excellent setup there.  With the Ultra 2's, I would definitely go with a pre/pro instead of an AVR.   Many guys recommend the B&K amps.  The B&K 200.7 would be a sweet match for your speakers.  Many others have suggested Outlaw Audio for amps and pre/pro.  Rotel also is highly recommended around here.  If it were me, I would drive the Ultra 2's with a 200 w/ch amp.  Please post some pics when you get it setup.

Would 300 or 400 wpc be detrimental of benificial?

Due to space concerns, I would prefer to stick with a single XXX by 7 amp.

I am not too concerned with cost, but I really want to get the best Bang for my Buck...

Thank you! 

ok, I just got this recommendation:  "At least 300 W for the KL-650-THX and at least 200W for the KS-525-THX. If price is no option whatsoever then 600W and 400W – this probably isn’t necessary though. Remember the difference between 300W and 600W is 3db – as you must double your power to get 3 more decibels."

What amps are in the 300x7 - 400x7 and 600x7 class???

Thank you! 

phastlane:

What amps are in the 300x7 - 400x7 and 600x7 class???

Looks like the Rotel and B&K only have up to 200x7 for multichannel amps.  

Outlaw Audio 7900 which is 300 x 7.

Lexicon ZX-7 offers a 300 x 7 

Adcom GFA 7807 offers 300 x 7 

QSC CX404 offers a 250 x 4

Outlaw 7900 = 300, ~$3,500.
Have you thought about maybe 5ch + 2ch?  Parasound, Crown have some interesting stuff too.

http://www.d-sonic.net/

Look at the Magnum 2500-7.  These are the same class D amps that are going in a lot of very high end products.  Great reviews all over the net.

InnerTuber:

Have you thought about maybe 5ch + 2ch?

I don't know that you need all that power but some extra headroom is certainly beneficial. 

Arky:

Sunfire signature offers 7 x 400 I believe.

Yes they do.  

Sunfire TGA-7400 is 400 x 7 

Sunfire TGA-7200 is 200 x 7 

 I am 17 x 32 but real room dimentions because speakers are behind a skrim is 17 x 26.

I would go no less that 200 wpc..

The sunfire at 200 or 400 WPC would rock your world amp wise.

New pre amp has HDMI etc etc look hard at Sunfire.. I am VERY happy with mine.. (the sub line out issue fixed)

http://sunfire.com/TGP5.htm

http://sunfire.com/TGA7400.html

The sunfires will run all day, all night, and never get hot and have incredible dynamic range too! 

If price is not option  of course go to or consider McIntosh as well...

http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/mcprod/..%5Cdata%5Ccompare%5C2%2026%2007%20Mulit%20Preamp%20processor%20compare.pdf

for the pre amp and below for the amp!

 http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/mcprod/shopdisplayproducts.asp?hid=1&id=14&cat=Power+Amplifiers&prodid=1096&product=MC207

Good luck! 

At CES and CEDIA we uesd 300 wpc, I can not say room size, but big and loud...you can use the head room. So, 200 to 300 should be the thought

Arky:

InnerTuber:

Have you thought about maybe 5ch + 2ch?

That's what I do. Outlaw 7500 - 5x200 & QSC pro - 2x425. Sunfire signature offers 7 x 400 I believe.

I don't know that you need all that power but some extra headroom is certainly beneficial. 

Arky-Did you compare the Outlaw at 200wpc and the QSC at 425wpc when you had your RF-7s?

 Steve on the forum??  Wow.. Welcome back! heheheehehehe

I agree at least 200 based on his room size as well.  

If you want to do THX Ultra 2 right, definitely separates. Definitely.

I just looked up Yamaha receivers and my RXV2600 is only Select 2 capable. All but the largest receivers from the best brands are not set up for Ultra2.

I'm with Steve, headroom is what it's all about in HT. I'd have 250-300 wpc available.

ok, I have a new requirement.  I am going to be using three KL-650's across the front and temporarily, for 6-8 months, I will have to use 4 - CDT-5800-C in ceiling speakers in the sides and rear...

So, I now need High power for the front three and more moderate power in the surounds.  But in 6-8 months, I will need full power all around.

Is there a way that I can buy a full power x 7 anp now and somehow restrict the power going to the surounds?

Or do I need to get a 500x3 and a seperate 200x4 amps and sell them off in 6-8 months?

Thank you,

Jeff