Plz advise on Denon PRA 1500/POA 2400

The extent to which you turn up the volume pot depends on the gain in your power amp and the sensitivity of your speakers. 9 o'clock is not all that unusual for most set ups and listeners. I wouldn't sweat it.
The loudness control is a bass boost "compensation" for low volume listening. Evidently lower bass signals require more power to the speaker and thus aren't easily heard as easily as the mids and treble at low levels. The variable pot usually changes the amount of db boost not the crossover frequency.

I have no experience with the PRA 1500 and POA 2400 but if they sound anything like my PRA 1000 and POA 1500 from many years ago, you should have quite sweet sound. The only limitation that I ran into with the amp was it was not a high current design and needed to be paired with reasonably efficient speakers.

I had a Denon PRA-1500 paired with a Denon POA-1500 and it was a wonderful match musically but had to get the amp gain and the preamp gain set just right. I did experience the same with the gain on the PRA-1500 but once the volume came on, it came on. Slow at first but rapid volume change after 9:00. I had the combo paired with a pair of vintage Klipsch Fortes and once the volume heated up with the Fortes high efficiency(98dB), you couldn't turn it down fast enough. Overall a very musical combination with very fast transients and very thumpy down low.

Does the POA-2400 have gain controls? If so, play with it a while until you get it right.

Bill

Wow thanks for all the replies, actually I typed in more questions but seems cut off. Anyway thanks Mechans for the details, at least now I understand their functions.

To;Hifiman5- As a newbie comparing my old integrated amp vs the denon is a world of difference in sound quality. Low,mid,highs & bass has so much clarity. And there is no audible back ground noise/distortion no matter at what levels.For the price I paid, it's performance certainly is well over my expectations. Btw what's a high current design, I only know that this poa2400 is 500 watt. And I am just using a pair of Wharfedale diamond 10.1 speakers is it suitable?

Willland: Yes for the volume I have the same oncethe volume pass after 9'o clock the power just rocks all the way! The previous owner was using a pair of vintage Klipsch floorstanders not sure of the model but he told me was 98db as well, should be the best combo as yours.

As for the poa 2400,
-do I have to set the gain at max or if I set both channels at half when listening at low volume any difference?

-At low levels this amp is actually hotter then when listening loud ?

-Is there any servicing for this 20+ yr old amp to keep it
in tip top condition. Or only fix when spoiled?

Thanks guys

My POA 1500 only put out 150 watts and was marginal with the medium efficiency speakers I was using with it. The 2400 at 500 watts must be quite the powerful beast! You should be good to use it with almost any speaker.

Hi Hifiman5- sorry think the poa 2400 consumes 500 watt but is putting out 200wpc into 8ohms.I read that too much power wouldn't blow up the speakers. But a audio shop guy actually told me I would blow up my speakers since they are only 100 watts /6ohms speakers. Any idea? But I normally wouldn't even go pass half the volume.

06-28-11: Flyinmozart
"Hi Hifiman5- sorry think the poa 2400 consumes 500 watt but is putting out 200wpc into 8ohms.I read that too much power wouldn't blow up the speakers. But a audio shop guy actually told me I would blow up my speakers since they are only 100 watts /6ohms speakers. Any idea? But I normally wouldn't even go pass half the volume."

Flyinmozart,

Just keep the volume at reasonable levels and you will be fine. Too little power can cause distortion which can damage speakers. Too much power(when blasting) can damage speakers. Be wise with the volume and enjoy the music.

Bill

Thanks Bill will certainly keep that in mind.

Unless you go nuts with the volume, you cannot blow up speakers with too powerful an amplifier. You CAN damage speakers if you listen at high volume with an amplifier that is not powerful enough for the speakers you are using. In that case the speaker voice coil heats up as the volume increases past the capacity of the amplifier because an over-driven amp puts out great amounts of distortion, and the distortion causes voice coil overheating. That's when you are damaging the speakers.

Ok thanks got a clearer picture now. Anyway u guys know anything about setting the gain levels on the poa2400. If I set it at half gain instead of max gain on the power amp am I running at half it's amp power? Cos it tends to run quite hot after pro-long listening and sometimes at night I am only listening at low volume. Does it make any difference? Also mostly on the left side of the amp is hot. The right side runs quite cool find it quite weird. Comparing to my denon avr once it heats up the whole top side of the amp is hot. Any idea?

i would think that the output transistors are on the left side of the amp as that is getting hot. Wherever the output transistors are, there is the heat.

Ok thanks. I was still wondering could it's heat on 1 side of the amp be due to I am using speaker A only.

That should have nothing to do with it.