Hi folks, looks like it’s time to upgrade and go with a separate power amp from my Hegel H160. So my question is: Assuming that the rest of the stuff I have plugged into my P5 doesn’t draw more than 100 watts continuous, and assuming that I will not be running the BHK very hard at all, can I and should I use the P5 to power the BHK?
Thanks!
EDIT: Just looked at the power consumption specs…seems like it would be pushing it, though maybe OK if indeed I am not running the amp hard.
Indeed, Bob, it’s possible but you’d be stretching it thin.
Bob, from personal experience there’s no way of telling till you’ve tried it yourself. Some sort of “wiki” would’ve been helpful, but I suppose difficult to implement?
There are just so many factors that could influence the load on a regenerator … listening volume, speaker efficiency etc etc.
On my P10, I have:- BHK pre; BHK 300 monos; DMP and DS DAC - and I seldom draw above 40% capacity. Because I’m superstitious (I suppose :)) I’ll never drive my regenerator above 50% capacity.
Hopefully you live in an area/country where you can “try before you buy” - if so, why not try the P5? I reckon chances are it’ll work and that you would’nt like to be without it once installed …
plcomp said Some sort of "wiki" would've been helpful, but I suppose difficult to implement?This forum is the Great Living Wiki.
I think the P5 would do the job, but a P10 would be a better choice given the load and the fact the P10 sounds better. But is, of course, a good deal more money.
Yes Elk, but one’d have to search thru’ multiple threads in order to find something. And ounce found, even then more clarification might be needed - for instance I forgot to mention that my BHK’s are driving a pair of Vivid Giya 1 Spirits. So I maintain that a purposeful wiki would’ve been very helpful. I’m not sure how difficult it is to link some sort of database to a forum … a database updated by P5 / P10 users.
When I searched the current forums [the previous “Great Living Wiki” being dead now … 
], all I initially found was one or two posts along the lines of “you might get away with one P10, but two would be better”. This is very good advice in terms of sound quality, but I believe bad advice in terms of what the P10 can handle with the utmost of ease - lid staying cool and the heatsinks never more than lukewarm.
And does not the P5 have about 75% of the P10’s reserves?
plcomp said Yes Elk, but one'd have to search thru' multiple threads in order to find something. And ounce found, even then more clarification might be needed . . .Which is precisely why putting together a Wiki would be a monumental task.
But you are very welcome to try.
Generally these sorts of questions are answered, or at least commented upon, by the members of the forum, a/k/a The Great Living Wiki. Of course, we collectively do not know everything, but there is a wealth of knowledge and experience here.
And then there is the Great Leap of Experimentation where one just tries it out and reports back.
Thanks everybody. I posted before I had looked at the BHK power consumption specs. But there is an easy solution: I will trade in my P5 for a P10!
Yes, I could just try it but I too am one of those people who doesn’t like to run the unit at more than 50% capacity. So I think I will just punt. My P5 has served me without a single hiccup for some years now, it’s probably time to replace it.
I think a formal Wiki would in theory be a good idea, but it would take someone a huge amount of work. And then there is the issue of keeping it updated; I think if we look at JRiver’s wiki, to mention a very convenient example, the state of their code is such a moving target that often the wiki is of very little worth. if any. But perhaps that would be somewhat less of an issue here…
Would it be better to put all of the other equipment on the P5? I have a DS Jr, BHK Pre, turntable, CD player and music server to put on the P5. Then I planned to leave my BHK 250 off.
Make sense?
By the way, is $1500 a good price for a used P5?
Tabascocat,
That is what I have done in the interim until I pick up my P15. BTW yes, I think $1500 is a very good price for a P5.
Tabascocat, I have a P5 that I will be selling shortly that has about one year of warranty left and was running pretty much the same gear as yours (I upgraded to a P20 to handle future upgrades). It’s in excellent condition and I will be asking about $1600 for it.