Help selecting a DIY amp for...

[BlizzofOZ]

Hello all,
I've done some DIY headphone amps in the past... but I have a new project.

I have a Onkyo SR606 AV reciever:
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m...ss=Receiver&p=i

It has a Zone 2 preamp out, which I'd like to run outside to drive some outdoor speakers. Looking at Polk Atrium's 55 or 60 models.
http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/...ex.php#atrium55
http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/...ex.php#atrium60

It was suggested to look into gainclone amps (or class-D), such as the 41hz.

I'm looking for suggestions in this forum, for any amps (in kit form), that would fit my needs.

Is it even worth putting an amp in for outside speakers?

Any help would be appreciated!

[pacificblue]

For outdoor listening the amplifier quality is not that crucial. Soundstaging will probably not be important at all. THD and low level signals will be covered by ambient noise, but the average power output will be higher to compensate for that noise. So it makes little difference, if you decide for a chipamp or a class D amp or whatever.

The best thing would be a small PA amplifier with heatsinks designed for higher average power levels. Combine that with a dynamic compressor that lifts the low level signals above the ambient noise, so that not too much low level information gets lost.