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Q My current 5.1 audio setup is driven by a Marantz SR7007 AV receiver. Since I’d like to get a little more punch from it, I’m looking at upgrading to an external five-channel amp: either an Outlaw 5000 or Marantz MM7055. Here’s my question: If I connect an external amp to my Marantz receiver, will I still be able to use its Audyssey processing, or do I lose that ability? —Garry Briand / via email

A Yes, you can use your receiver’s Audyssey MultEQ XT processing when an external amp is connected. The Audyssey calibration/equalization results are based on measurements that your receiver’s included calibration mic makes of test sounds conveyed by the system’s speakers. It doesn’t matter if the receiver’s built-in amps or an external multichannel amp is used to produce those sounds—either way, the calibration mic will be able to make the measurements used for equalization by the receiver’s Audyssey feature.

One thing you will need to do if you decide to switch to an external amp is rerun the Audyssey sequence. Both multichannel amps you’re looking at have a higher per-channel power rating than your receiver’s built-in amplifiers. For that reason, output levels are likely to be different with either one plugged in, which will throw off your original measurement/calibration results.