XA5180 5-Channel High Power Home Theatre Amplifier Balance XLR Input 5x 180W 4Ohm, 120W 8Ohm

Hi Ed: This a straight 5 channel power amplifier with both Balanced (XLR) and Un Balanced (RCA) inputs. Its main purpose is to provide five channels typically more and cleaner power than you get from a typical 5.1 Receiver. Here is the rub, most 5.1 Receiver are more affordable than the more popular 7.2 Receivers. And in most case they only feature speaker high level output so you can not use this or any other external 5 channel amp. When you get into the $600.00 plus range you may find pre amp out typically RCA unbalanced. These are also 7.2 models that have 7 channels, 2 sub woofer pre amp out and usually a zone 2 and possibly a zone 3 connection also RCA pre amp outputs. Most AVR feature 95 or 115 watts per channel. You can connect the 5 channel to channel 1-5, Front left, center and right channels plus two surround channels. You have the option of running channels 6 and 7 - Side surrounds L & R or Height left and right for DOLBY ATMOS or DTSX directly from the speaker outputs of the AVR or you can add an external 2 channel amp like our new XMP 200 to the pre amp out puts. As far as connecting the five channel to a 2 channel amp it would depend on your application and again it would have to have pre amp outputs. You could connect to our Pre One pre amplifier with 2 channel pre amp output.You could use Y adapters to split the 2 channels to four channels then use four of the 5 channels. We have a six channel amp that you have more control on inputs and you have the ability of combining channels for more output. See our MX1260 amplifier. I hope that helps... TL/4975