Amp advice

[Robertsf12]

Hi guys,

I've just joined because I love music and hifi components. For the past few months I have been searching for a new amp and cd player. I have been tossing up between the Marantz, Rotel and Niam. Ultimately I would love a Luxman amp but my budget is about $2500 for both amp and CD player. At the moment I'm running the Whatmough P33, fantastic speaker, I'm very happy with them. I'm also running a NAD amp and Cambridge cd, I'm finding this combo very harsh and cold. I'm looking for something wit a bit more warmth and depth. The NAD and Cambridge combo give a very sharp clinical sound which makes it annoying to listen too for long periods of time. I mainly listen to rock and blues. At the moment I'm leaning towards purchasing the Marantz PM7004 amp and SA8004 SACD, not sure if the amp will be powerful enough to properly drive the P33's?

Would love to hear your suggestions and comments.

Regards,

robertsf12

[gemini07]

Hi,

 

If you are not averse to 2nd hand I recommend you check out the Classifieds section, as there are some exceptional intergrated amps for sale at the moment especially the Copland and the Primare. Either should drive your Whatmoughs, and leave you with plenty for a very good CDP (I think there is a very good Yamaha around which originally retailed for over $2k, I think.

 

Cheers,

 

G

[Cafad]

I had heard that Cambridge cd spinners were a bit harsh and cold, I suppose that would make up for the amps sounding warm and cosy.  Can you change to another cd spinner and see if that makes a difference?  Might save you a packet in the long run.

 

Which model NAD and Cambridge do you have?

[Robertsf12]

Thanks Gemini, will check out the Primare.

Cafad, I have the NAD 375 BEE and the Cambridge Azur 740. I'm not sure if I can change the spinners.

[LHH]

One option would be to hang on to your current CD player and use it as a transport for a DAC with a variable output. You'll get much better sound from a $1k DAC than you will from a $1K CD player IMO. Perhaps something like the Bel Canto DAC1.5 would suit.

 

Then you could run the DAC directly to a power amp. Something like this would be great: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Exposure-3010-Power-Amplifier-UK-Made-Great-Sounding-Amplifier-List-2599-/181118007499

[Guest yamaha_man]

For the $$$ it's hard to beat Oppo players.

[Guest yamaha_man]

Robert you have a pm mate.

[Cafad]

Thanks Gemini, will check out the Primare. Cafad, I have the NAD 375 BEE and the Cambridge Azur 740. I'm not sure if I can change the spinners.

 

By spinner I meant cd player, sorry if that was confusing.  LHH suggested an Exposure power amp, a pretty good suggestion since the Exposure sound is very mellow, deep and smooth, pretty much the exact opposite of what you have now, but you would need a DAC as well. 

 

Another idea would be to look at replacing the NAD with an Exposure 2010S2 integrated amp, very mellow and smooth, and if it turned out that you thought you needed more power (I don't think you would but it is a possibility) you could use the 2010S as a preamp and the NAD as a power amp.

[Robertsf12]

Great suggestion LHH & Cafad, I will have to demo an Exposure amp this weekend. I have tried the Marantz SA7001 SACD, improved the listening experience but still not perfect. Will have to try the Exposure amp with an Oppo and Marantz player.

[Phantom]

Hi Robert.

 

Just a suggestion for a combination that would be hard to beat and a bargain to boot. In the SNA classifieds there is a Yamaha CD-S1000 for $800 and on the Len Wallis audio website listed under trade ins, there is a Naim Nait 5i for $850 and that would be a magical combination for certain,although I may be biased, because I recently owned both of these and had them playing very nicely together in a second system. The synergy with this combination is really strong and I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

 

For an all up cost of $1600 you would have plenty of cashola left over to buy music and some nice  ( but not crazy priced ) cables

[frankn]

I'd also suggest looking for Quad's amp / cd-preamp combo - the 99 series or the Elite series.  Both are said to punch well above their weight and sound very nice

[A J]

I'd also suggest looking for Quad's amp / cd-preamp combo - the 99 series or the Elite series. Both are said to punch well above their weight and sound very nice

And just like that - I have a quad elite integrated (new) in the classifieds. Seeing as no-one has pinged it off me I was going to break the seal this weekend and chuck it in my system and give it a review as reviews of this model seem sparse unless you read German.

I've got stiff competition in terms of cafad though - I'm not even going to try and match his level of prose

[Cafad]

And just like that - I have a quad elite integrated (new) in the classifieds. Seeing as no-one has pinged it off me I was going to break the seal this weekend and chuck it in my system and give it a review as reviews of this model seem sparse unless you read German.

I've got stiff competition in terms of cafad though - I'm not even going to try and match his level of prose

 

A review of an integrated on SNA.  Has someone been peeking at my Christmas list?

 

Actually AJ, I've sold a pair of speakers this week, and I've got interest in a cd player and an integrated amp too, so if that Quad is still up for grabs late next week anything could happen.

 

It is definitely an option for Robert but not having heard the Quad sound I can't comment on how good an option it is.

[A J]

Well I had to do it - it's now taken over duties and I have to say - it beats my expectations. It's a smaller form factor than I thought - very solid and looks well made. I'm running it into ML1+ speakers and it seems to have tons of drive for its rated 80W.

Good detail - tight base, possibly a little shimmer on top but given its fresh out of the box ill reserve that black mark for now. It's a great little unit and perfect in its current role replacing two large full width components. I may try down the track to bolt my Fetzilla power amp on using the pre outs as that is a more rounded sound (slightly warmer).

Very happy

[A J]

Oh yeah - a photo ....