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Bronze Member Username: ByamPost Number: 15 Registered: May-06 | I have had a pair of Dynaudio Focus 140's for about nine months now. They are fully broken in. I am using a Musical Fidelity a3.2 integrated and a3.2 cd player. The sound is not as dynamic as I would like it. I am considering an integrated amp upgrade. Any suggestions would be appreciated. What amp and why? Thanks, Bill |
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Silver Member Username: RavbainsMelbourneAustralia Post Number: 280 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi Bill, I had a similar problem, I have Dynaudio Contour 1.3SE and 'had' an AVi Lab series integrated amp. Previously, I was using the AVi with some older (1997 vintage) NAD 805 standmount speakers. The sound was extremely dynamic. I then upgraded to the Contour 1.3SE, and there were massive improvements in the bass extension, and the smoothness of the mids and highs, also imaging was massively improved. BUT the sound was not as dynamic as before, the AVi amp was more hard-hitting with the old NADs. So to solve this problem I considered a pair of NuForce 9.02SE monoblocs, but these together with a true balanced pre-amp blew out my budget. I did not demo the NuForces, but considered them seriously for a while, and made contact with the distributor in WA Australia. Finally I came across a pre-loved Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300 amp, and I bought it, and it works well with the Dyn's. I have all the pleasing attributes of the AVi (plus more), and the iron-grip that I was missing with the AVi. Peace at last!!!!! I think it is the fact that the Dyn's are lowish impedance, together with that huge voice coil on the bass mid driver makes them a tough load on the amp, and they need a very high damping factor to control them adequately. Now having said all of the above, I think that the 1.3se is probably an even more demanding speaker than the Focus 140. Since I believe I have heard one very experienced person (Frank) here on this forum state that the F140 is a good match with the AVi integrated. In your case I would suggest you demo perhaps the AVi with your Dyn's. Other amps could be the A5 integrated, or even better the A5 pre/pwr combo. I am reluctant to recommend the current KW integrated to you, since once upon a time I demo'd a Tri-Vista 300 with the A3.2 CDP. The clarity of the amp revealed all the limitations of the source. Also (its a long story) I have mixed feelings about MF, I did also in the past hear the A3.2 pre/pwr amp which did a very good job of driving Dyn Contour S1.4, so I think if you can find a A3.2 pre/pwr combo on the used market, it would offer you the level of control you need also. I hope this helps a little, but I know that when it comes to integrated amps, there is quite a HUGE dead-zone in between integrateds like the A3.2 etc and then the super-integrateds like the KW, TriVista, and Levinson 383 etc. In your case I would try to demo the AVi (since I tend to trust Frank). okay good luck, sorry for being only semi-coherent.... -Rav |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4285 Registered: Dec-04 | http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/classe-cap151_e.html |
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Bronze Member Username: ByamPost Number: 16 Registered: May-06 | I called the Avi distributor for the USA. The nearest dealer from me is too far for a demo. I have been thinking for a while about the Musical Fidelity A5 integrated. Does anyone have any experience with this unit? |
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Bronze Member Username: ByamPost Number: 17 Registered: May-06 | Rav, You wrote that you have mixed feelings about Musical Fidelity. Would you care to elaborate? Bill |
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Silver Member Username: RavbainsMelbourneAustralia Post Number: 283 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi Bill, I like MF's amps much more than their source components. I have been particularly impressed by their amps that use choke regulation in the power supplies. In the past I have demo'd the A3 pre/pwr, the A3.2 pre/pwr, and the NuVista and TriVista integrateds, all of these amps have impressed me a lot. The only reason that I have mixed feelings is that MF's MD, Mr Michaelson tends to hype their products to the heavens. Some of their amps are good but they are not THAT good. Also this company tends to re-vamp its entire product range every 18 months, this makes me a little nervous, why? Why not design it once, get it right and give the product a long life cycle. But having said this, I could not be happier with the TriVista amp that I am currently running. cheers Rav |
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New member Username: Dean45Post Number: 7 Registered: Jun-06 | Bill I am also interested in the MF A5, because I also have Dynaudio Focus 140's and I have not been able to devine a integrated for it. I am on a budget and want high quality and I belive Ravinder and Frank that the 140 needs a lot of power. Let us know what you find out? I can't find any high quality reviews on it. Some of the reviews sound so so. |
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Bronze Member Username: ByamPost Number: 18 Registered: May-06 | I bought a used Musical Fidelity a308 integrated. The sound is significantly better with the 140's now. |
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Silver Member Username: RavbainsMelbourneAustralia Post Number: 296 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi Bill, nice work! cheers Rav |
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Bronze Member Username: ByamPost Number: 19 Registered: May-06 | Thanks Rav. Hopefully by the Spring the stereo budget will rebound to where I can upgrade my cd player next. Possibly the matching a308 cd. |
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Silver Member Username: BvanCape Town, Copenhagen,... Post Number: 258 Registered: Jun-05 | I remember reading many people suggesting Moon integrated for other upper line Dynaudios. Specifically the less powerfull but more costly of there two integrated models(I forget its name) b. |