What Integrated Amp Would You Buy????
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 176 Registered: Mar-06 | I am looking into upgrading my CA 640a v.1 integrated amp to something else and have a budget of $1500. I have seen and heard a lot of choices lately, from Parasound, Primare, Krell, YBA, Rogue, CA 840a, etc. Stu? Nuck, Hawk, boys and girls? What would you be looking at? Bang for Buck stuff... |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6501 Registered: Dec-04 | Uback, have you paid attention to your romm lately? I mean realistic treatent(as necessary) and speaker placement? |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 177 Registered: Mar-06 | Nuck, Yes and yes. My Era Design 5 speakers are screaming for MORE POWER! They are 85dB senstivitity and would sound their best with more than the 65 watts my CA amp will provide. |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 163 Registered: Aug-06 | Hi Uback007, how about Moon i-3? Or if you can find a pre-owned Plinius 8150 or 8200... |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 1979 Registered: Sep-04 | Densen's B100 is powerful, fast, rhythmic and very capable for around that kind of money. Regards, Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6503 Registered: Dec-04 | http://www.classeaudio.com/discontinued/specs/cap151.htm A pre-loved Classe like this one might impress. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1654 Registered: May-05 | I'm like a broken record... My favorite $1500 integrated by far is the Naim Nait 5i. Keep in mind it's 50 watts at 8 ohms. Naim's 50 watts go a lot further than you'd think. They don't publish it, but some reviewers said it easily does 100 watts at 4 ohms. It's published to do 500 watts at 1 ohm, so again, its wattage specs aren't exactly typical. However, I'd try it with the speakers first. The Densen is a great choice. I'm not sure about its price, and its extremely hard to find over here. If second hand is an option, look into McIntosh and Bryston in addition to what's been mentioned already. If buying second hand, Bryston may be the safest bet. They have a 20 year transferrable factory warantee. SimAudio has a 10 year warantee, but I'm not sure if its transferrable. Another good part of buying second hand is that you can sell it down the road for very little loss if your mood or needs change. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4416 Registered: Feb-05 | That Rogue is pretty good at 1795.00. David Solomon of Signal Path sold Kevin Deal the Era's based to a great extent on their performance with a Prima Luna Prologue 2 amp. Both Kevin and David told me that on the phone. In fact they both said it was one of the best sounds that they've heard at any price. I wouldn't buy another Chinese amp If I could help it but the Rogue may an option. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1655 Registered: May-05 | Uback, Also keep in mind the source you'll be using with the amp. Not that the CA I think you're using is bad, but the new gear will only be as good as the source. It won't be long before you start thinking upgrade. Along with the stuff we've collectively mentioned, try auditioning CD players from the same manufacturers as the amps. Get an idea of the whole system and what it'll sound like. With synergy in a system, the whole is so much better than the sum of the parts. |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 185 Registered: Mar-06 | Absolutely. Today I bought off of Audiogon a Tube Stage Buffer from Musical Fidelity. It was priced right- total impulse buy, of course :-) Want to play around with it between the player and amp. Does anyone know if I could use it in the tape in on the back of the CA 640 - Yes, after the amp purchase I will be looking at players to round out the system. I will definetly hold on to the 540d for a second system as it sounds killer for ther $175 I paid for it. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6536 Registered: Dec-04 | Uback, as you evolve from the 540d, you will be into Apollo territory. Go there first. I still, to this day, hoist the Rotel 1070/1072 as a high fidelity player. It may not fit well. Which buffer did you get? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6537 Registered: Dec-04 | Does it have a gain? |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 188 Registered: Mar-06 | The Musical Fidelity x10 v3 tube stage buffer..??? I think thats the name. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1658 Registered: May-05 | From what I've read, you can run the tube buffer a few different ways. You can go through the tape loop, the pre-out/main in loop, or between the source and pre-amp. Hopefully it'll come with a manual. If not, you might be able to download one from MF's webpage. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6545 Registered: Dec-04 | Does it have a gain stage? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1660 Registered: May-05 | I don't think so. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6551 Registered: Dec-04 | Bummer. |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 189 Registered: Mar-06 | It was $225. I should have it tomorrow or Sat. I need to get another set of interconnects. Does the tape input thingy on the back of my CA 640A mean that its a "loop"? And it will allow me to plug in the Stage Buffer and have it process anything going on in the 640? BTW, I don't think I have any clue about the "tape" input on some units. I was under the impression it was an input to plug in a cassette player. Yes, this proves that I'm not yet ready to earn my "Audiophile Blackbelt!" Wait! I think I can hear the audiophile short bus outside- honking for me to come out to take me on the Bose Factory tour. |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 173 Registered: Aug-06 | pass by a dealer yesterday and heard the densen B110 as well as their separates driving an NHT floordtander(don;t know which model), it was quite good, the dealer even said that most people say that the densen is the "Naim Killer", it has the PRAT with much more... |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1699 Registered: May-05 | Its a very similar presentation to Naim. I don't know about "Naim Killer" though. Its not cheaper than equivilant Naim here in the States. Maybe where you are it is? It does some things that Naim doesn't do, but Naim does some things that Densen doesn't do either. But, you can't argue with a lifetime warantee. |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Columbus , Ohio USA Post Number: 229 Registered: Mar-06 | I heard the Nuforce monoblocks 9 se's last week, I friend of mine is a dealer. We even used a Nad 372 as a pre-amp and they sounded awesome I am now considering the integrated version along with an Apollo cdp. I am close to moving on from my beloved entry level Cambridge Audio components. Our boy is growing up! |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 174 Registered: Aug-06 | Stu, if the Naim equivalent is Nait 5i then yes the Densen B110 is a bit expensive than the 5i...and the dealer also informed me than you have to buy the remote of the Densen separately... Aside from the lifetime warranty which is great, another factor mentioned to me was that the B110 can be paired with different electronics (CDP) with good results unlike the Naim which is best paired with Naim CDP, cables.... |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1716 Registered: May-05 | Arnold, IMO, just about every brand is best paired with their own stuff. Naim isn't the only one. What seperates Naim from a lot of other companies is that Naim designs everything to work together rather than desinging a bunch of components seperately. They rarely release a single upgraded product. When they upgraded the 5 line, they did the integrated amp and CD player. When they released the 555 line, they did the CD player, amp, and I believe a pre-amp. To Naim, every part of the shain is very important. This is why they use DINs, which they believe work better than anything else, and designed their own interconnects and speaker wire. They perform exactly to Naims equipment demands. People have used other CD players, cables, speakers, and so on in Naim systems. They just usually find out that the Naim stuff works best in that system. If Densen designed speaker cables and interconnects, I'm sure they would work better in a Densen system than just about anything else would. Even if other stuff was better in just about every other system, Densen's own stuff would most likely be better than anything in an all Densen system. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1717 Registered: May-05 | Jus re-iterating what I said before - Densen makes some great gear. I'd be a very happy and would get the itch to change anything if I owned it. Densen does some things Naim doesn't do, but Naim does some things Densen doesn't do either. Which one is better is a matter of taste. Personally, I'd definately be happy with either one, as they both convey music the way I think it should be conveyed. |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Columbus , Ohio USA Post Number: 237 Registered: Mar-06 | I thought Chord made the interconnects and cables for Naim gear. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1719 Registered: May-05 | Naim makes their own. Chord makes cables that'll work well with Naim. I think Naim won't honor a warantee in the US if you use anything other than Naim or Chord interconnects or speaker cables. Its possible that Chord OEMs Naim's cables, but I doubt it. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4555 Registered: Feb-05 | "I thought Chord made the interconnects and cables for Naim gear." They do it's the Chrysalis interconnect. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1723 Registered: May-05 | The Chord Chrysalis is the DIN cable that comes with Naim CD players? |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Columbus , Ohio USA Post Number: 239 Registered: Mar-06 | I picked up some Nordost Blue Heaven ic's today and am listening to them now. Any comments? I bought them off of a-gon and received today. I don't believe they are broken-in yet. Would be interested in hearing from anyone that has had any experience with 'em |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 180 Registered: Aug-06 | "they both convey music the way I think it should be conveyed." I fully agree with you Stu..... |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2056 Registered: Sep-04 | Stu, Chord Chrysalis is very similar to Naim's own interconnect but it is not the same. Chord and Naim have different suppliers for that cable. Arnold, Naim components work well in non-Naim systems. The only really unusual thing is to use a Naim preamp with a non-Naim power amp or vice versa. It's also unusual to use non-Naim or non-Chord interconnects and speaker cable. That said, there are many proponents of Nordost cables with Naim. Me, personally I hate Nordost with a passion since every system I've ever heard it in sounds lifeless - lots of resolution but the timing is shot usually. Uback, Densen make very good kit. Their presentation is not unlike Naim's but they do have a slightly different presentation. Densen use Nordost (Red Dawn?) inside their electronics and they swear by the Red Dawn as an interconnect. I have used Densen successfully with Chord cables. Regards, Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2057 Registered: Sep-04 | Incidentally, the reason I didn't mention the Nait5i in my first post was because I wasn't sure about the power requirements against an 85db efficient speaker. I use a Nait5i occasionally with Dynaudio FOCUS 110 speakers which are 85db, but I know the load of the 110s is pretty uniform. If your speakers have tendency to dip impedance, the Nait5i would not thank you for it. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 1764 Registered: May-05 | Frank, Re: the Naim vs Chord cable, that's what I thought as well. Art mentioned they were one in the same, but I thought otherwise. |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 184 Registered: Aug-06 | Thanks Frank for the clarification....based on your experience, will the Densen B110 be a good match with the Dynaudio Audience 52? What type of sound would I expect from that combo? Thanks in advance. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4592 Registered: Feb-05 | http://www.naimusa.com/html/3_cables.html |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2062 Registered: Sep-04 | I only have experience with the original B100, but if the B110 is merely an evolution of the amp (which is likely given Densen's evolutionary approach to things), I would expect a big powerful open sound with good grip, pace and control. It should be a good match. Art, what's your point with that link? Naim have always recommended Chord Chrysalis for non-DIN connections - Naim haven't been in the game of making cables until the Hiline. Regards, Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4593 Registered: Feb-05 | "Art, what's your point with that link? Naim have always recommended Chord Chrysalis for non-DIN connections" That's the point. |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 187 Registered: Aug-06 | I only have experience with the original B100, but if the B110 is merely an evolution of the amp (which is likely given Densen's evolutionary approach to things), I would expect a big powerful open sound with good grip, pace and control. It should be a good match. ================================================ Thanks again Frank, appreciate your response. The B110 is now officially on the wish-list  |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2071 Registered: Sep-04 | Art, So? |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4598 Registered: Feb-05 | That point was made to someone else sometime back Frank, not going to rehash it. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 2073 Registered: Sep-04 | Sorry Art, maybe I'm being really dim, but I just don't get what you were driving at. Sorry, Frank. |
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