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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-07 | Hey, } I'm in the market for an upgrade on my reciever. I want something to compliment my set of Mirage 350 speakers ( 8" woofer's w/ dome tweeters), as I listen primarily to music. My budget is around $300-500 used. I'm thinking about the HK 3385 or HK 3485? Any thoughts on what might work well with these speakers? Cheers |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 354 Registered: Feb-07 | What is your source? Do you need a tuner or will you be listening to CDs? I have one of these for my secondary system: http://www.yamaha.ca/av/stereocomp/RX497.jsp I have no idea what kind of synergy this would have with Mirage speakers since I have never owned any. As for the HK gear, they seem to be quite well liked around here. |
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Silver Member Username: DarthPost Number: 128 Registered: Aug-05 | You might want to includea NAD Receiver or Integrated as nother option http://cgi.ebay.com/NAD-c740-Stereo-Receiver_W0QQitemZ270176985785QQihZ017QQcate goryZ3279QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D140169481042 Or you can go vintage and get one oh these! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D230180340170 Downside:No remote Good luck |
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Bronze Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 49 Registered: Jul-07 | I have a NAD receiver, and it's decent enough, but nothing special at all. All of the circuitry and switching that is built into that type of receiver is mind boggling, and I find it does not sound nearly as good as a decent integrated. If this is for two channel listening, I'd stay away from A/V receivers. Just my opinion. It's hard to make specific recommendations. There are lots of choices in that price range for used gear. There are also lots of choices in that price range for new gear that might surprise the heck out of you...for instance some T amps. |
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Silver Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 356 Registered: Feb-07 | Good point Chris. I'm rather impressed with my little Trends TA-10.1. You could also look at some of things. I've read good things about the Kingrex amps: http://www.obadimports.com/catalog/item/4377302/4379642.htm |
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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-07 | As far as synergy with the mirage 350 speakers, All I understand is that these speakers are very "revealing" and require a high quality amp with minimal distortion, and something much nicer than my current piece of junk kenwood. I think your right to stay away from A/V stuff, why spend money on something I wont use. So that being said, what is an "integrated" amp? What's the alternative? |
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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-07 | A guy in my town is selling his AVR 630 Harmon Kardon receiver for $700. It's a 7.1 reciever, sold for $1800 new. Any reason I wouldn't consider this? Other than that most of my money would be going into a high-tech 7.1 amp which I'll be using mostly for music, maybe the odd movie? |
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Silver Member Username: ShawnharmanPost Number: 148 Registered: Dec-05 | Andrew, thats not really a good deal you can get a brand new harman kardon for that, and an integrated amp is the amp section and preamp section without the tuner built into one chassis. if you are only in it for music consider this http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/C372.asp |
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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 4 Registered: Oct-07 | Your right, I just found that amp new online for less than $600. "without the tuner" being like a radio tuner? Because I certainly don't need that. So I should consider an integrated stereo amp then? the NADC372 one of these? Thanks |
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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 5 Registered: Oct-07 | I got some specs off the Mirage website. Shouldn't make much of a difference I guess, but my speakers are actually the 450's, designed for detailed, revealing sound for things like the reproduction of concerts. Impedance 8 ohms Sensitivity 90 dB Crossover frequency 4 kHz Recommended Amp Power Range 15-120 Watts I'm interested in this NADC372, but it's a little over my price range. Any other recommendations for stereo, integrated amps around the $300-500 range (new or used). Thanks, |
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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 6 Registered: Oct-07 | oh, I'll also be using an Atlantic Technologies 12" subwoofer with this system, so I should be looking for an amp with a sub out? Does a sub output make any difference with sound quality or can I just wire my speakers through the subwoofer like I do now? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 8970 Registered: Dec-04 | AB, wiring stereo speakers through the sub will effectively cutoff low frequencies to the mains, and hopefully make it possible to roll the frequencies for a seamless transition to the bass. To do so, you really have to work on it, and have a good sub to do it properly for stereo. Keep in mind that you are cutting bass below, say 80hz to the mains. If doing this, why buy mains that go to 45hz? You ain't gonna use the bass. And in effect, you are introducing the questionable electronics of some sub to your important music, so does the quality of the receiver matter so much? Now if you run full frequency to the mains and input the sub with speaker level inputs, that is a different matter. I wouldn't want to trust the quality of an sub from Atlantic Technologies to manage the sound of my speakers. |
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Bronze Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 50 Registered: Jul-07 | 90 db is pretty efficient. You won't need a lot of horsepower to drive them. So Nuck, how would you wire that again ? If you only have one set of speaker posts on your amp, would you run the speaker wire to your mains, then jump from your mains to the sub, or run two sets of speaker wire from the single set of speaker posts....one to the mains and one to the sub ? And wouldn't this bypass the amp of the sub, making it run in passive mode instead of active ? My amp has a sub out so I haven't had to mess with this. I know this thread wasn't about me, but what the heck. |
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New member Username: BeatsPost Number: 7 Registered: Oct-07 | Hi Nuck, Thanks for the info. Like Chris', my sub has input's and outputs. These out's run full frequency to the mains, while the low high frequencies are filtered and head towards the sub. I know my speakers probably outperform the Atlantic Tech electronics of the sub, but from what I've read they are of a pretty high standard. I guess my best bet is to find an integrated amp with two sets of speaker posts, so I can "run full frequency to the mains and input the sub with speaker level inputs" not needing to go through my sub's electronics. Chris, I believe (and I am no expert) that my sub is set up to recieve active inputs from the reciever but still use it's own amplification. I'm not sure it's possible to run in passive mode. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 8974 Registered: Dec-04 | The usual available connections (sholdve mentioned that) include speaker level inputs on one post or clip. Another post or clips is speaker out. This output would go to the mains as controlled bythe frequency knob on the back which clips (hopefully rolls off) the mains where you want. The sub just scabs a signal from the mains speakers to operate anyhow (on speaker level). I run good speaker wire from the amp to the mains, el cheapo to the sub speaker cons. For a receiver, depending on the mode selected, you may not get a signal for the sob-out. Granted, I ain't shopped receivers for quite a while. |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 632 Registered: Jun-07 | My Sub works on all modes selected, but you can turn the sub off of course when wanted. But this is not the case on some Receivers. |