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Integrated for relaxing listening

post #1 of 13
5/10/05 at 4:36pm
Thread Starter 
I noticed this in the psaudio hp amp thread, and thought I'd ask you guys for ideas. I tend to listen at moderate to low to extremely low volumes, rarely turning the knob on my cambridge past 9. Unfortunately, this is the point where the cambridge's cheap pot comes into play and I get a rapidly deteriorating channel balance from then on. And as my aim is to relax, I find an incessant tweaking of balance to be quite the opposite.

Musically, I'm a hi-fi noob, so I tend to like practically everything I like. The cambridge sounds a little bright to me with the Tannoys, so I could take somewhat more recessed highs if I could get dead-flat channel balance at low volumes as a return.

I've been looking at NAD C352 (seems to have a really good balance, I've just read so many critical reviews of it soundwise that I'm somewhat sceptical) and Rotel RA1062 (I have yet to try one, but the good reviews and integrated phono stage are making it very attractive).

I listen mostly to electronic music, so a groovy musicality with good dynamics is probably a fair description of what I'm looking for.

Any ideas on these two amps, or any others that are readily available in europe and hopefully in the <900€ category (the cheaper, the better of course )

Thanks in advance,

JF
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post #2 of 13
5/10/05 at 5:07pm
Not a specific prodcut recommendation but more of a general "topology" recommendation.

Seems you are a perfect fir with the more romantic type voicing of a vintage tube amp like maybe a refurbished Dynaco ST-70/PAS Preamp.(not an integrated per se but this as example only) until the "electronic music" thing which means you will need the good low level bass linearity only SS can provide at a reasonable price.

microdynamics come into play also but that means evaluating models personally but in general i think you are looking for an integrated that has a class-a front end or very close to it mated to a Class A/B MOSFET output stage which runs a high bias up to the 1 watt or so range.

MOSFETS in class-A/B are a tad soft at the top and the high biasing up to 1-3W or so will get you serious detail and life at the low levels you like
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post #3 of 13
5/10/05 at 5:19pm
You should look for an Arcam integrated in your price range--you should be able to find one used on Audiogon for that price. The Arcam sound is just what you describe and I think would sound excellent with Tannoy speakers.
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post #4 of 13
5/10/05 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the tips - I'll make sure to check the Arcams out. As for the tubes, I have also been under the impression that tube amps would be sonically exactly what I'm looking for... But I still would prefer the ease-of-use of solid state.

Thanks again... Any more ideas?

/JF
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post #5 of 13
5/10/05 at 6:00pm
Quote:
As for the tubes, I have also been under the impression that tube amps would be sonically exactly what I'm looking for... But I still would prefer the ease-of-use of solid state
The mosfet transistor is funcionally closer to a tube than it is a transistor .

Modern tube gear does not have the classic sound associated with tubes and can be every bit as detailed as SS but only at a price.Good Tubes are neither easy nor cheap.
The iron will determine the quality and depth of the bass and flat at the bottom is a big expense so cheap tube gear will not fit your bass requirements at low volumes .

the trick is to get detailed and dynamic at the first 500 mw to 1watt area and without it being washed out by self noise of the amp.again not easy and again not cheap
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post #6 of 13
5/10/05 at 6:16pm
I own both NAD and Rotel gear.
For your application, I would suggest the NAD. It has a softer, more relaxed sound compared the Rotel, which is more revealing.
The NAD will also probably have a decent headphone jack, if that means anything to you.
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post #7 of 13
5/10/05 at 6:17pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rickcr42
The mosfet transistor is funcionally closer to a tube than it is a transistor .

Modern tube gear does not have the classic sound associated with tubes and can be every bit as detailed as SS but only at a price.Good Tubes are neither easy nor cheap.
The iron will determine the quality and depth of the bass and flat at the bottom is a big expense so cheap tube gear will not fit your bass requirements at low volumes .

the trick is to get detailed and dynamic at the first 500 mw to 1watt area and without it being washed out by self noise of the amp.again not easy and again not cheap
Thanks - I'll bear that in mind, if I ever make partner . Found a local store with an Arcam A80 on display, will check that one out meanwhile.

/JF
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post #8 of 13
5/10/05 at 9:39pm
If you can find a (discontinued) JVC RX-ES1SL, it would fit the bill. The sound is very tube like. In fact, it sounded nearly identical to my ~$500-600 tube preamp + NAD power section combo but for 1/4 the price. Needless to say I parted with the tube+nad.
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post #9 of 13
5/10/05 at 10:30pm
I heartily agree with the NAD recommendation. Otherwise your mention of the "psaudio hk amp thread" might bring up a recommendation from me - if you are looking for a great, modest priced amp and used is on your list - of an older used HK. I really do not recommend much of the new stuff but the older designs - 645 era and before - has all the qualities you seek in an amp. Warm, smooth and mellow yet detailed along with cahones out the ying-yang.

IMHO somehow HK "modernized" their designs in the '90s...yet injected grain in as well (compared to their classic sound). An impressive showing You don't want to hear how (bad, to me) their first series of "modernized" designs sounded...

You got a link to that exact "psaudio hk" thread? I would like to see how others view things (to tell me I'm as crazy as people think I am)
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post #10 of 13
5/11/05 at 1:35am
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys - and I was talking about a HP amp (headphone) and not Harman/Kardon, sorry.

/JF
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post #11 of 13
5/11/05 at 2:15am
I absolutely love my rega brio. Very tube-like SS sound. Of course, NADs are very nice, too. Also, nothing wrong with vintage integrateds.
http://www.classic-audio.com
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post #12 of 13
5/11/05 at 6:25am
Try to hear Creek or Exposure, the 2010S is real good.
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post #13 of 13
5/11/05 at 6:50am
Thread Starter 
Looks like I have quite a few choices to check out .

Looking at the volume controls - the Rega Mira seems to use some sort of digital attenuator that should eliminate balance issues among other things, but do you have any experience of the others mentioned in this thread (looks like a toss-up between Arcam A80 and NAD C352 and the Rega ATM), ie. does playing at low volumes cause any (major) channel balance issues? I might be willing to take reduced dynamics at 1AM as long as I don't have to burst a blood vessel over the balance knob.

As for not using headphones at night, I'm having major issues with my jaw muscles that are reflecting around my ears, so the Sennheisers (and the on-ear IXOS phones I already sold off because of this) give me massive headaches...

Thanks again, all of you.

/JF
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