Power amp recommendation

[artur9]

I can't stand the lower or mid range b&w.

B&W always sound "good" but then, if you shop around, you'll find any number of manufacturers that make better for less.
 
I've started with B&W twice now and quickly moved on to other things (Magnepan first time, Vienna Acoustics, this time around).  They are just not a satisfying maker for me.
 
OTOH, the free annual membership to their recording of the month Society of Sound is great.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I'm starting to lose my high end hearing. The B & W line sounds like just what I'm looking for.:wink_face:

What's the point of searching for higher fidelity if you're going to accept lesser. I'd try EQ'ing if you need louder highs. Just a thought

 

[biosailor]

I can't stand the lower or mid range b&w. The tweeter throws attention to itself so much. to me it sounds very unnatural like it's constantly spitting metal at you. Not like metal music but as far as timbre goes, there's nothing natural about it. Everything sounds like it's trying to escape from behind the dome and it's doesn't blend with the timbres created by the midrange so it's like you're listening to two speakers at once. Even the CM models do this but with less ringing.

fwiw, I have a pair of r300s for sale.

Well, everyone to his/her own liking. To me the CM6 S2 sounded spectacular, compared to quite a few other loudspeakers.
 
I must say, though, that I have a tendency to like bright sounding equipment. I truly love the Beyerdynamic T1 1st generation. Many of the audiophiles despise them because to many it sounds glaringly bright. To me it is the perfect headphone. So no surprise that I like them.
 
I never had the impression as if I'd be listening to two speakers. In the contrary, it translated into airiness as if the sound floats in the listening room rather than emanating from the speakers. But again, different people, different perception.

 

[biosailor]

  I'm starting to lose my high end hearing. The B & W line sounds like just what I'm looking for.

Same here!

 

[biosailor]

Auditioned yesterday the ATC SCM 11 monitor speakers. Boy, are these fine speakers. I was totally hooked by their natural and easy sound. No bass blur, no bass over emphasis, wonderful, crystal-clear highs and mids. I was listening totally transfixed to this wonderful speakers. Also the looks of them in cherry wood is perfect! I look no further, I have found my speakers !

 

[Mr Rick]

Auditioned yesterday the ATC SCM 11 monitor speakers. Boy, are these fine speakers. I was totally hooked by their natural and easy sound. No bass blur, no bass over emphasis, wonderful, crystal-clear highs and mids. I was listening totally transfixed to this wonderful speakers. Also the looks of them in cherry wood is perfect! I look no further, I have found my speakers !

Congratulations. They have been well reviewed, but what really matters is that you like them. They have been tested as a bit power hungry. So you need to keep that in mind. I have forgotten what you plan to drive them with.

Anyway, enjoy your new toys.

 

[biosailor]

Congratulations. They have been well reviewed, but what really matters is that you like them. They have been tested as a bit power hungry. So you need to keep that in mind. I have forgotten what you plan to drive them with.

Anyway, enjoy your new toys.

Yes indeed, they are power hungry, ATC recommends 70-100 W. My guess is that the Ragnarok is a little under-powered? Maybe the Rag aficionados can enlighten me?

The local ATC dealer recommends, of course, ATC power amps, or, as an alternative, Marantz 7025 power amp. He says they pair phenomenally with the SCM 11, although during auditioning, the speakers were driven by a Naim integrated amp (don't remember which one).

I am not so much in favour of Marantz, but I'll have a second session next Saturday to test the speakers with the Marantz.

Other than that: Schiit Vidar (PLEASE God of Schiit, make them available) or Odyssey Audio Stratos. I just read that the Emotive XPA 3 had been on display at AXPONA. So anyone who stopped by at Emotive's booth and heard them?

 

[biosailor]

Did a bit auditioning of amps for my ATC SCM 11 speakers (they'll be delivered around end of June ). This gives me at least some time to look for a good amp and think about where to position the equipment/speakers.

I started the audition with a Marantz PM8005 driving the SCM 11 speakers (70 W at 8 Ohm). Honestly, I wasn't impressed at all. The sound was compressed, lifeless, and not resolved at all. Not good!

I was just about to leave when the dealer mentioned that he has a very special amp that he called 'The Tsunami'. He pulled out an amp of the size of a pizza box and connected it to his streamer and speakers. WOW, was this a relevation! The sound was clean, well resolved and extremely pleasant. The amp was a brand I've never heard of before: Lab.gruppen IPD 1200 (see http://labgruppen.com/view-model/ipd-series/ipd-1200). 2x300 W at 8 Ohms, balanced class D amp. After hearing this amp, I must revise my opinion about class D amps. It never sounded edgy, in the contrary, very smooth, natural, and incredibly fast. Besides that, the amp has a DSP unit for tuning the sound according to one's taste. And above all, this pizza box costs only around 1200 Euros. The amp is definitely worth a thought!

 

[Mr Rick]

Did a bit auditioning of amps for my ATC SCM 11 speakers (they'll be delivered around end of June ). This gives me at least some time to look for a good amp and think about where to position the equipment/speakers.

I started the audition with a Marantz PM8005 driving the SCM 11 speakers (70 W at 8 Ohm). Honestly, I wasn't impressed at all. The sound was compressed, lifeless, and not resolved at all. Not good!

I was just about to leave when the dealer mentioned that he has a very special amp that he called 'The Tsunami'. He pulled out an amp of the size of a pizza box and connected it to his streamer and speakers. WOW, was this a relevation! The sound was clean, well resolved and extremely pleasant. The amp was a brand I've never heard of before: Lab.gruppen IPD 1200 (see http://labgruppen.com/view-model/ipd-series/ipd-1200). 2x300 W at 8 Ohms, balanced class D amp. After hearing this amp, I must revise my opinion about class D amps. It never sounded edgy, in the contrary, very smooth, natural, and incredibly fast. Besides that, the amp has a DSP unit for tuning the sound according to one's taste. And above all, this pizza box costs only around 1200 Euros. The amp is definitely worth a thought!

It is an interesting alternative. There are many "pro style" amps you could consider. I've looked long and hard at the Crown XLI800. Here stateside the XLI 800 is only $215.00.

There is at least one person on YouTube that recommends Crown amps for use in home theater applications.

What all comes down to, is what sounds good to you.

 

[artur9]

I was just about to leave when the dealer mentioned that he has a very special amp that he called 'The Tsunami'. He pulled out an amp of the size of a pizza box and connected it to his streamer and speakers. WOW, was this a relevation! The sound was clean, well resolved and extremely pleasant. The amp was a brand I've never heard of before: Lab.gruppen IPD 1200 (see http://labgruppen.com/view-model/ipd-series/ipd-1200). 2x300 W at 8 Ohms, balanced class D amp.

Would love to hear some Lab.gruppen gear.

 

[biosailor]

It is an interesting alternative. There are many "pro style" amps you could consider. I've looked long and hard at the Crown XLI800. Here stateside the XLI 800 is only $215.00.

There is at least one person on YouTube that recommends Crown amps for use in home theater applications.

What all comes down to, is what sounds good to you.

Yes, the problem with all this pro gear is that there are hardly any reviews available. Nevertheless, what I heard, particularly in combination with the ATC SCM 11, was really good!

So. what made you to decide against the Crown amps? I take it you did quite some auditioning?

I'll drive the local dealer to madness as I'll ask for a second auditioning with his 'Tsunami' amp. But I want to be really sure!

 

[biosailor]

Would love to hear some Lab.gruppen gear.

The Lab.Gruppen has a very nice iPAD/iPhone app for EQing and amp control. Really stunning. The only thing: if you by accident mis-regulate the power sliders, you can have 600 Watts going into your speakers . I don't know who'll suffer more: your ears or your speakers. But I was really taken aback how good this pizza box sounded. Very natural and smooth.

 

[Mr Rick]

Yes, the problem with all this pro gear is that there are hardly any reviews available. Nevertheless, what I heard, particularly in combination with the ATC SCM 11, was really good!

So. what made you to decide against the Crown amps? I take it you did quite some auditioning?

I'll drive the local dealer to madness as I'll ask for a second auditioning with his 'Tsunami' amp. But I want to be really sure!

I guess I'm just an audiophile Luddite. I'm just not ready to jump into class D.

 

[biosailor]

I guess I'm just an audiophile Luddite. I'm just not ready to jump into class D.

I'm not without second thoughts. The next audition will be the Rotel RB-1582 MkII!

 

[biosailor]

Haven't gotten around to audition the Rotel RB1582 Mk2. Too busy at my work, worked through almost tthe entire weekend. I hope I can give you an update the next weekend.
You must think I am crazy with all the suggestions I'm posting here. As a matter of fact, when I auditioned the Lab. Gruppen amp, a fellow hi-fier, who happened to be there, mentioned that when trying to combine too many options/features into an amp, one will never be able of buying one! Yet, I read a raving review of the integrated amp 'Azur 851A' from Cambridge Audio (http://www.stereophile.com/content/cambridge-azur-851a-integrated-amplifier). Pretty nifty amp. Anyone having experience with it?