Jump to content

Integrated Amp & Stereo Receiver Choices


StephenM

Recommended Posts

Hi folks,

Right now, I'm aiming to build/upgrade my simple, clean looking two channel system. In my dreams I see myself with a pair of Cornwalls and something ala a NAD Masters series integrated amplifier rocking out to Quadrophenia. Some day...

In the meantime, I've got a pair of RF-5s that I think fairly highly of and that I'm driving with an old entry level HK surround receiver. An SVS subwoofer is in the supporting cast, but I'll either need to find an external crossover for it (it doesn't have one built in), or replace it.

Now to the question. It seems like there is quite the wide field of products in the integrated amp/stereo receiver bracket. I understand the job that is expected of such a product: stable with gobs of power to drive difficult loads while maintaining low distortion, crosstalk, etc. Beyond that, I'm not sure what separates say, an HK 3490 at an MSRP of 499 from a NAD 375 at 1299. The HK certainly measures well enough and gets solid reviews. I also wonder if it is worth it to upgrade at all since I hardly feel like I'm pushing even the entry level receiver much of the time. I don't care to push it beyond -20dB on my current setup (~105dB peaks, ~75dB avg) since I do have some desire to maintain my hearing and frankly thats pretty loud anyways.All thoughts and comments are welcome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are pleased with your current system there's little justification to make any changes. Sure, another amplifier or receiver may sound different, but not necessarily better. If your receiver is powering the RF5s to the levels you desire, then it will certainly be more than powerful enough for Cornwalls. Do any of your friends own a good quality amp or receiver which they can bring over for you to do a comparison? That's a nice way to get an idea whether a change is likely to be worthwhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are pleased with your current system there's little justification to make any changes.

Curse you and your logic. Seriously though, while I'm pleased with the performance I get, I've read of several instances on this forum where people applied more powerful amplification and felt it was a worthy upgrade. You know the stuff: bass became deeper and tighter, the highs opened up, etc. While I do believe even my entry level HK receiver is of reasonable quality, I am curious where a higher end amp could take me (besides the poor house), and I'm curious how much of what I read is simply the placebo effect.

Do any of your friends own a good quality amp or receiver which they can bring over for you to do a comparison?

Unfortunately, none of my friends own anything beyond a Sony HTIB. Nobody I know really cares much about hi-fi. Worse, it seems like most of the hi-fi shops nearby are closed down, which gives me less opportunity to listen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's often very difficult to quantify changes in sound quality, and placebo effect certainly can enter into things. Years ago, when I was extremely active in audio circles, blind/level matched listening tests made all the difference in the world. People who knew that they were listening to a $10k Levinson amplifier, for example, raved about how much better it sounded than whatever it was being compared with. But, when a blind test was conducted, they often said that the Levinson was nothing special. Regarding deeper bass/better highs, that can be related to many factors (including length of the wires between the speakers and amp, gauge of the wires, capacitance of the interconnects between the source and amp, etc). Sure, having more power is never a bad thing; but if you are running an amp/receiver which can deliver say 50 watts, before the onset of clipping, at no more than 20 watts peak, you're not likely to gain anything by going to something more powerful (it's kind of like buying a Nascar race car to drive down Main Street at 25 mph). One option, however, for evaluating something different is to order it from a mail order place which allows you to return it if not satisfied. Yes, you will gamble a few $$$ in return shipping charges, but better to do that than get stuck with something which you find unsatisfactory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...