erdric Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 ...which one would you choose and why? Rotel RMB-1075 Parasound HCA-1205at B&K AV5125 All are 5 channel amps and I believe they are considered "warm" sounding. I'm doing a bit of research for the next upgrade. I can't decide whether or not to go with a receiver or separates so I'm looking for advice on these amps. FYI: These 3 amps fall in the $1200-1800 range that I have budgeted for a separate amp. I can't go any higher in price. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomer9911 Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 Adcom....speaks for itself.... Mind you, the GFA-7300 and 7500 multi channel amps have not got the greatest of reviews....2 channel...ADCOM I use 3 Marantz MA700 mono block amps myself(Khorns and C7). This message has been edited by boomer9911 on 09-17-2001 at 12:48 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 If I were you, I would highly consider the Mondial Acurus A200x5 amp. It is hand made in America and retails for $2000. You can currently purchase one from Ubid for under $1000 (I just bought my A200x3 from there for $589). I have heard nothing but great things about this amp and hey, Klipsch owns them! Here is the link on the specs... http://www.klipsch.com/products/mondialdetail.asp?frame=y&id=302&line=mondial Mike Edit: To get to the specs, click on Specifications on the left sidebar... ------------------ Family Room ----------- Hitachi 43UWX10B HDTV (16:9) Denon AVR-4800 Panasonic DVD-RP91K (Progressive Scan & DVD-Audio) Dual CS-5000 Turntable w/Shure V15V-MR DBX 3bx Series III Range Expander Klipsch Chorus (mains) Klipsch KLF-C7 (center) Klipsch Epic CF-2's (rears) Klipsch RS-3's (rear surrounds) SVS 20-39CS Sub w/Samson S700 Amp Monster HTS-3500 Line Conditioner Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2100 Digital Cable box Monster M-500 Component Video cables Monster Datalink 100 Digital Coaxial cables Radio Shack Gold Series for all other audio interconnects Bedroom ------- Mitsubishi 31" TV Yamaha M-4 Amp Yamaha C-4 Preamp Yamaha T-7 Tuner Teac DVD Player Dual CS-721 Turntable w/B&O MMC2 Looking for a pair of Heresy's This message has been edited by Mike Lindsey on 09-17-2001 at 09:20 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 17, 2001 Author Share Posted September 17, 2001 I was under the impression that Acurus was being shelved for the time being and that Klipsch was only going to put out Aragon for the forseeable future. Picking one up now is, unfortunately, not an option. I'm not sure if Acurus will be an option when I plan to buy. I'm doing research for a future purchase, say early next year, and I want to make sure that I pick the right amp. I'm hoping to take away some of the upgraditis by moving to separates. I figure that I can get a really good amp and tuner and then I'll only need to upgrade the processor every couple of years. My wife will KILL me if I keep dropping all this cash into A/V equipment. She just doesn't understand. ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2K Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 erdric,I have a couple Acurus amps and really like them.I haven't heard every amplifier made and can't really tell you if some sound "warmer" than others. But I can tell you that they are good quality amps and with the prices now on U-Bid I recomend them highly. The 125X5 I recently bought on U-Bid is really a fine piece of equipment and was just what my system needed. I have KSP-300's,so you do the math.I've got another Acurus amp I've had for almost 7 years and have never had any problems with either.Check the Acurus Forum for info regarding the 125X5 and the 200X5.Of course at the small price difference the 200X5 would be nice and either are a steal. Good luck to you. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 17, 2001 Author Share Posted September 17, 2001 TTK, Looks like we posted at almost the same time. I know that most people here really like the Acurus and I would probably choose it if I was purchasing right now. Unfortunately, I don't have the resources to do so at the moment so I'm looking at next spring as a realistic time of purchase. If the Acurus can still be had at that time then I suspect that it will be at the top of my list. It's not listed in my original post because I'm under the impression that Acurus is not going to be available in the near future. ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 This message has been edited by erdric on 09-17-2001 at 02:26 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avman Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 my experiece w/adcom is tremendous 'bang-for-the-buck'-a real value. don't know alot about the klipsch/amp products, but i'd buy them if they also represented as good a value, just to give 'em the 'biz'. avman. ------------------ 1-pair klf 30's c-7 center ksps-6 surrounds sony strda-777ES receiver sony playstation 2 dishnetwork model 7200 dishplayer satellite receiver/digital bitstream recorder pioneer dvd player sharp 35"tv panamax max dbs+5 surge protector/power conditioner monster cable interconnects/12 gua.speaker wire a 'teens' sub coming! KLIPSCH-So Good It Hz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Phillips Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 erdric, Listened to Rotel with Heresy IIs Had B&K 3090 pre and B&K 5000 amp with Chorus Is,both the Rotel and B&K were great sounding.Never got listening fatigue with either.Never bright. Parasound has a lot of bass slam and from what a few have said with Klipsch I'd like to try any of the 3,but can't tell you which one I'd like most.IMHO,Parasound or Rotel,would have to listen to B&K again to decide.Good luck ------------------ Main HT:'77 Klipschorns w/ALKs, '75 Heresy center,modified with,K-Horn sqauwker & AA network. KSP-S6 at sides 2 KSP-S6's rear. Denon AVR-3801 2 Denon POA-2800 200X2 1 driving the Horns 1 driving the bi-wired Heresy center. 2 DIY 12"4ohm subs,Carver A500x 400 watts per ch.feed. 1 12" powered sub(behind the couch)feed from the surrounds pre-outs. Sony DVP-C650D. Dishnetwork Echostar 4700 w/DD JVC S7600U S-VHS Pioneer CDL-D501 laser Music in "Direct"only! DH Labs T-14 speaker wire to the front 3. Room size;15.5 X 25' opening into dining room. Old RCA 52"RPTV w/matching cabinets Bed room HT: KSB 2.1 mains,SC-1,SS-1's,2 SW 8 II subs. Cornwall Is for music only Denon AVR-2800, Dishnetwork,Sony SLV-975HF VCR,Panasonic DVD-RV31. 27"RCA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewzter Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 Parasound is definitely what I'm looking at... not in the very near future, though... The 2205 is what I'm aiming for, paired up with their very highly-reviewed 2500u pre-amp. Looking to spend around 4,500... ------------------ Front: dbx Soundfield V -5-way w/15" woofers Center: KLF C7 Rear Surround: Polk RT f/x bipole/dipole Amp: Yamaha RX-V990 100x3; 25x2 DVD: Yamaha DVD S795 (built-in DD Processor) CD: Yamaha CDC 575 5-Disc VCR: Toshiba M752 6-head TV: Mitsubishi 40" Tube DirecTV Sony Playstation connected to V990 for awesome gaming picture & sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 19, 2001 Author Share Posted September 19, 2001 Well, after a bit more research I'm leaning towards either the Rotel or the Parasound. The Rotel is ever-so-slightly in the lead. I do have a concern about power consumption. The Parasound is listed as 1500 watts. Isn't that an awful lot? I believe that I have room for one more new circuit in my power panel. If that's the case then I have no problem running a new dedicated line just for the HT setup. But even with a new 20 amp circuit the Parasound alone would eat up a lot of the 2400w rating. The Rotel is listed at 800w and seems more managable. I'll still go with what sounds best to me but I do worry about overloading my electrical system. We have a LOT of high draw items in the house. BTW, does anyone have any recommendations for a pre-amp to pair with one of these amps? 1-1.5k is the budget. I've looked at the Rotel 976 but am a bit concerned about stories concerning DTS playback. What other pre-amps are out there that would be a good match for this amp? ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 This message has been edited by erdric on 09-19-2001 at 11:50 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 Erdric - Not to throw a wrench in the works, but... I'm curious what you are looking for in your amp upgrade? I have some KG4s myself, and I love them. But I would submit to you, for your consideration, that an upgrade to your speakers would get you a far bigger bang for the buck than changing out the electronics. Taking the upper ends of your expressed price range, you've got $3300 to play with. Just a third of that (or less) would land you a pair of Chorus or LaScala's or ???. You'd still have money left for some electronics, as well. Just a thought... DD2 ------------------ Denon AVR-3300 Acurus A200x3 NAD 7155 Receiver Pioneer PD-F19 CD Changer Sony CDP-C8ESD CD Changer Denon 3000 DVD Toshiba M784 VCR B&O Beogram 1800 TT Klipsch Chorus Klipsch KV-3 Center Klipsch SS-1 Surround Klipsch KG4 Klipsch KG3 Klipsch Forte (2pr) Velodyne CT120 Sub Sony KP-43T75 RPTV Monster HTS2000 AudioQuest Copperhead Interconnects AudioQuest Slate Speaker Wire Various other interconnects/cables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 19, 2001 Author Share Posted September 19, 2001 Doug, Let me see if I can untangle my thought process on this one... I have a serious and neverending case of upgraditis. I'm pretty happy with some but not all of my equipment. The Klipsch are very high on the 'happy with' side of the ledger. So my thoughts are that I will upgrade the eqpm that I am unsatisfied with before I upgrade the Klipsch. First on the 'not happy with' list is the lack of a sub. I have decided and am currently saving for an SVS 20-39PC. Now that I have made that decision I am looking down the road at #2 on the 'not happy with' list. That's the Yamaha. It's good but it lacks some of the features I want in a receiver. With that in mind I'm considering either a really good receiver or moving to separates. Knowing myself I've realized that I'm going to be itching to upgrade the receiver not that long after I get it. I figured that I would just jump over the middle step in the upgrade path and move right to where I know I'm headed anyway. I keep hearing people rave about the quality and sound of separates and I know that's what I want. That's why I'm looking for amp recommendations at the moment. I love the KG-4's but they are destined for my secondary system once the SVS shows up. I plan to use the smaller KG-3's with the SVS in the main system for numerous reasons that I don't need to babble about here. I have an older NAD intergrated amp that I plan to use with the KG-4's in the studio. Eventually, I AM going to upgrade to something better from the Klipsch line, either a heritage or reference model. But that's not going to happen for another 2-3 years. I have too many other things that I'm not happy with. Sorry that was so long and I hope that I explained my thinking clearly enough. I hope that somewhere in that babbling there was an answer to your question. PS The qualities in an amp that I am looking for are a more open soundstage, a warmer sound than the Yamaha, tighter control of the bass (damping factor I believe), etc. I know that the Chorus or LaScala's would give me some, but not all, of that. I guess that I'm really interested in getting a warmer sounding amp. ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 This message has been edited by erdric on 09-19-2001 at 03:30 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake2 Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 Hi erdric - Gosh, I hope you don't think I'm second guessing you I just didn't know if you'd already thought through the speaker upgrade path also... I don't know if this makes sense, and I'm probably out of my league on this, but I wonder if some of what you are looking for just can't be delivered by the KG3 or KG4. They are a two-way system, with the woofs handling all the way up to 1800hz. Changing to a 3-way design might give you the open soundstage you are looking for. So, not saying you shouldn't look at electronics upgrades, but just wondering if you need to combine it with a speaker change also... Good luck! Doug This message has been edited by dougdrake2 on 09-19-2001 at 05:55 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 19, 2001 Author Share Posted September 19, 2001 I didn't think you were second guessing me. My take on your post was that you were curious about what my underlying thoughts were. I was happy to share. I agree with you that I probably need to upgrade the speakers as well. I plan to do it as soon as I finish upgrading the other things on the list. As a matter of fact, I recently drove up to Myram's house to buy his KV-3. We demo'd Super Speedway to show off his new Academy and Denon 4800. Shortly after that I sent him an email letting him know that I really liked his Quartets. With a wry grin I 'suggested' that he needed to upgrade his mains and sell the Quartets to me. I knew that there was no way it was gonna happen but I had to try. I figured that if the price was right I would put off the SVS just a bit longer. Those Quartets (3-way) sounded amazing. So anyway, thanks for getting me thinking about the speaker upgrade. I should make sure that I take that into account when I do buy the amp. I really want to make the right decision on the amp. I'd like it if I could get at least a couple of components that will stick around for a while. Eventually, I'd like to get to the point where I'm only upgrading the processor. Yeah, right... ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 This message has been edited by erdric on 09-19-2001 at 07:31 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Phillips Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 erdric, Don't worry about the power consumption.That is at rated output,you'd never get close to that with Klipsch. My 2 Denon POA-2800 amps never do more than a watt or two. Everything in my HT runs off of a single dedicated 20 amp,that's 2 200X2 amps,and one 400X2 sub amp and all the other stuff. You should be fine,IMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 19, 2001 Author Share Posted September 19, 2001 Steve, Very cool about the power consumption. That brings the Parasound back even with the Rotel. Random thought: It's too bad that the Acurus is being shelved. It seems like a lot of people here really like it. I'd have it on my list but don't think that it'll be around when I go to buy next spring. I'm not looking to buy one used. I want the amp to be new and have a full warranty. Oh well. Both the Parasound and the Rotel seem to be well regarded by both the critics and the public. I suspect that either of them will be a good choice. >>My 2 Denon POA-2800 amps never do more than a watt or two.<< Wow. Maybe this is a newbie question but how do you know that it's only drawing a watt or two? Does the POA have a meter on it or do you have some other way of telling what's being drawn? Just curious. ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc1091 Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 edric- I haven't listened to the B&K. Here-say info: Has a reputation for being finnicky. When you have a good model that is set-up properly, they tell me it is wondefully balanced. You pay for what you get with the Parasound. Some models have trouble with excess noise. Less expensive Parasound amps suck. I'm sure a good dealer can help you out if there is a problem with a particular purchase. Don't mail-order a Parasound. I have a Rotel (Not the oe you speak of here though). It hides its power well, but when called upon it does perform. Clean, smooth sound. Not colored. Not balanced as much toward the bass as the Parasound and certainly not as much as an NAD. Adcom. Solid, Rugged, Reliable. Not exceptional sounding (although their 2 chanel flagship model is close to exceptional). Paired with the right preamp and speakers can give the best a good run. As inexpensive as the Rotel. ------------------ Denon AVR-2700 Denon DCD1500-II Audio Control Octave Phillips CDR-765 Nakamichi BX-100 Sony PS-LX3 Rotel RB-991 Klipsch Heresy (1981) Klipsch RP-3 B&W602 MIT Terminator2 Bi-Wire Computer system: NAD 7130 Realistic Optimus Pro-7s (its only a computer system) Klipsch KSW-10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damon Posted September 20, 2001 Share Posted September 20, 2001 erdric, You might want to check out outlaw 750 amplifier. It puts out 165 rms watts x 5. It has gotten great reviews by all the magazines and also from the consumers, check them out on audioreview.com or at outlawaudio.com. It is only available via the internet but sells for $1099. The customer service with this company is great, you get a 30 day satisfaction guarantee no questions asked. By the time you are ready to buy they will have a new amplifier out on the market also, outlaw 770. This is gonna be a beast at 200 rms watts x 7 and is gonna sell for under $1800. I am patiently awaiting the new outlaw 950 7.1 preamp/ processor and the outlaw 770 which will go on sale in November. They are definitely worth a look, so check them out at their web site that I listed above. You can learn alot about their company and the products. Also check out Sound and Vision, Hometheater mag, and just about any other magazine for professional reviews. This company can sell so cheap d/t the lack of the middleman. Check them out, I think you might be impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShapeShifter Posted September 20, 2001 Share Posted September 20, 2001 erdric, Pardon me for sliding through the door that Damon opened. But I use the Outlaw 750 5-channel amp (165Wx5) and I'm very pleased. It's well built, large toroidal transformer, it's very cool running, produces a smooth natural sound with no harshness and tight bass. It's being fed via the pre-outs from my NAD T761 receiver. Comparing its performance to the price paid the Outlaw 750 Amp has been my best purchase to date. I'm continually amazed at how well this amp performs with my Klipsch speakers. I'm also looking forward to user feedback on the Outlaws 950 Pre/Pro after its release in November. Please forgive the intrusion...I'll close the door and be on my way. Wes This message has been edited by ShapeShifter on 09-20-2001 at 07:45 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erdric Posted September 20, 2001 Author Share Posted September 20, 2001 Damon and Shapeshifter, Outlaw has indeed caught my eye. I think that the 950 pre/pro will be a very serious contender (pending good feedback and reviews). It seems to have it all and at a great price. I'm looking forward to its release. As for the Outlaw amp, I know that it has received good reviews and strong word of mouth but I just can't seem to get excited over it. I don't know why. Maybe I'll come around. I believe the reviews and I know that it's a very good price but something about it has me hesitating. Again, I don't know why. ------------------ Primary System: Main KG-4 Center KV-3 Rear RS-3 Yamaha HTR-5250 Sony DVP-S560D Panasonic PV-9664 Sony DBS system Studio: Main KG-3 Sony STR-AV920 Pioneer PD-4351 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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