Need a good Hi-Fi Integrated Amp for less then $500.00?

[Mr Peabody]

Give a listen to the Marantz (I think the model is PM-7200) it will switch between Class A at 25 wpc and Class A/B at 95 wpc. Retail is slightly over $500.00 but I bet it could be found for less.

No personal experience but the Cambridge Audio integrated amps may be in your price and they get favorable comments.

[RGA]

Are you running a surround system?

There should be a dyual setting -- for listening to two channel music you don;t want to be runnuing any of the crap any of these receivers offer up -- ie the thing should be set to two channel stereo(that is if new receivers are even bothering with this -- it's a good way to hide difficiencies with surround delay modes and distortion generating channel separation/delay.

You should make sure you have your speakers positioned correctly - receiver in 2 channel with bass and treble set to FLAT. -- all delay and any surround modes OFF. Any balance and size modes OFF. Running two and ONLY two speakers.

If it cannot do 2-ch correctly then there is no point IMO to go any further. The NAD 320 I have heard now on two occasions (I would avoid it like the plague). Rotel RA 1 is far better and the same general price -- or the NAD C352 or older NAD 320 models -- just not the 320Bee.

The Yamaha should be about as good as the NAD -- if you can get the settings right on the receiver -- they are bloody nightmares to get right and counterintuitive -- my Marantz is downright annoying for functionality.

[m500]

Are you running a surround system?

There should be a dyual setting -- for listening to two channel music you don;t want to be runnuing any of the crap any of these receivers offer up -- ie the thing should be set to two channel stereo(that is if new receivers are even bothering with this -- it's a good way to hide difficiencies with surround delay modes and distortion generating channel separation/delay.

You should make sure you have your speakers positioned correctly - receiver in 2 channel with bass and treble set to FLAT. -- all delay and any surround modes OFF. Any balance and size modes OFF. Running two and ONLY two speakers.

If it cannot do 2-ch correctly then there is no point IMO to go any further. The NAD 320 I have heard now on two occasions (I would avoid it like the plague). Rotel RA 1 is far better and the same general price -- or the NAD C352 or older NAD 320 models -- just not the 320Bee.

The Yamaha should be about as good as the NAD -- if you can get the settings right on the receiver -- they are bloody nightmares to get right and counterintuitive -- my Marantz is downright annoying for functionality.

I'm gonna try to play with the setup a bit more. I'll need to find sometime to take my own demo CD down to YAWA to see how their setup sound like with NAD C320 and C352. So far all I know is they sounded very good in Piano playing with my Yamaha and when Yawa demo their own CDs which is piano playing as well. The only problem is when I playing rock or R&B the vocal & bass get distored when hits higher note.

[SlumpBuster]

Hey m500,

You might want to monitor responses to your other posts. There is a very simple solution that will reveal your set up problems. Hit the "Pure Direct" button on your receiver. See here: Any good deal on NAD C320BEE & C352 better then 20% off new?

[anamorphic96]

How loud are you playing ? Are turning up the bass and treble to much with the volume up to high ? Also keep in mind MB Quart is a bright sounding speaker.
Remeber things will not sound the same as they do at Yawa. Rooms can affect sound in a big way.

[m500]

Hey m500,

You might want to monitor responses to your other posts. There is a very simple solution that will reveal your set up problems. Hit the "Pure Direct" button on your receiver. See here: Any good deal on NAD C320BEE & C352 better then 20% off new?

SlumpBuster,
I did try the "Pure Direct" button and its sounded the same as in 2 channel stereo mode except brighter. I'm starting to think it all mental, hopefully. As the bass reproduction on the speaker is very poor but other then that the mid and treble are awesome. I'm gonna find time to go down to YAWA to test it with the CDs I demo at home to see what's the differences. Why the dramatic differences in mid and especially the bass reproduction. For now, I'm thinking its either mental or the Yamaha is just not up to the job.