Amplifiers and speakers.. must choose.

[Tetsuro]

These are the amplifiers:
NAD 315/325
Marantz PM4001/PM6002
Cambridge Audio 340A/540A

These are the speakers:
Tannoy Fusion 2
Monitor Audio BR2

I must choose a good amplifier that will works well with any of these two speakers, any advice?

P.S.: 325 is a bit off since it's price is a bit high.

[basite]

this would be my choice, but I'd pick either the marantz 6002 or the cambridge audio 540A with the monitor audio BR2 speakers.
I haven't auditioned those particular amps (my nephew has a pair of BR2's so I know how they sound...), but my marantz cd player had more 'body' to the sound when I compared it to a CA, so I'd think I'd prefer the marantz, but you should audition them...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Tetsuro]

You know from CD Player to IA there is a lot of difference. :) ;)

I cannot audition them, must buy online. So it's important the feedback I could take here. :(

With Cambridge probably I will have problems with the warranty. With NAD and Marantz it would be more easy. Beside Cambridge cost less than the other two. Uhm..

[Jack in Wilmington]

The Tannoy's and the MA's are both fine speakers, but for my money I'd pick up a pair of Usher S-520's. I heard them running on the NAD 325 and it was a sweet combo. Smooth highs and a warm midrange. I put my test CD in and hit play to listen to track 1, next thing I know I'm on track 4 and feeling like I just came back to earth. The music just swept me away.

[Mr Peabody]

Do you have access to Onkyo? JohnMichael recently bought the 9555 integrated and he says it was quite an improvement over his CA 640c. From reviews and feedback like his, the Onkyo 9555 looks like a good bang for the buck. I'm sorry, I just don't have enough experience with the others you are looking at to have an opinion one way to the other.

[Tetsuro]

Ushers's are too much costly (in Italy I find them at 350 euros). :(

I would have access to 9555's little brother.. the 9355, but recently (2 days ago) i found a very bad review (3 stars, 'Reasonable performance, but it fails to tie music together') from 'What Hi-Fi?' magazine. I'm not sure anymore on that amplifier. :o I wanted really to invest in the 9355.. but that review freighten me.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Ushers's are too much costly (in Italy I find them at 350 euros). :(

I would have access to 9555's little brother.. the 9355, but recently (2 days ago) i found a very bad review (3 stars, 'Reasonable performance, but it fails to tie music together') from 'What Hi-Fi?' magazine. I'm not sure anymore on that amplifier. :o I wanted really to invest in the 9355.. but that review freighten me.

How much are the MA BR2's? Over here they list for $400 which is what the Usher S-520's go for. I did see a pair of "mint" Usher's for $300 on Audiogon if you don't mind going the used route.

[Tetsuro]

How much are the MA BR2's? Over here they list for $400 which is what the Usher S-520's go for. I did see a pair of "mint" Usher's for $300 on Audiogon if you don't mind going the used route.

MA: 280 €
Usher: 350 €

I on't think it's wise for me to buy outside Europe.

[JohnMichael]

Ushers's are too much costly (in Italy I find them at 350 euros). :(

I would have access to 9555's little brother.. the 9355, but recently (2 days ago) i found a very bad review (3 stars, 'Reasonable performance, but it fails to tie music together') from 'What Hi-Fi?' magazine. I'm not sure anymore on that amplifier. :o I wanted really to invest in the 9355.. but that review freighten me.



I can not answer for the 9355 but the one thing I hear the 9555 doing better than the CA 640A is how it ties the music together. The 9555 is better at timing and pace than the CA. I would look for more reviews and not worry about one. Buy from a store with a return option.

[Tetsuro]

I can not answer for the 9355 but the one thing I hear the 9555 doing better than the CA 640A is how it ties the music together. The 9555 is better at timing and pace than the CA. I would look for more reviews and not worry about one. Buy from a store with a return option.

The digital amplifiers are known for those things, speed would be useful in some electronic music (I listen a lot of electronic music).

Then I wanna ask you some questions since I'm very interested in the Onkyos...

Is it warm, neutral or bright?
How is the clarity?
How are details?
And the most important question... how much is wide the soundstage?

And for all people... for speakers with 86db senistivity and 16cm woofers are 40 W RMS (from the amplifier) good or are they inadequate?

[Mr Peabody]

I'm sure Onkyo's 40 wpc is accurate to conservative and would drive 86dB alright but I'd suggest, and think you'd be more happy, with a speaker 89dB or better if you are going with a low power amp. One other thing that may help is going with a 4 ohm speaker to milk more power from the amp. A "high current" design, and Onkyo's digital amps, almost double their power into 4 ohms opposed to 8.

JM, the 9555 must have found a home, I see the signature changed.

[Tetsuro]

I'm sure Onkyo's 40 wpc is accurate to conservative and would drive 86dB alright but I'd suggest, and think you'd be more happy, with a speaker 89dB or better if you are going with a low power amp. One other thing that may help is going with a 4 ohm speaker to milk more power from the amp. A "high current" design, and Onkyo's digital amps, almost double their power into 4 ohms opposed to 8.

JM, the 9555 must have found a home, I see the signature changed.

You are right but I have to position the speaker against a wall (10 cm) and there are only the Monitor Audio as Front Reflex AND 90 db. :(

[JohnMichael]

The digital amplifiers are known for those things, speed would be useful in some electronic music (I listen a lot of electronic music).

Then I wanna ask you some questions since I'm very interested in the Onkyos...

Is it warm, neutral or bright?
How is the clarity?
How are details?
And the most important question... how much is wide the soundstage?

And for all people... for speakers with 86db senistivity and 16cm woofers are 40 W RMS (from the amplifier) good or are they inadequate?



Is it warn, neutral or bright?

I would have to say it is neutral with a hint of warmth. I do not like bright electronics. It did become slightly bright while burning in but that is now gone.

How is the clarity?

It is so much easier to hear all the individual players and the individual sounds of the instruments. The CA seemed to create the music but with less information about who is creating the music.

How are details?

I was listening to a song and I never realized the bass player was playing with such speed. You can hear when a vocalist is projecting a different emotion in a song. Voices sound complete and full of emotion. If you listen to a well recorded performance of massed choral works you have a very real sense of how many people are singing.

How wide is the soundstage?

When using the CA it was never wider than the speakers. Also on a few recordings it would sound like the vocalist and drummer were on top of each other. Or like the singer's voice and the drums originated from the same space. That was bothersome to me. The Onkyo's soundstage is as wide as the recording. Depth is much better and there is a better sense of musicians being in their proper place in the soundstage. Better amount of space between instruments with less congestion.

[JohnMichael]

JM, the 9555 must have found a home, I see the signature changed.


I was a little concerned between 48 and 72 hour burn in about some brightness but all is gone now. Sound is smooth and detailed with strong defined bass.

[Tetsuro]

Wow, better in every way... Yes I'm thinking on the 9355. Hope it surpass the quality of the 540 or at least match it (it's far less powerful than the 9555).

[JohnMichael]

Wow, better in every way... Yes I'm thinking on the 9355. Hope it surpass the quality of the 540 or at least match it (it's far less powerful than the 9555).



In the US we use FTC ratings as a uniform measure of power to compare amps. Using that measure the A 9555 is rated at 85 watts per channel into 8 ohms.

[Tetsuro]

In the US we use FTC ratings as a uniform measure of power to compare amps. Using that measure the A 9555 is rated at 85 watts per channel into 8 ohms.


Then the 9355 must be a 30 W. :nonod:

[JohnMichael]

Then the 9355 must be a 30 W. :nonod:




No, I checked Onkyo UK and the A9555 is rated at 100 watts and the A9355 is rated at 70 watts. I could not compare the US ratings since it is not imported to my country. That is not much power difference between the amps. They used to say that to increase output by 3db you would need to double your amp power. I think you will be happy with 70 watts.

[Mr Peabody]

If you like the Monitor Audio they would be a great match. 90dB is an average sensitivity and a front port is what you want if your speakers are close to a wall. Actually, if your room doesn't allow much space around the speaker you should get one with a front port. A rear port, unless you plug it, will be quite boomy.

[Tetsuro]

No, I checked Onkyo UK and the A9555 is rated at 100 watts and the A9355 is rated at 70 watts. I could not compare the US ratings since it is not imported to my country. That is not much power difference between the amps. They used to say that to increase output by 3db you would need to double your amp power. I think you will be happy with 70 watts.

Those figures are respectiuvely on 8 and on 4 ohm load, quite a difference: ;)

To Mr Peabody: Yes I think that MA are the most interestings, they cost quite a lot but I could do some sacrifices for them.

[basite]

To Mr Peabody: Yes I think that MA are the most interestings, they cost quite a lot but I could do some sacrifices for them.


the MA's will not let you down.
(as I said before) My cousin has a pair, he's driving them with a vintage Technics SA-400, and a marantz CD5001 cdp. for their money, they are exellent speakers, with lots of detail and pretty deep bass...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Tetsuro]

the MA's will not let you down.
(as I said before) My cousin has a pair, he's driving them with a vintage Technics SA-400, and a marantz CD5001 cdp. for their money, they are exellent speakers, with lots of detail and pretty deep bass...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

Hope they would sound well with that 9355, since I'm looking at it right now. :crazy: I'm just scared from those 38W (of dynamic power) figures against those 120W of the 9555 and 55W of the 9155 (that cost 100 euros less, but it's not a D class amp).
It's just those figures that keep me undecided.

[jrhymeammo]

Like like links I posted for 9355 and 9555 arent working. Here you go.

http://gallery.audioreview.com/showphoto.php?photo=3400&cat=500&ppuser=243898

http://gallery.audioreview.com/showphoto.php?photo=3401&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=243898


9355 looks to be 70watts in 4ohm and 9555 is about 160-170watts in 4 ohm(100 watts in 8ohm)

It's all about the quality of your amp. I used to use a 45 watt integrated amp to drive Triangle Comete (91dB sensitivity). 45 watt was ALOT more than I ever needed. But if you go with 9555, you wouldnt need to limit your speakers to handful of speakers with 90+dB sensitivity with friendly load(8ohm speaker Load).

[Tetsuro]

Like like links I posted for 9355 and 9555 arent working. Here you go.

http://gallery.audioreview.com/showphoto.php?photo=3400&cat=500&ppuser=243898

http://gallery.audioreview.com/showphoto.php?photo=3401&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=243898


9355 looks to be 70watts in 4ohm and 9555 is about 160-170watts in 4 ohm(100 watts in 8ohm)

It's all about the quality of your amp. I used to use a 45 watt integrated amp to drive Triangle Comete (91dB sensitivity). 45 watt was ALOT more than I ever needed. But if you go with 9555, you wouldnt need to limit your speakers to handful of speakers with 90+dB sensitivity with friendly load(8ohm speaker Load).


Didn't noticed this reply, sorry.
They are efficient speakers (88db) but it's not only about 'Output Watts', they (Onkyo) rate 'Dynamic Watts' at 38 W (8 ohm). It's fairly below of a normal amplifier like a Yamaha 60 W (Output Watts) rated at 100 W (Dynamic Watts).

Anyway I have been able to purchase the amplifier at a fairly low price (211 euro) so I will tell you how good does it sound. ;)

[Mr Peabody]

Don't get caught up on specs, Yamaha don't slam like Onkyo no matter what they say on paper. There's more to it than just watts.

[Tetsuro]

Maybe it's the digital amplification that run in a different way about dynamic power, will know it soon. :)