Multichannel Amp Advice

[stevos2005]

I know I've been gone for a while, but I've been tweaking my system and figure I'll definitely need to get an external amp. Here are my observations.

On stereo music alone (which is VERY important to me):

I have an old Yamaha RX-V990 receiver rated at 100wpc stereo. I know THD and damping factor don't mean a lot, but just for stats, it is rated at 0.02% THD with 200 damping factor. The CD/DVD was a Toshiba DVD-5700 with Polk Audio RT1000p speakers.

I then got my B&W CDM 1NT's and put them in and was completely blown away by the clarity and what some call microdynamics of the system. The only thing I will admit about this receiver (not the B&W's since this was there with the Polks) is that the receiver's amps are somewhat bright and can be harsh over time.

Since I'm also upgrading the entire home theater, I shortly added a Yamaha RX-V2400 and Denon DVD-2900 DVD-A/SACD player.

I did get an incredible deal on the yammie. It has all the latest processing modes, etc, decent bass management, etc. It performs respectably in home theater, but I'm not really pleased with its musical performance. I'd actually say it sounds slighly worse overall than my old RX-V990. The Denon DVD-2900 really plays music well. I A/B'd using the yammie's internal DAC's to the Denon's 24-bit Burr Brown DAC's via the discrete multichannel input, and the sound is slightly clearer and more detailed.

I do find the RX-V2400 to not be very musical. A very good point is that it isn't as bright or harsh as the 990 and less fatiguing. However, the 2400 sounds what I call thin, not very musical, and slightly cold. It sounds a little metallic when listening to fm radio, but that just might be the radio.

Maybe my speakers need something better. In 1 or 2 days, I'm expecting my B&W CDM 9NT's to arrive, and put those in front and move the 1NT's to the rear. I wonder how that'll change the sound.

Anyway, I think I'll need a good multichannel amp that'll last a long time. I'm very pleased with the Denon, and the Yammie's home theater processing, THX, etc. etc. but I'll eventually get a separate processor maybe a few years from now.

I'm looking for a multichannel amp rated at least 120wpc (unlike the yammie which although rated 120 x 5 is probably more like 80 x 5.

I'm looking for a 5 channel amp with a warm, very musical sound while not rolled off in the highs, not harsh, BUT with very highly detailed microdynamics and accurate tight bass. Also most important is clear vocals. The maximum possible to spend is $2000 but I would prefer to go cheaper if possible. This will take me a while to do and I want to do it right. Any advice is welcome.

My first amp to look at will be the Rotel RMB-1095 rated at 200w x 5. Any thoughts on this?

Also, any other comments about the system setup are highly appreciated.

[stevos2005]

In addition to the Rotel, I'm also considering the Parasound HCA-125A and the HCA-2205AT. What kind of sound do they produce, especially with B&W CDM speakers?

The Rotel has balanced inputs while the Parasound doesn't. Although I won't be using balanced connections anytime soon, I do eventually plan to upgrade to a separate "high-end" processor in a few years with balanced outputs.

I have heard neither amp. I'm taking any suggestions. I've heard good things about the PS Audio, but that's way above my price range (that'd be like me getting nauts 803's as opposed to my CDMs) , considering I need 5 channels with a $2k max budget.

Thanks

[stevos2005]

What about the Parasound Halo A52? It's only rated at 125 wpc, but I'll bet that's conservative. How would that compare to the Rotel RMB-1095?

[stevos2005]

How about an Odyssey Stratos HT3 across the front? How would the Odyssey fare with music production with B&W CDM 9NT's? What kind of sound does this amp produce?

Thanks!

[Arch]

If you are looking for something that really sounds good and if you don't mind spending a little more, Anthem offers a good multi-channel pre-amp and power amp that has pretty decent reviews. I'm not exactly sure what the price is though.

[topspeed]

First things first: Arch, your avatar is too funny!

Steve,

If you think the Yammie sounds thin now, wait until you hear your 9NT's. It's the power supply or rather the lack thereof...pure and simple. When looking for amps, always remember that you must double the wattage to get a 3dB increase (barely audible) so don't put too much stock in watts. That 200wpc Rotel will only play marginally louder than the Halo at peak even though it is rated nearly twice as powerful. Current is where it's at, especially with the CDM's.

Of the amps you've listed, personally I'd rate them Halo>Rotel>HCA>Odyssey. For the sound you are looking for, the Odyssey is most definitely not it and honestly isn't a good synergistic match with the CDM's unless you like sibilant, silvery highs and nasal mids. B&K and Anthem are good choices although can be a bit veiled.

Definitely consider used. There's a Halo A52 on Videogon.com for $1750 right now and a friend picked up a Conrad-Johnson on e-bay for $2K that sounds luscious. I'd also look for used Cary's, Bryston, and BAT's (the BAT's will be little more tho). Amps are always good bets used and many have transferrable warranties.

Hope this helps.

[stevos2005]

Thanks for the advice. The Parasounds and the Rotel, as well as Bryston are relatively easy to audition, as I have local dealers. The Odyssey, of course, is a big pain to audition, since it only ships from Indiana.

What kind of sound does the Halo produce? If it's slightly warm, musical, true to life, highly detailed, tight bass, not rolled off when coupled with the CDM's then I'd have to give it a shot. How is it in microdynamics as well?

On a side note, the Yammie is sounding a little better. I guess that also needed time to break in. I know it won't have enough power, especially when driving 5 CDM's in HT mode with it's liberal rating, but the sound is slightly more believable, but still lacking in warmth and microdynamic details.

Is it true that the RX-V2400 only produces about 50 wpc at 1% distortion with all channels driven, or was that just hearsay?

[topspeed]

The Odyssey, of course, is a big pain to audition, since it only ships from Indiana. Save your time. The Odyssey isn't that great.


What kind of sound does the Halo produce? If it's slightly warm, musical, true to life, highly detailed, tight bass, not rolled off when coupled with the CDM's then I'd have to give it a shot. How is it in microdynamics as well? I liked the Halo a lot. It leans to the warmer side of neutral, but not by much. Certainly not as much as B&K. It has a very non-fatiguing, musical quality and has great mid-range presence. It's not as fast in the transients nor does it plumb the lowest nether regions as some others but this is being nit-picky. The microdynamics were about the same as the PSA, which is to say very good and very natural. I'd definitely recommend an audition.


Is it true that the RX-V2400 only produces about 50 wpc at 1% distortion with all channels driven, or was that just hearsay? I have no idea but 50wpc is pretty damn loud anyway.