2. home-theater
  3. 140844-63913

A good sounding amp for my GoldenEar Refderence

Hi Everyone out there!
I am a Home Theater guy with an appetite to always try to upgrade something in my system.
Just recently I went from the GoldenEar Triton Ones to their Reference for my front L & R.
I am now deciding to do music streaming and will use Tidal as I hear it is the best sounding music that one can rent.
I have 12 channels for HT
 2 front L & R
1 center Golden Ear XXL
2 inwall sides
2 inwall rears
4 Atmos
1 additional centre above myu XXL that I use every now and then when I think it may help me hear dialogue a little cleaner (it works some time)
I have a Classé CT5300 running my three front speakers + 2 rears
the other 7 channels are run by an Emotiva XPA-7
Anyone have any experience with my Reference speakers to tell me if I should go to monoblocks (or another 5-channel amnp) for them and a 3-channel amp for my centre + 2 rears?
Looking for some guidance!
Steve
128x128eternalcamper
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,385 posts
 
I don’t do home theater but my Triton Reference speakers were used with a Conrad Johnson MF2550  250wpc solid state amp which sounded thick, slow and syrupy and now with a McIntosh MC152 150wpc solid state amp which is a keeper, it sounds perfect with the T Refs. 
caphill
674 posts
 
How do you like the Golden Ear/Classe pairing right now? If you like your current pairing now and since you already have the Classe CA-5300 five-channel amp, you can look for a used Classe CAM-300 monoblock amps or the CAM-600 monoblock amps, which will have same sonic signature and tonality with your CA-5300 amp. And you can move your CA-5300 to power your center and surrounds. 
What is your HT preamp processor? 

eternalcamper's avatar
eternalcamper OP
18 posts
 
CaphillI have had my 2 amps for a number of years so I really do not know how the T Ref would sound with any other amp.
I am using the Marantz AV8802A and was thinking of upgrading to their new one, the AV8805, but am not sure if this would be a good move now.
I think I may see (hear) better results with another amp for my Reference but am not sure.
Steve
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,782 posts
 
Eternal it really depends on budget, personally have always felt that the Classe amps are a little on the dark side of neturality. 

The Golden Ear Reference tend  to be a bit on the warmer/softer side therefore an amplifier with great transparency and punch in the midrange would be our recommendation. 

Therefore, like Stereo5 said a warmer amp like CJ or Classe would not be our first pick, amplifiers with great transparency are Hegel, and Nuprime belive it or not has launched a new version of their older reference amps which were fantastic. 

Also there is a strong buzz from TJ anyway on the new Coda Series 8 amplifer. Coda stuff is fantastic slightly warm, just a smidge but not dark, fast clean great punch and many of their amplifiers run class A for anywhere from 5-25 watts, totally a sleeper.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,832 posts
 
Agree with @audiotroy  that a more upfront, dynamic amp might be a nice marriage with the Golden Ears.  Without such an amp. even if played loudly, the GE's can sound a bit flaccid.
More to discover