2. amps-preamps
  3. 1361045276

can a new amp amp tame my speakers?

Just spent some time listening to what I've been planning to upgrade to for main speakers. PSB Synchronys. The Imagine T2's are close, but slightly veiled in comparison. My current, but old, Infinity Kappa 7's really don't give much away to the PSB's. My amp is an old Yamaha MX2, 125wpc, and I've heard them described as bright or harsh, and that's the only complaint I really have with the sound now. Can a well-chosen amp tame the highs on the Kappa'a, which use a ribbon-style tweeter? Or is the 'taming' I seek only going to happen with a speaker upgrade. I honestly don't mind upgrading the speakers, and fully expected to, but after today's auditioning, I'm wondering if I'm going to get that much benefit from that level of investment. $3500+ is a healthy chunk of coin for benefits of slimmer profile and tamed highs. In terms of imaging, weight, and bass, the Kappa's are equal, imo. The system is also the theater, but the avr can power the surrounds, so an amp upgrade could be 2 channel. A power boost is a must too, as the current 125wpc isn't enough for when wifey's not home and the volume gets wound up ;)
english210

Showing 6 responses by runnin

runnin
397 posts
 
I had the same issue, my Paradigms had a harsh top end with sibilance on some tracks. A Parasound Halo A21 was a big step up over the Emotiva amp it replaced. No sibilance, nicer mid range and imaging with more accurate bass.
runnin
397 posts
 
Yes, it's hard to audition and reading online is not the most helpful sometimes. I can't help you with the New Classic vs Halo comparison, but I would suspect that the 2 lines would have similar house sound and if it comes down to it you could call Parasound, their C.service is apparently amazing.

But the W4S ST500 sounds like a pretty good option. BTW, my sibilance issue was only at higher volumes above 80db or so. I'd say you're on the right track, just take your time and do the research. My Halo purchase was a shot in the dark and I got lucky.
runnin
397 posts
 
The question might be are you going to be replacing the Kappa 7's for the PSB Synchrony or keep the Kappa's with this amp. Because it looks like the Kappa 7's may have some ohm dips at certain frequencies that go down to 2 ohms or so. Using a bridged amp for that is not recommended in most cases.

If you're interested in the A21, they do go on sale. I bought mine from a dealer who shipped it to me for under 2K. And there might be deals on Audiogon used as well. The W4S I'm not as familiar with, but they have lots of power too. You just need a dealer willing to deal.
runnin
397 posts
 
I responded to your thoughts on bridging, but my post hasn't appeared.
runnin
397 posts
 
I'm not familiar with Peachtree, but that amp is Class D. In reading some of the previous posts, room treatments are good, but I think that high frequencies are less affected by room. That's why tweeters are usually recommended to be at ear level, they are not as robust as other frequencies. But other frequencies can certainly be an issue.

And sibilance, or a distortion like sound coming from the tweeters, is probably not room gain related. Is there a possibility that your Yamaha receiver is straining at higher levels?
runnin
397 posts
 
In truth, there are probably many brands that would warm up your Kappas. Klaus sounds like a true fan of audio but also a good salesman(not knocking him). I am in a similar situation as you and I plan add to my Halo A21 a NAD pre-amp(known to be on the warm side). The A21 did stop the sibilance I was experiencing, but I want to experiment with the warm side of things.

I ordered a tube pre amp kit (3 tubes) and I'm looking forward to the tinkering!
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