Just listen to as many amps as you can with your speakers and buy what sounds best to you.
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I have trouble believing that dealers won't let you take home high end equipment to audition in your system. If it is in the shop it is demonstration equipment anyway. They take your credit card information and only charge to it if you don't return it. Many dealers do this. The ones that don't should be avoided. One cannot make an educated evaluation without it being in their own home system. Especially at the very high prices this stuff cost. Worst case scenario, listening to it in the store, buying it on that alone, taking it home, and it sounds not very good. you are then stuck. Would you buy a car sight unseen and without a test drive? I can understand this if the dealer is several hundreds of miles away. But, maybe a quick conversation with the manufacturers can help in obtaining demonstration pieces to audition. enjoy |
Dave_72 -- Though it may not look like much on paper(watt-wise), the Class A poweramp Belles SA-30 is something to sonically behold, and a relative bargain: http://www.powermodules.com/sa-30.html Its sound to my ears is "characterized" as extremely coherent, dynamic, resolved, free-flowing(liquid), organic, and with a very natural tone. Don't mind the very conservative 30 watt specs - it sounds anything but, if watts are anything to go by. The S-4700's are fairly efficient, and the way I remember their sound I believe the SA-30 will bring them to life in sparkling fashion. |
Do you still have your speakers on the floor! Did they not come with stands or something to get woofers away from floor. I can't believe that would sound good at all with the tweeter and mid horn below your ear. Also why would you bash Emotiva that way it wasn't made to compete with those two brands that's why what you're saying makes no sense that's like comparing Denon to those brands it was made to smoke and beat receivers which it does. Not sure why you're commenting like that. I'll admit Bryston and Pass are better but Mac is not. Mac is not near as good as it use to be no more point to point wiring also use ribbon cables to replace boards because that is a cheaper way to go. And because they breakdown more. Why are you worried about amps when you are using an onkyo CD player and speakers on the floor. Emotiva is very nice sounding gear better than any AVR COULD EVER BE. I own Classe ssp75 with a Cav 500 using Oppo105 using the analog outputs in main theater and Rel Stentor subs. But I have emotiva in family room with two Svs subs it's amazing gear hi quality output devices and nice caps for the money nothing comes close. I also use Classe Omega in my main system with a Cat preamp Sme10 benz LP cart and Resolution audio Cantata with a Mac mini so I think I know decent sound. I just can't believe you are bashing Emotiva it helps no one. Get some speaker stands for your 20,0000 dollar speakers that's like having wagon wheels on a Porche. Get rid of the onk. And help people that are just starting out in this hobby, for the money I'd rather have the Emotiva than any AVR any day. Sorry about my bad grammar and writing. English is my third language |
Hi Dave72, I want you to go and audition the new Krell amplifiers, they would be a very good fit for your JBL speakers, not just any great sounding amp will work!, because of the Hz and Khz specs of your speakers, you need an amplifier that is NOT some wide band bright amplifier, you know, an amp that is 20hz to 100khz, no man, do not do that!, you need a great dynamic, 20hz to 20khz amp, your speakers are already detailed in sound, you need a little warmth, very deep bass slam, very good mids, and alot of air and some sparkle on the top end for an amplifier, this kind of sound will mate well with your JBL speakers, the new Krell amps fit the bill! |
Wadia: The speakers came with spikes. I have a concrete floor, and they are floor standing speakers at 44 inches high with the spikes. The tweeter and the mid is *not* below my ear. I don't need stands, ok? And if you still think I do, you come here and put these 240 lb (for both) speakers on them! Also, about Emotiva, it is my opinion. And I am entitled to it. Nothing more, nothing less. My Onkyo sounds great, others such as the members of the audio club I run (Las Vegas Audio Club) feel the same way. THE END! |
Accupase has a nice musical sound, but there is more than only a nice sound. I said it many times: you only get a deep and wide stage when an amp, source, speakers and cables are good at it. I auditioned Accuphase at shows and at my work in over 16 years of time. It is hard to say which models. I never had a feeling; this is what I want to own. I made the remark about which amps can you audition, because this is the only way to find out what works best. Pass labs can build a very deep and wide stage. Has a very musical sound and is well controlled and has a good timing. All parts to create a stunning sound. I still would want to listen to it first if I were you. There are a few older Krell amps which are very musical and have a big stage as well. I would go for class A or like the XA series of Pass which start to work in Class A as well. |
Your speakers are very difficult to compare with others. You only can find out to listen to it with your own speakers. In 2006 I bought a set 800 Signatures. I live in the Netherlands and bought them in germany. I had to drive 7 hours to get there. I took every part of my set including cables and conditioner with me. I would take my spakers with me when there would not be an option to lend it. |
Dave, If you do not want to audition a older or newer Krell, Pass labs is a great choice, I would go with pure class A pass labs amps instead of the A/B amps, with the sensativity of your speakers, you could look into that 100 per channel class A amp that pass makes if you wanted to not spend your house morgage!, the class A amps pass labs makes are way more exspensive than their A/B amps, for a good reason!, stick to class A my friend, cheers. |
Ok, thanks. I'm gonna hear Pass Labs (as well as Accuphase and more)again at CES. Yeah, I really wanna try Class A amps. I'm already driving them with an A/B amp, a Bryston 4B, and the Bryston is a pretty solid A/B amp. However, it's lacking in dynamics and transparency, as well as imaging. It plays real loud and has lots of bass, but that's about it. I don't expect it to be as good as Accuphase, Luxman, Pass Labs, etc. |
I agree with Bo1972, A tube pre-amp is what I have always preferred myself with solid state, Dave, The only pre-amp in the world I know of that has treble and bass controls is Dan D Agostino's momentum solid state pre-amp, that my friend is beyound our bucket list, although the Dan D Agostino equipment is way beyound the pass-labs and krell with performance, A whole different league! It also comes with, what I call stupid money for pricing!, If I had the money, The Dan D Agostino master systems amplifiers is what I would have period, cheers. |
10-19-14: AudiolabyrinthOK, I'll ask you since you're offering advice, what $20,000 pre have you compared the Dude too? |
Audio always will be a personal matter. But every single person is free to give his own opinion. And yes a review is a personal opinion. That is why comparing in audio is so much fun. It is always nice to find tools which are better than the ones you use. Many of us give people here on Audiogon options to audition. Nothing more, nothing less. I believe this is a good thing!! |
In my country were Slisssstech is comming from we say that Slissstech owners are F idiots. I think it is even worse; you must be a F. mongol to buy them. In the past I crushed them all the time. It is always nice to beat inferior audio. I think they only survive cause of sales in foreign countries. You don't find it a lot anymore in the Netherlands. And there is a reason why!! |