Matching Speakers to amp
Odyssey Khartago on eBay with larger upgraded power supply, current bid $500. Consider a Odyssey Khartago stereo amp used. These pop up for $600 occasionally. These could also be good, as I believe they also use bi-polar output transistors as well and decent power supply to get some current flowing. But there’s a ? for me on the mono blocks, from couple of models I saw that came through, they were just stereo amps that were bridged. +More watts -More distortion -Less damping factor -less stable into low impedance’s. Cheers George |
auxinputThat’s a given, along with bjt’s to back the power supply for good current into low impedances. But as he said he’s looking at " $500-600 level" maybe old JC Parasound poweramps with a $49 Schiit Sys for the pre. This could do. or an early HCA-2200 https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis90c17-parasound-2250-solid-state Cheers George |
The Parasound A23 above that George recommended could be nice, but it's only 125 watts per channel. Yes but the speakers are both over 90db so that 125w @ 8ohm is fine and being John Curl design with BJT output you can bet it no slouch into low impedance's. It actually puts out 150w into 8ohm test here in this review and bech test. http://i.nextmedia.com.au/Assets/Parasound_P5_Preamp_A23_Power_Amp_Review_Test_lores.pdf Cheers George |
so I now need to search for an integrated amp around the $500 to $600 range to push these things.I don’t know the used prices in the US a used John Curl designed Parasound Halo Integrated, it will try to push those low impedance’s in the bass (for an integrated), and I think it has a dac and phono stage in it as well. https://www.stereophile.com/content/parasound-halo-integrated-integrated-amplifier These may also be good but you need a preamp, maybe a Schiit Sys $49 will do. https://www.ebay.com/itm/PARASOUND-HALO-A23-STEREO-POWER-AMPLIFIER-IN-SILVER-COLOR-2/283016082021?ha... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Parasound-Halo-A23-Amplifier-in-Silver-Excellent-Condition/152948492181?has... http://www.schiit.com/products/sys Cheers George |
Your Dynaudio 160 have never had an impedance graph done on them, but the 140’s do which is the same family. And yes they are far more easier to drive than the Focals or the Quads of the OP's. https://www.stereophile.com/images/archivesart/506140FIG1.jpg Cheers George |
johnkent316 posts07-06-2018 9:56pmGeorgehifi is totally incorrect with his response. I understand, you love your amp and are sticking up for it. But like I said into the OP’s speakers " it will work into them and probably sound fine." But may not perform at their best. But your speaker may not have the loading that the OP’s do. (I will try to find it for you.) I’m just pointing out the tested/measured specs behind it with the OP’s two speakers. Cheers George |
jbuhl Sorry, but to me neither speaker will be at their best with the Stellar, it will work into them and probably sound fine, but probably not extract the best from either. >2ohm loads are not Class-D’s forte. I don’t think big wattage is the answer here as both speakers are over 90db, a 50-100w amp will do, the issue is the amp needs to supply good current into the low bass load as seen by it (below) to keep it from becoming a tone control. The Quad S5 has a demanding load in the low bass. As measured by Keith Howard of HiFi News: " EPDR (equivalent peak dissipation resistance) to fall to a minimum of 1.4ohm at 111Hz, making the S_5 a more than a typically testing load for this size and class of floor stander " The Focal Aria 962 is also a hard load in the bass as can be seen by this graph from 80hz to 300hz. 2.8ohms and also a -55 degree phase shift, which equates to a EPDR well below 2ohms https://www.stereophile.com/images/1114FA936fig1.jpg A Class-D, Tube or Mosfet is not my first choice of amp for loads like these to get the most out of the low bass of these two speakers. I would prefer to see a linear amp with lots of bi-polar (BJT) output devices and big power supplies, to push current into that bass to keep it under control and flat without becoming a tone control.. Cheers George |
