Most compatable amp for ACI Sapphire III


Just got these speakers a couple of weeks ago and am now upgrading the system to go with it. I want to replace the old Yamaha R-7 receiver with separates, already have a Magnum Dynalab F-11 Tuner on hold. Also using a Sony 80-ES CD player.
Been looking at Rotel pre-amps & amps...(RC-1070 & RB-1050) plus an older RC995 amp.
Any thoughts on the compatability of Rotel equipment with these speakers? I like a warmer sound, can go another $700 or so with the amp/pre-amp. Cabinet size limits me to just over 17" width, so that chucks some items out the window.
Thanks for any help!
mantatoo

Showing 4 responses by mantatoo

Well, I have compromised and gone to a Jolida hybrid integrated amp, the JD 1501RC. After *extended* research, I found the reviews were decidedly positive and the description of the sound is just how I prefer it. Other brands mentioned above had to be eliminated because of size or cost constraints. Plus, as a hybrid, it is said to run cooler, important consideration given my enclosed cabinet with limited circulation.
I was unable to listen to them beforehand. There are only 2-3 places to showcase amps in my 100 mile radius. Stereo stores are increasingly showcasing primarily home theater and listening setups are spartan, relegated to some corner, poorly set up, if at all. Must be a far better profit in HT than 2-channel.
But, to get off topic a moment, salesmen in stereo and Circuit City-type stores have traditionally ignored me because I'm a female. I'm invisible and not worth spending time on. It's an amazing phenom to wait and wait, have a guy walk up and get waited on ahead of. I can't tell you how many times I was itching to spend money in a store but left because I was either not waited on at all or glossed over.
There's a store in Gainesville, FL that I have been into three times the last month...they have lost at least $2500 sales by not bothering to try and SELL me something. Imagine that! A salesman NOT trying to sell?
The first time I went was for speakers; Salesman 1 and I went to a very cramped 2-ch room that had what promised to be decent speakers (Soliliqy), but the trade-in amp had a defect and kept causing major clipping...the guy said, oh well...and didn't bother to put another amp on so I could listen to the speakers. Walked away. I never did hear how they sounded...my loss, perhaps their loss. I ended up choosing ACI Sapphire III's unheard by reading reviews and opinions. Had them 2 wks and I'm liking them more and more the longer I have them. With the upgraded system, I think it'll be a very sweet set-up.
The second time I went, I got treated well by Paul (salesman 2), he tried to sell me Rotels. After reading your responses and reading Rotel et al reviews very extensively, I had decided on the Jolidas {no place to audition here] but had room to be talked into another similar brand if there was an effort made. I went back to this G'ville place because many of the brands recommended here listed them as dealers. I thought I'd give them a chance to keep the money local and see if they could "sell" me on whatever they carry. Salesman 3 who "helped" me today, he lost interest as soon as I mentioned 2-channel, said all they carry is Cary, "and they're in that room up front" (the one with the clipping amp and previously unheard Soliloquys). And then he just walked away without another word. Yep, there was a Cary pre-amp in there with the offending clipping amp (the brand escapes me) still hooked up, unlistenable to, a week later.
I left, went home and got on the phone. I called Response Audio, talked to Bill. Yeah, he actually talked to me, discussed the system, what to expect, etc. answered all questions, didn't talk down. Nice guy. We got the 1501RC ordered, a Creek phono pre-amp and some cables. They and my Magnum Dynalab FT-11 should be here by early next week, it'll be like Christmas.
Thanks for all your input & recommendations.
Lisa
Will do...give me a couple weeks to allow delivery and break-in time on the Jolida.
Lisa
Well, I've had the Jolida for a week now, the Sapphires a month....maybe 60 hours on the amp, 120 on speakers? Here's the equipment I have:
-Sapphire III LE's
-Jolida 1501RC integrated amp
-Sony 80ES CD player
-Generic Monster Cable sized speaker wires that have a 30' or so run
-Moonlight Clarity interconnects between the amp and the CD player.
-And other things not having any bearing on the sound right now, as I'm primarily playing CD's.
Room characteristics: small, maybe 14' long x 12' wide, 8' ceiling. Speakers that sit on stands on a raised stone hearth on either side of a stone fireplace with wooden bookshelves behind on either side. Bay window to the right, open traffic path to the left front and rear right. Built in wood cabinet in rear left corner w/ components, couch, coupla stuffed chairs, carpet.
I'm not one of you golden eared people who can describe sound in infinite, poetic & colorful detail, so I will be stating things simply as an amateur.
I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I'm hearing things, details I never heard before, more spaciousness, more clarity, more separation of instruments, voices. I get those blissful moments of "ooooohhhhh, and aaaaaaaahhhh."
The BUT is that thus far it is too bright for me. My ears actually hurt if the volume is too high, and I'm not really cranking it up [8:00 max]. I'd like to, but I'm not. I've read reports where people refer to "bleeding ears" (not regarding this system) and I thought, yeah. That's what it feels like. Like when you're sick and hearing is overly sensitive, if that makes sense.
So, I have to think that something needs to be done to make this better. I don't know if it's the speakers, the amp or what. Is more burn time really going to make any difference? Any suggestions on what I need to do would be greatly appreciated as it's a bit frustrating to me right now. Thanks.
Lisa
Well, the holidays are over, I can write a brief update on this combination. I'm loving the speakers...I moved them off the hearth, away from the back wall, and they sound much more spacious, more bass. I had a religious experience listening to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album, the speakers disappeared and this wall of sound just blossomed in front of me.
I'm still having some sensitivity to brights but I have come to the conclusion this is a thing with my eyes because I have been having the same problem when other people haven't in different settings...maybe I'm having a symptoms of an ear problem that runs in the family. Anyway, I'm very happy with the speakers. I have been happily rediscovering music, pulling out old CD's I hadn't listened to in years.
The Jolida has a drawback, no subwoofer out...for me to add a subwoofer would be a problem. Doesn't make much sense to wire it in such a way as to run it through a powered sub thereby bypassing the Jolida. So, no sub in my future until the warranty on the Jolida runs out and I have my father (electrical engineer) add an sub-out to it. He called them, they said they'd get back w/ him re: if they could modify it but never called back. I wouldn't be inclined to send it off for god knows how long and be without my music.
So that's the short & sweet of it.