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Need help choosing my first amp for my first speakers

Hi, I am completely new to this world of hi-fi audio and I would like some help from the collective intelligence. Please bear with me even if I sound like someone who has no idea because I am.

I have just purchased my first set of speakers. I bought a used Boenicke W5 SE+. And I am looking for an amp to go with it. The speakers were a good deal but still not cheap and Im already mostly hitting my budget limit. 

I don't have any gear right now (I really mean 0), so my initial thought was to buy a Wiim amp to start off and then start changing to a more serious amp later on. (I like that it has everything including a streamer for me to get going right away)

So my questions are 
1. will the Wiim amp be able to power Boenicke W5 SE+?

2. What do you think of the plan to start with all integrated cheap amp and then changing later?

2. Any other amp suggestions for the speakers in a similar price range?($500 ish)

3. Can I just get Audio cables from Amazon?

4. How do you calculate wattage for the speakers from the speaker specs below?

5. Any other tips for a complete beginner would be appreciated.
 

Specs for Wiim Amp
https://wiimhome.com/wiimamp/specs
Specs for Boenicke W5 SE+

-

Sensitivity: 83-86 dB / watt / m depending on frequency

Nom. impedance: 4 ohms

Weight: 3.5 kg / piece (speaker only)

Standard Version

  • 5″ long throw (X-max = 9,25mm) bass driver, tuned to 50 Hz, no crossover
  • 3″ widebander made to spec, 1st order high pass filter, unique electromechanical 8-cm parallel spiral resonator installed
  • Internal wiring orientation-optimised silk-wrapped high-frequency stranded litz
  • WBT NextGen binding posts
  • Rear ambient tweeter
  • Harmonisation included

 

SE+ Version

  • 2-cm copper / 2-cm copper gold straight resonator combination installed at both widebander and bass driver in series, in addition to the parallel device
  • Mundorf Silver-Gold-Oil capacitor for widebander, added Duelund Tinned Copper Foil 0.01 uF bypass capacitor
  • Harmonix RF-5700 tuning bases at widebander’s magnet
  • Added proprietary acoustic phase linearisation network
  • Harmonisation included

 

Thanks for all the help!

 

jcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjc
grislybutter
2,989 posts
 

still on

2. Any other amp suggestions for the speakers in a similar price range?($500 ish)

check out prices up to $1200 if you are willing to buy used

https://speakerchoices.com

 

Ag insider logo xs@2x
jji666
536 posts
 

OP has bought himself some relatively high end speakers for his first purchase.  I don' think they'll be sorry but it is a bit like having a Lambo as your first car at 16.  

Those speakers are lovely but they require a substantial amplifier to power correctly. What you're being told is that amps that rate to double their wattage output from 8 ohms to 4 ohms generally have better capacity to pass current, which is what inefficient (doesn't mean bad sound...at all...my speakers are all inefficient ones) speakers need. 4 ohms means harder to drive. 

Receivers generally don't get close to doubling down.  Anything like that and you won't have any real idea of what those speakers can do! 

If your budget is modest, look for a used Bryston 3-- or 4--- model, or a Parasound A23, or similar.  Lots of used deals out there.  

Have fun!  It's a never ending journey! 

chuckjonez
34 posts
 

Hi jc, the best advice I can give you is to buy used on audiogon. You will immediately double your buying ability. My method is to look at the gear fitting my budget and needs (e.g., 100 watts) and when something catches my eye I immediately google reviews. I look for high praise and “it’s an incredible value.” There are a few other online marketplaces, but it’s the Wild West for honesty. I’ve never had a problem on audiogon. (I have an outstanding pair of speaker cables I’m selling if you’re interested.)

thanks, Chuck 

jcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjcjc OP
5 posts
 

Hi forum friends,

First of all, thank you very much for all the advice, it really helped me a lot to choose my first amp. After consideration and more research along with trips to nearby hi-fi stores, I decided to combine my subwoofer and amp budget and choose the one that would fit right with the speakers with enough power for me not to want to change the amp for a while. I went with a used Rotel RA-1592MKII amp at a really good price. Being a beginner, I was really worried about damaging the speakers and I have peace of mind with this wattage. Having speakers boxed and waiting for choosing and finding the amp was quite hard but now with everything I am very content with the choices I made. I've been listening to music more attentively and playing genres that I rarely listened to before. It brought me back to my young days when I had fun 'discovering' new music. As per the sound, to my ears this setup works better with natural instruments, strings, vocals, rather than something that was created digitally, hip hop, electronic and etc. The sounds feel full-er with instruments and computer-generated sounds sound a bit empty. Also, I think I could use a subwoofer for more bass, but that's for later(I still enjoy most music without it, but for movies and electronic music, I think it could benefit from it). I connected a wiim mini and use this speaker for everything, (music, tv and movies.) The amp (Rotel RA-1592MKII) was very heavy but looks nice and is easy to use (though the remote... looks like it's from the 90s). This is my first setup so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I am happy with the sound that I am getting. Again thank you all for all the advice and comments, you guys helped tremendously.

Happy listening!

tomcarr
1,504 posts
 

Glad to hear your system is up and running and you're enjoying it!

My journey started 49 years ago and I'm happier now  more than ever.

Hope yours does too.

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