Dave-b, I went with the little brother of the 801, the 301 and i’m very happy with it. very good match.
Please recommend a receiver/integated/seaprates for JBL studio 530.
My old Denon DRA-355 died on me recently. My JBLs never sounded better with anything else, even with way more expensive integrated and/or separates. Does anyone know of another component or separates that sound like the DRA-355? That combo sounded magical. It was perfect, for me at least. So much lush, liquid, juicy sound. Bass to boot, and perfect. Nice, punchy, and tight, not boomy at all. Very articulate, plenty of control. I thought about repairing it, but I'm probably better off just getting something else, whether new or used. That little cheap receiver was phenomenal. I've never experienced Marantz, Cambridge and those similar guys, so i have no idea how their house sound would be with my JBLs. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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Take a look at Indy Audio Labs Acurus Aires. I have had one in my system for over a year now. It's $4499 retail but worth the investment. It's has a very detailed overall sounding edgy or strident. It has a tight bottom end, very open midrange and a sweet high end. It is 200W x 2 into 8 ohms 400 x 2 into 4 ohms has a sub output and it's 2RU.high. |
If you get the cheapie, be sure to swap out the Chinese tubes for a US or Russian pair. Mine has a matched pair of Riverstone Audio 5654W tubes; $29.99 on Amazon. I happen to like the clear acrylic case. If you have access to a tube tester and can do your own tube matching, the individual tubes start at $9.95 each for current production GE tubes. |
https//www.google.com/amp/s/m.aliexpress.com/item/4000215235804.html some pics and specs. I’ve got one in a bedroom driving a Fosi T20 and a couple Dayton Audio 6.5-AMT speakers. Sounds pretty good to me. If you wanted to upgrade a bit, Douk Audio makes essentially the same amp in a fancier box for $59. |
I agree with blainer55 on Yamaha. There have been quite a few mergers in the home theater integrated amp market, including Denon with Marantz who were subsequently purchased by Sound United LLC and Pioneer bought by Onkyo. Sometimes (but not always) with the mergers, the new owners use cheaper components because all they were really after was the name. Yamaha has remained independent and has the highest reliability ratings of any home theater integrated amp manufacturer. I've read about quite a few problems with Denon HDMI connectors and other issues with the other manufacturers. I rarely if ever read about problems with Yamaha. My suggestion would be to look for a previous year's model that has everything you want but has been heavily discounted. |
Crown power amplifier and Semoic Audio 6j1 tube preamplifier. Depending on which Crown you get, you can easily stay under $500, especially on Amazon. I’ve got their 145 RMS WPC version and paid $249 for it used. They still have a couple more in stock. The preamp only costs $14.64 If you need an FM tuner, there’s a fabulous bargain in the Minlia HDTV FC0012 USB RTL 2832U SDR Tuner dongle stick DBB-T + DAB + FM + TV receiver. $16.89 plus tax on Amazon. See my post in the “diminishing returns” forum thread for why I like it. |
This NAD is under 500 bucks! https://www.musicdirect.com/integrated-amp/NAD-C-316BEE-V2-Integrated-Amplifier |
If you want to go with a receiver for audio purposes, try out a big Onkyo receiver from about 6 or 7 years ago. My TX-NR 809 weighs 40 pounds and has all manner of balls to it! Still works perfectly. I see one on e bay for $359. Or even something like my old Yamaha RX-V1800 receiver, which weighs about 36 pounds and sounded great. |
OK, I'd like to keep this under $500. That Denon receiver was about $250 brand new, at least 10 yrs ago. I'm not trying to be a tight wad, but this is my secondary system. I'm convinced that i can get a similar sound as the 355. The problem is, with what??? If I'm gonna spend upwards of a grand, I'm getting a new pre-amp for my main rig, which i don't want to do just yet. |
Yogi: I've tried a much newer Denon and it came up short, man. No guts whatsoever. Really disappointed cuz i thought it would better the small Denon. 54: I have the 590s and are perfectly happy with that set-up. I'm looking for a match for my 530s. I appreciate it, though. That Black Ice looks sharp!!! A bit more than what I'd like to spend for my 530s. Miller: I've had good tube amps in the past. Shame I don't have one now to try them with the 530s. They might be the answer. Who knows? |
"PS- in the time it took me to write this yogiboy obliged with just what was expected. So I was right. Yet again." @millercarbon You’re a legend in your own mind!!!!! |
I have JBL 580 speakers. I had very good results with this amp Black Ice Fusion-3502P. Underwood hifi has this integrated on sale gor $1100 regular price $1800. check it out https://www.underwoodhifi.com/specials |
Well the problem is instead of looking for a good amp you're looking for an amp that will make your speakers sound good, which is another thing altogether. I mean its fine if that's what you want but are you sure? The sound you're looking for, "lush, liquid, juicy" yet with punchy tight articulate bass is kind of a tough combination- especially in a cheap little receiver. (Your words not mine.) Let's say you find it. Its only a matter of time before you either tire of this lush sound, or the speakers go or you upgrade them, or something (anything) changes and you're confronted with the reality you've got a way lush of center component in your system. Then if you do what the system matching guys are always saying, you will find another flawed component to offset and counteract the majorly flawed amp you just worked so hard to find. There's a whole slew of guys here usually leap at the chance to tell you what to buy. Probably the CCP virus has everyone off their game. They'll be along. Trust me. Anyway that's not my style. I had JBLs for years. Decades. Ruined me. Got it into my head they somehow sounded good. By the time I sold them it was like an ice pick in my ear. Just my way of planting the seed that the preferences you have right now might just maybe change in coming years. You might maybe want to look around for affordable integrated amps. With tubes, if at all possible. Or if not then at least listen to some. If only to let you know what a good amp is supposed to sound like. So instead of trying to find what you had, you maybe find something better. PS- in the time it took me to write this yogiboy obliged with just what was expected. So I was right. Yet again. |
Since you like the Denon so much you should get another one!! https://www.crutchfield.com/S-hYM4qohClT7/shopsearch/denon_receiver.html?XVINQ=MI2&XVVER=PEH&... |