Recommend me an Integrated amp!!

[velofrog]

a simple request............!!

if i sell my mono-blocks and pre, what should i replace them with?

i will be using a Pioneer PD-95 as the source, and Martin Logan Aerius I electrostatics for speaker duties

the MLs present a slightly awkward load, so it would need to be able to do 2 ohm loads

my AV amp is champagne gold, as is the 95, so maybe something Japanese would suit, old-school is cool too

i'd like to buy second hand, budget of around £1000, solid state or valves, it doesn't matter, but i would like warm and smooth sounding, something to get my foot tapping

music genre is mostly electronica, but have a little of everything

bring on the suggestions!

[Spectral Morn]

a simple request............!!

if i sell my mono-blocks and pre, what should i replace them with?

i will be using a Pioneer PD-95 as the source, and Martin Logan Aerius I electrostatics for speaker duties

the MLs present a slightly awkward load, so it would need to be able to do 2 ohm loads

my AV amp is champagne gold, as is the 95, so maybe something Japanese would suit, old-school is cool too

i'd like to buy second hand, budget of around £1000, solid state or valves, it doesn't matter, but i would like warm and smooth sounding, something to get my foot tapping

music genre is mostly electronica, but have a little of everything

bring on the suggestions!

Frankly you are going to struggle to find anything as good as your BAT pre and the Denon amps. The BAT is a very good pre (I know exactly how this sounds) and the Denon amps have a good reputation, but I have never heard a set.

If you want a change fair enough, but an upgrade for a grand, not going to happen. In my view you are at risk of taking a big step back in sound quality.

[struth]

NAD C 372 integrated amplifier..can also be bridged to create a monoblock

[velofrog]

Neil, you're right, was a really half-hearted sale anyway....

have decided to hang on to the monos and the BAT, and have subsequently pulled them from ebay

thanks for your words of wisdom :-)

[Spectral Morn]

Neil, you're right, was a really half-hearted sale anyway....

have decided to hang on to the monos and the BAT, and have subsequently pulled them from ebay

thanks for your words of wisdom :-)

No worries Mike.

The BAT is a lovely pre and while not as good as dearer BAT pre-amps it does a heck of a lot for what it is. I had one of those in my system for awhile and enjoyed it. My VK31se was off being serviced at the time.

Wise choice.

[The Black Adder]

Hi, the Densen DM-10 is a lovely integrated. I've had two of those and sounded smashing.

Lovely cdp you have too! I used to have the PD-91 which is the younger brother of the 93/95.

[DSJR]

Late to this, but bearing in mind the terrible loads of the ML's and the relative inability of many Jap amps (at least in the past) to drive them, I was going to suggest you look out for one of the slim Krell integrateds, the 400 model especially (they can be got for around a grand now). The 400 is a bit more subtle up-top over the earlier 300 and should drive the load with ease.

Anyway, if you have a lovely amp now, PLEASE don't change it just for the sake of it, as I know the later pain when what you have done sinks in ;)

[wee tee cee]

I noticed that Glen Croft is doing a line level intergrated for under a grand. He uses stacked 57s so dare say they would work well with statics. Might be worth a call to hi fi Dave?

[r100]

Maybe a Lavardin IS (http://www.lavardin.com/lavardin-isE.html) reference ? Personally, I wouldn't mind one :) myself.. oh wait..

[User211]

If we're talking Denon 6600 then I think any good reputation is very hard to comprehend. They were quite poor really on my penultimate Duettas, despite the high power rating. The BAT might give them some sort of lift, though.

I used ML Aerius for quite a few years. I'm not convinced I ever really had a great amp on them, but a Lumley ST70 power amp (not integrated) was very good with them. The low impedance is only at "high" HF so not that much of an issue.

I find the best way to get a great amp match is to buy used amps repeatedly over a long period of time, only replacing the one you have if the "new" one is genuinely better.

[jandl100]

If we're talking Denon 6600 then I think any good reputation is very hard to comprehend.

Hmm, yes, I agree.

But ... I had a pair of the 6600A monos, not the 6600 - allegedly a very different beastie.
So which are we talking 'bout?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Sansui 919, 719 or 717, all very very good.

[User211]

QUOTE=jandl100;695871]Hmm, yes, I agree.

But ... I had a pair of the 6600A monos, not the 6600 - allegedly a very different beastie.
So which are we talking 'bout?[/QUOTE]

In my case? 6600 and a VRDS 25 below. A while back now though.

15570[

[struth]

The 6600A was supposed to be far superior to the standard 6600. Would be good to know why but thats what I was told.

Was interested in a pair but couldn't afford. The restek monos were also on my list and still are I guess.

[jandl100]

The 6600A was supposed to be far superior to the standard 6600. Would be good to know why but thats what I was told.


ha ha !! - I was told the exact opposite. :)
The truth is out there - somewhere!

My 6600A were limp-wristed in the extreme, couldn't punch there way out of a soggy paper bag. I would not recommend them.

[User211]

ha ha !! - I was told the exact opposite. :)
The truth is out there - somewhere!

My 6600A were limp-wristed in the extreme, couldn't punch there way out of a soggy paper bag. I would not recommend them.

Totally agree I felt the 6600 was the same. Lacked dynamics, sounded weak willed and thin. All the traits of a bad Jap tranny amp in spades. Just crap, basically.

[User211]

If these are the OP's amps, then apologies for being apparently so abrupt about them. If they happen to be so, I think you can do a lot better.

[struth]

Like all this stuff it is. All dependant on system and especially speakers as to how an amp may sound.