What to change?

[James the Albarry lover]

I'm planning on changing some of my hifi but I'm not sure what to change, I have a few ideas in mind about changing my source or pre amp.

Let's talk about source first, I've found a cracking Marantz SA-1 that ticks all the boxes for me. I thought about vinyl but if I want it to work for me I'd need a suspended turntable as my room is too small and upstairs which means vibrations travel through everything making any turntable without suspension probably sound like sh**, of course a wall bracket is an option but I don't have any LPs to begin with so cd will most likely be the path I'll be going down again

Now the pre amp route, I love my Albarry's as my name might suggest but I've always wondered if they'd benefit the more upfront sound an active pre amp can provide if so do you guys have any suggestions for a good matching active or should I just leave it and change my source as I have nothing against that nice laid back sound they produce

Thanks in advance for any input

[hifi_dave]

As always, a price range would be helpful.

The AP3 you have is very good indeed, so you will need to spend a fair amount to improve on it.

[James the Albarry lover]

As always, a price range would be helpful.

The AP3 you have is very good indeed, so you will need to spend a fair amount to improve on it.

£1000ish

[Macca]

I'd improve the CD player. Nowt wrong with the '63 but there is a step up after that in terms of the ability to do soundstaging.

[James the Albarry lover]

Yes new source, that would probably be the wise decision as I've heard that Albarry's are a pain to find a matching pre and it ends up not being worth while anyway, I've got my mind half made up already now but feel free to throw anymore knowledge my way it's all appreciated

[Macca]

Your 63 is quite a coloured player as are all the Marantz '6' series. I've got a 67Se knocking about here somewhere. Example: Early Fleetwood Mac compilation album - makes it sound awesome even though it isn't really, but with Joy Divison 'Unknown Pleasures' it sounds like a different production entirely, really coloured.

They do enhance some recordings but that does mean others sound a bit 'odd' compared to from a more neutral player (like most Sonys for instance). If you are mostly into Jazz, and general acoustic or semi acoustic sort of stuff then you might want a player that is similar, otherwise you might think you've lost rather than gained on the upgrade. No idea if the SA1 is like that as I've never had a go on one. But I'd be surprised if it strays far from the Marantz house sound.

[Jazid]

I'd go different: a computer based source with eg. jRiver for convenience and digital volume control, and out into a mini DSP and on to the Albarrys. There should be change from your budget, and if you don't like the sound you have almost limitless possibilities to tweak to where you want it.

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[James the Albarry lover]

Your 63 is quite a coloured player as are all the Marantz '6' series. I've got a 67Se knocking about here somewhere. Example: Early Fleetwood Mac compilation album - makes it sound awesome even though it isn't really, but with Joy Divison 'Unknown Pleasures' it sounds like a different production entirely, really coloured.

They do enhance some recordings but that does mean others sound a bit 'odd' compared to from a more neutral player (like most Sonys for instance). If you are mostly into Jazz, and general acoustic or semi acoustic sort of stuff then you might want a player that is similar, otherwise you might think you've lost rather than gained on the upgrade. No idea if the SA1 is like that as I've never had a go on one. But I'd be surprised if it strays far from the Marantz house sound.

I don't tend to use my 63 much these days and I agree it has alot of colourization with a more upfront kind of sound, I prefer the warmer more neutral sound of my 6000 as for my preferred style of music I don't have one, I listen to just about every genre. I've read up on the SA1 as much as possible and nearly all reviewers and customers alike say it's a very neutral sounding player that has a very analogue sound wether you play normal or SACD on it, the idea of it even sitting in my hifi rack excites me. It was around the £5000 mark new so no doubt it would be an upgrade

[Macca]

so no doubt it would be an upgrade

I agree it is highly likely it will be. Are you going for it then?

[James the Albarry lover]

I agree it is highly likely it will be. Are you going for it then?

have to sell a motorcycle first, but yes I think my heart is set on it

[Primalsea]

Thinking outside the box a little I wonder if a buffer between you passive pre and the power amps would do something nice for you. The CD player will probably have a low output impedance, so can drive you pre, but the buffer would take the load of the power amps. Icon Audio make a nice one, but are probably others available.

[struth]

Used to use one once

[James the Albarry lover]

Thinking outside the box a little I wonder if a buffer between you passive pre and the power amps would do something nice for you. The CD player will probably have a low output impedance, so can drive you pre, but the buffer would take the load of the power amps. Icon Audio make a nice one, but are probably others available.

An interesting point of view, something I've never heard of before myself but I think I'm gonna go for the cd player first but I'll definitely be looking into them in the future. Thanks

[walpurgis]

A buffer can sometimes do interesting things. I have a couple of valve examples. I like them.

[James the Albarry lover]

I'd go different: a computer based source with eg. jRiver for convenience and digital volume control, and out into a mini DSP and on to the Albarrys. There should be change from your budget, and if you don't like the sound you have almost limitless possibilities to tweak to where you want it.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

I see the benefits of using a computer, streaming etc but it's just been a part of hifi that's never interested me, I like the physical side of hifi and owning CDs it's somewhat like owning a piece of art more so with vinyl

[Simon_LDT]

Thinking outside the box a little I wonder if a buffer between you passive pre and the power amps would do something nice for you. The CD player will probably have a low output impedance, so can drive you pre, but the buffer would take the load of the power amps. Icon Audio make a nice one, but are probably others available.

I second this. I did a quick search on the AP3 but couldn't find any specs on it. With the Albarrys being 5kohm input impedance, they could probably do with a buffer or maybe even an active pre. Unless the AP3 were specifically designed to partner the power amps originally?

[James the Albarry lover]

I second this. I did a quick search on the AP3 but couldn't find any specs on it. With the Albarrys being 5kohm input impedance, they could probably do with a buffer or maybe even an active pre. Unless the AP3 were specifically designed to partner the power amps originally?

Yes they were made for the m408s and it's bigger brother, the Ap3 has all silver wiring and if I'm not mistaken they use a Blue Alps volume control, specs are hard to find and I can't remember any of them :doh:

[Audio Al]

I like the physical side of hifi and owning CDs it's somewhat like owning a piece of art more so with vinyl

James , With a comment like this it sounds to me that you are vinyl man at heart , A Record player is the way forward , no need at first to spend big bucks , You can pick them up at very reasonable money , As for LP's I get mine from car boot sales at around £1 each some mint ones may be £2 , As you said the LP covers and physical side to this medium is ALL important to me , You actually get something whereas you get nothing for your money when streaming , When it time to sell up the vinyle system retains value , How can you sell on digital media :scratch:

Vinyl systems are great fun and something you get involved with , tweaking to your hearts content , As said it dones NOT need to be exspencive

With your £1K budget you can get a cracking setup including a record cleaning machine

Think hard on this James , Shame you are in Ireland or you could come round here for the day and have a listen / play with my kit :)

All the best , Hope you get something sorted

:santa:

[hifi_dave]

I second this. I did a quick search on the AP3 but couldn't find any specs on it. With the Albarrys being 5kohm input impedance, they could probably do with a buffer or maybe even an active pre. Unless the AP3 were specifically designed to partner the power amps originally?

Yes, the AP3 was designed to partner the M408 and later Albarry power-amps. A very simple but beautifully put together passive which works very well with the Albarry power-amps and is difficult to improve on without spending vast sums.