£300ish Amplifier??

pauln

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Hi all,

As a new member here and not being very up to date on new equipment I am seeking some advice please.

My very old Mission Cyrus 1 amp has given up the ghost and I am looking to replace it with something around the £300 - £350 mark. I have read good reviews of the Azur and the Rega Brio, there are also amps from Nad, Marantz and Pioneer in this price range. I have some (oldish) Linn Index speakers, which still sound nice to me. What should I go for? Any thoughts on what would be a good match with the Linn speakers? Why do people consider the Rega to be "different" sounding to most other amps? Music tastes are rock,jazz, vocal but not classical.

Thanks in advance for any input.
 

Thaiman

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Marantz
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Clare Newsome

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It's your lucky month... there's a Group Test of £250-£300 stereo amplifiers in our current, March issue: which, as Thaiman points out, is won by the Marantz PM6002.

We've also got a First Test of the Rega Brio 3 (£330) in our April issue, out March 6th.
 

pauln

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Thanks Clare, I have read that, I was looking really for some idea of how my speakers would suit the various amps. I can't really take them along to a Hi Fi dealer and listen to different amps through them...or can I? Do people do that?
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
Sure do, is sometimes the only way if a dealer stocks an amp you want to hear but not your speakers.

You could also do it the way Thaiman does it, which is to cart the entire hifi shop to his house.......
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Thaiman

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[quote user="JohnDuncan"]which is to cart the entire hifi shop to his house.......
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[/quote]

talk about that....I just took my chance on another pair of speakers, should be fun
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John Duncan

Well-known member
[quote user="Thaiman"]
[quote user="JohnDuncan"]which is to cart the entire hifi shop to his house.......
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[/quote]

talk about that....I just took my chance on another pair of speakers, should be fun
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[/quote]

See?
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Seriously though, striking up a good relationship with a dealer is the best thing you can do - if you're serious about spending money with them, they will often lend you things in the hope that they won't get them back.
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
Sorry 'ard - this was a general comment rather than specifically about the Evo, but I agree with you on - great deal direct from Creek. You'd probably only get back what you paid for it though - they seem to be going for 299 s/h on eBay.

Note that they're also doing brand new for 395 ("clearance stock"). I predict an Evo2............
 
A

Anonymous

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Just let us know how u get on.

Gerrardasnails are the Creek evo's easy to please. Thinking of them and the audiolab 8000s with MA BR2

Thanks

Jazz
 

drummerman

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[quote user="pauln"]Why do people consider the Rega to be "different" sounding to most other amps? Music tastes are rock,jazz, vocal but not classical.[/quote]

Dont worry, its not that different. Nothing is at that price which is not to say the products are not good. Its usually a compromise between power, presence, bass quality, treble quality etc etc. There has to be a reason why more expensive products exist though I am the last person to say more expense automatically equals better.

What Rega's Brio does do is make those compromises bearable. It does'nt exactly excell at any one thing. Power is limited though what is there is 'alive' and dynamic. It's open but without say the exagerated 'air' of a marantz which can take the scheme a little bit to far at a cost to solidity. It presents a very coherent, together musical picture. Nothing dominates and its easy to just listen to the music. The detail is all there, its just not artificially highlighted as in some other products and it has 'good drive'. Its an allrounder and very good with the companys R3. I personally like it and would suggest a Myryad Z140 or cyrus 8 as the next significant step up as they have a similar musical nature without some of the brios short comings. Natural given the price difference but creeks evo is good too.
 
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Anonymous

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I was just about to start a similar thread as my first post. Beat me to it Pauln
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I'm looking for something to replace my old Marantz PM66 KI signature. I would like to get something of similar quality for a little less money - going on the assumption that with the improvements in technology, since purchasing the PM66 KI sig (2000), I can get more for my money.. No idea if this is the case..

I've done a bit of homework and have come up with the following candidates:

  • Denon PMA700AE
  • NAD C352CT
  • ROTEL RA04
  • Marantz PM-6002
  • Cambridge Audio AZUR 640A V2
  • Pioneer A-A6-J (at £350)

I'm looking to build a new (budget) system around the new amp, so it need something solid enough, and would prefer brand new. I also want to buy a new CD player soon, at the same price range. £300-£350. I'll be looking to match the manufacturer of the amp when buying the CD player. What would people suggest/recommend for the amp first of all?

Out of the list above, I've read best reviews on the Rotel and Cambridge Audio models. But it looks like the Marantz PM-6002 is also a front runner....

By the way, i have an old pair of Mission 733i speakers. Thanks in advance.
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
Well the Marantz 6002 pair are the current pack leaders, though I haven't heard the amp.

If they must match, go to Superfi and look at their separates deals - NAD, Marantz (maybe), Creek, Audiolab - quite a few.

If you like the sound of the Creek pair (they're the coolest looking
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), go to creekaudio.co.uk and buy ex-dem straight from the manufacturer, including warranty, within your budget.
 

pauln

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Thanks for a lot of feedback...

The deal on the Creek sounds interesting, I also like what Drummerman has to say about the Rega Brio. That sounds like something I would like the sound of so will be looking for a dealer soon to hear it.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="Dom_01"]
I was just about to start a similar thread as my first post. Beat me to it Pauln
emotion-4.gif


I'm looking for something to replace my old Marantz PM66 KI signature. I would like to get something of similar quality for a little less money - going on the assumption that with the improvements in technology, since purchasing the PM66 KI sig (2000), I can get more for my money.. No idea if this is the case..

I've done a bit of homework and have come up with the following candidates:

  • Denon PMA700AE
  • NAD C352CT
  • ROTEL RA04
  • Marantz PM-6002
  • Cambridge Audio AZUR 640A V2
  • Pioneer A-A6-J (at £350)

I'm looking to build a new (budget) system around the new amp, so it need something solid enough, and would prefer brand new. I also want to buy a new CD player soon, at the same price range. £300-£350. I'll be looking to match the manufacturer of the amp when buying the CD player. What would people suggest/recommend for the amp first of all?

Out of the list above, I've read best reviews on the Rotel and Cambridge Audio models. But it looks like the Marantz PM-6002 is also a front runner....

By the way, i have an old pair of Mission 733i speakers. Thanks in advance.
[/quote]

I don't think the PM6002 would be a massive improvement over your PM66KI, if any. If you liked the sound your best bet might as well be getting a nice used one from eBay, there's alot of those on there, and they usually go for decent prices (less than 100 pounds.)
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I have been very impressed with the Marantz PM66 KI signature, it sounds great!
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But it's on its last legs and i need to get something 'new'. It's been about 7-8 years since i purchased it so i was hoping i could find something similar, if not better (in terms of quality) for less money. Crazy talk?

It would be a shame to have to 'downgrade' but i have a budget, and i need to find something ASAP. I have my hesitations about buying something 2nd hand, especailly if i want to build a new system around my new amp. However, saying that, the ex demo products sounds more promising than something off eBAY.

Maybe i should go into see a dealer and actually listen to things instead of jumping into a buy purely on reviews and suggestions. But it's always helpful to hear what people have to say.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="Dom_01"]
Maybe i should go into see a dealer and actually listen to things instead of jumping into a buy purely on reviews and suggestions. But it's always helpful to hear what people have to say.

[/quote]
Absolutely, do both. The other way round obviously...
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I think i will save up another month and get the ROKSAN KANDY L.III. The CD player can wait a little longer
 

John Duncan

Well-known member
[quote user="Dom_01"]
I think i will save up another month and get the ROKSAN KANDY L.III. The CD player can wait a little longer

[/quote]

Ooo fighting talk. Try something else while you're there - take the £300 amp and put some 800 quid speakers on the end of it, and then decide whether you'd rather have them or the Kandy
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Anonymous

Guest
[quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="Dom_01"]
I think i will save up another month and get the ROKSAN KANDY L.III. The CD player can wait a little longer

[/quote]

Ooo fighting talk. Try something else while you're there - take the £300 amp and put some 800 quid speakers on the end of it, and then decide whether you'd rather have them or the Kandy
emotion-1.gif
[/quote]
...just when he asserts his new found confidence and makes a decision you say that! Haha. Spot on though...stick a decent interconnect and speaker wire into the equation and you have a good forumla...(dear God don't follow the cable comment up)
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Haha - i try to do as much research as i can when buying reasonably expensive things. No one likes to know they spent loads of cash on something only to have people 'in the know' telling them they made a big mistake lol

What is better: £300 amp and £800 speakers or £800 amp with £300 speakers? I think i know the answer. Fun and games...

I have a nice amp now (OLD) so i guess i don't want to buy something new for it to be worse than what i have now.
 

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