Adding a dedicated amp to my Onkyo 806

[admin_exported]

Hi everybody,

If I add a dedicated "budget" amplifier & cd player (ie Marantz PM6002 & CD5003 or CA Azur 640A v2 & CA Azur 640C) will it outperform the stereo capability of my Onkyo TX-SR806 av receiver by a mile? At the moment, I am already happy with the stereo capability of my receiver but if it will be further enhanced by adding the Marantz or the CA combination I won't mind spending the extra cash for it. Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Well even a Cyrus 8 /PSX won't do on my 875.

But some on here believe Mains conditioning is a load of hogwash.

There loss.

 

[Lost Angeles]

liujol:

Hi everybody,

If I add a dedicated "budget" amplifier & cd player (ie Marantz PM6002 & CD5003 or CA Azur 640A v2 & CA Azur 640C) will it outperform the stereo capability of my Onkyo TX-SR806 av receiver by a mile? At the moment, I am already happy with the stereo capability of my receiver but if it will be further enhanced by adding the Marantz or the CA combination I won't mind spending the extra cash for it. Thanks.

As no one else has come back then I'll offer my views on this.
I've not heard an 806 but if it's like the 875 then I reckon you might need to spend a bit more money to beat it by a mile but it could well be worth a demo.
I personally think my old Audiolab 8000A is musically better than my 875 and blows it out of the water on the phono stage.
What CD player do you currently have?

trevor79. If by cleaning up the mains and improving the sound on your 875 is it not also cleaning up the mains to your Cyrus 8/PSX and therefore should the Cyrus not produce a better sound as well. I would have thought a Cyrus 8 would be an improvement on my Audiolab.

 

[Anonymous]

Lost Angeles:liujol:

Hi everybody,

If I add a dedicated "budget" amplifier & cd player (ie Marantz PM6002 & CD5003 or CA Azur 640A v2 & CA Azur 640C) will it outperform the stereo capability of my Onkyo TX-SR806 av receiver by a mile? At the moment, I am already happy with the stereo capability of my receiver but if it will be further enhanced by adding the Marantz or the CA combination I won't mind spending the extra cash for it. Thanks.

As no one else has come back then I'll offer my views on this.
I've not heard an 806 but if it's like the 875 then I reckon you might need to spend a bit more money to beat it by a mile but it could well be worth a demo.
I personally think my old Audiolab 8000A is musically better than my 875 and blows it out of the water on the phono stage.
What CD player do you currently have?

trevor79. If by cleaning up the mains and improving the sound on your 875 is it not also cleaning up the mains to your Cyrus 8/PSX and therefore should the Cyrus not produce a better sound as well. I would have thought a Cyrus 8 would be an improvement on my Audiolab.
Cheers Trevor and L.A. I am only using a dvd player to play music. It's an old dvd player from Cambridge Audio (DVD57) but I find it very musical indeed. What if I just add a dedicated "budget" cd player will this give a huge improvement?

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Liujol,

How's the 806 compare to your old 606 when it comes to 2 channel 'Pure Direct' cd playback?

You told me the 806 sounds quite similar to the 606, with very little improvement when you got it. Has it improved since being 'run in'?

Cheers.....

 

[Anonymous]

Pistol Pete1:

Liujol,

How's the 806 compare to your old 606 when it comes to 2 channel 'Pure Direct' cd playback?

You told me the 806 sounds quite similar to the 606, with very little improvement when you got it. Has it improved since being 'run in'?

Cheers.....

Hi PistolPete1,

Yes it has improved a lot because I followed Trevor's advise which is to increase the db level on all channels. After performing the Audyssey, I increased the level of my front channel from -7db to +7db and the result is a more clearer and authoritative soundstage even in 2 channel Pure Audio or Direct CD. I am using a pair of Mordaunt-Short 908i floorstander witha side firing subwoofer. Now with the 806 the side-firing subwoofer is indeed firing!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Sounds good....I too increased the db level on my 606 after Audyssey, but increased them all by the same amount, then realised the rear speakers were way too loud, so cut them down.

I've just bygraded my Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 to include the 1030i floor standers at the front. They are bi amped, on spikes and a granite plinth.......and are a real improvement over the standard 1010i that come with the speaker package.

But....I still feel its a bit 'thrashy' in the high frequencies, which I assume is the amp (606's are said to be like this). Is the 806 better in this department?

I actually was a Richer Sounds in Birmingham at the weekend and they had one Sony 2400ES left.......I hear it is very good musically, and I was extremely tempted!!! Especially when a friend needs a replacement amp, and was interested in my 606!!!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

By the way, I'm surprised it improved the 'Pure Audio' setting when adjusting the db levels, as I thought the 'Pure Direct' bypasses this section of the electronics in the amp??

 

[grdunn123]

Pistol Pete1:

Sounds good....I too increased the db level on my 606 after Audyssey, but increased them all by the same amount, then realised the rear speakers were way too loud, so cut them down.

I've just bygraded my Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 to include the 1030i floor standers at the front. They are bi amped, on spikes and a granite plinth.......and are a real improvement over the standard 1010i that come with the speaker package.

But....I still feel its a bit 'thrashy' in the high frequencies, which I assume is the amp (606's are said to be like this). Is the 806 better in this department?

I actually was a Richer Sounds in Birmingham at the weekend and they had one Sony 2400ES left.......I hear it is very good musically, and I was extremely tempted!!! Especially when a friend needs a replacement amp, and was interested in my 606!!!Just posted a little comparison of the 2 amps you mention!

 

[grdunn123]

Sorry Pistol Pete.......just posted a little comparison of the 2 amps you mention. I think the 806 would definately tame the 'thrashy' sond you mention. I too have a 5.1 set up with my front floorstanders being bi amped and it sounds very weighty and full without a hint of harshness in the treble.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Hi grduun123,

Just read it and left some questions........lol

Look forward to more details if possible. Did you audition the 606?

Cheers..........

 

[Anonymous]

Pistol Pete1:By the way, I'm surprised it improved the 'Pure Audio' setting when adjusting the db levels, as I thought the 'Pure Direct' bypasses this section of the electronics in the amp??AFAIK it will only bypass the equalizer settings and the tone controls. I guess with the 806 which has a more powerful amp the Pure Audio mode is enhanced. So what more if one uses the higher models. BTW perhaps your floortanders need more time to run-in to perform at its best.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Good thinking luijol.........

I did leave the speakers on for 10 hrs a day, for 2 days running, once I received them....

Do they need longer?

If so, how much?

What does AFAIK mean? (Sorry-might be being thick here?)

 

[Anonymous]

Pistol Pete1:

Good thinking luijol.........

I did leave the speakers on for 10 hrs a day, for 2 days running, once I received them....

Do they need longer?

If so, how much?

What does AFAIK mean? (Sorry-might be being thick here?)

As Far As I Know. hehehe. My 908i floorstanders in my estimate needed more than 200 hours before finally realizing that I made the right choice. Regarding the sony receiver, I used to have the sony 1200es before i got my 606. I can conclude that the 606 is better than the sony 1200es. I have no idea about the sony 2400es. Perhaps it will equal the 606 this time.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

200 hours!!! OMG!!!! I can't afford the electricity bill after that!!!

I see all the 806 prices have gone up in the past week, so I'll probably leave it till the summer, when, no doubt, the 807 will appear!!

In the end, it's all about finding a dealer that will demo these things, without being pushy, and that stock all the equipment you have. I don't fancy taking my speakers and cd player to a shop - too much of a pain in the ****.

Cheers... enjoy the 806....

 

[Anonymous]

Lost Angeles:liujol:

Hi everybody,

If I add a dedicated "budget" amplifier & cd player (ie Marantz PM6002 & CD5003 or CA Azur 640A v2 & CA Azur 640C) will it outperform the stereo capability of my Onkyo TX-SR806 av receiver by a mile? At the moment, I am already happy with the stereo capability of my receiver but if it will be further enhanced by adding the Marantz or the CA combination I won't mind spending the extra cash for it. Thanks.

As no one else has come back then I'll offer my views on this.
I've not heard an 806 but if it's like the 875 then I reckon you might need to spend a bit more money to beat it by a mile but it could well be worth a demo.
I personally think my old Audiolab 8000A is musically better than my 875 and blows it out of the water on the phono stage.
What CD player do you currently have?

trevor79. If by cleaning up the mains and improving the sound on your 875 is it not also cleaning up the mains to your Cyrus 8/PSX and therefore should the Cyrus not produce a better sound as well. I would have thought a Cyrus 8 would be an improvement on my Audiolab.

The PSX does the cleaning up of the mains plus isolating the power rails from the pre-amp in the other box, that's why it makes a significant difference to the music!
I have modded a Cyrus 6/PSX unit to the hilt along with a Audiolab 8000P and still the 875 has a greater grip on the music and equals the foot tapping performance, and then some.

A really well thought out amp with good design and components will always be a sound base from which to mod from. However with the 875 you dont need to go inside the case with a soldering iron, just give it a conditioned supply.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

I remember the Audiolab 8000P etc. They were great amps in their day....

Does the Onkyo 875, in your opinion, give an even better listening experience with music (2 channel-'Pure Audio') to the classic amps you have mentioned?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes it does, which really surprised me as well!

Another thing is that using 'pure audio' as a reference ALL the other settings have the same purity. That blanket in front of the speakers has been totally removed.

With it bi-amped / bi-cabled to the fronts I play it on PL2 music setting and it is faultless.

It is a big powerhouse of a amp which fed with standard mains puts a lot of interaction into the pre-amp stages. Getting rid of this 'Noise Floor' transforms it.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

trevor79......all interesting stuff but I see you have spent a lot of money on the mains cable....

Would the £30-£40 priced mains cables be as affective?

 

[Anonymous]

Have built things up over the years.

I haven't tried other brands so can't give an A/B comparision, but others speak well of Clearer Audio (for example).

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Yes, professorhat has the one I'm interested in (Alpha) on his onkyo 905, and says it has improved things.

They also give a 60 day home trial, so I'm keen to hear more positives and order one.....