Amp to drive Dynadio Focus 110

[afterworks]

Hello,

First post on here so be gentle!

So I bought some Dynaudio Focus 110's at Christmas, got them do a real bargain -£600! Love them to pieces.

But because I only had enough funds to buy a cheap amp I got a Marantz 6004 which isn't enough to drive these 4ohm babies. It was just to get me going. I have a friend who'll buy it off me once I choose a replacement.

I now have the funds to burn on upgrading. I just don't know where to start.

A bit about the room and what I listen to. They're sat next to some Acoustic Energy AE22's as I do some mixing when I'm not touring.

So the room they are in is a little treated with bass traps, various absorbers and clouds etc.

I listen to most styles of music - everything from Tool to Dr Dre to Cinematic Orchestra.

I got the speakers to compliment the AE22's - which are brutally honest and rapid. They're a great mixing tool and I even enjoy listening to music on them but I wanted something 'Hi Fi' and more of a pleasure.

So I'm looking in the region of up to £1500. Second hand is fine.

I just need some demo ideas I guess. I know it's a personal thing and everyone's opinion will be different and no one can say for sure what I'll like - but I'm new to this world and need a little guidance.

I bloody love my Dynadios and want to give them the power they deserve. At lower volumes they're crying out for more juice.

Thanks

Ben

 

[CnoEvil]

Hi Ben and welcome.

You could do a lot worse than get this:
http://www.kronosav.com/products#ecwid:mode=product&product=10684128

This is one of the most musical sounding solid state amps, that has bags of current...at that price it's excellent value.

 

[afterworks]

Looks very interesting!

Eventually is it best to go down the pre and power amp route?

 

[plastic penguin]

Based on Dyns Contour S1.4, the Naim Nait XS sounded pretty good to me. Also, check out Cyruses latest offerings (new eight) could be just the ticket. Not a Cyrus fan as such, but they tend to be an excellent partner with Dynaudio. Perhaps look at Leema Pulse.

 

[CnoEvil]

Looks very interesting!

Eventually is it best to go down the pre and power amp route?

That's not an easy question to answer. That amp I linked to is a £3k amp (new) and it would take a substantially bigger investment to give a big improvement.

All things being equal, a pre/power will out perform an integrated, but if you chose a well designed integrated it's not worth worrying about, unless you have a very substantial budget. The ECI-5 is as good an amp as many people would ever want....it's a class act that would certainly get your Focus 110s singing.

 

[afterworks]

With it being discounted so much it seems silly not to go there. Reviews are obviously favourable and I like what they say about it.

Sounds silky to say but the Cyrus amps looks very boring!

Not heard the Naim but I do worry about the write ups saying its aggressive. My studio monitors are brutal, I've got the Dynaudios to step away from that and have some lush sounds out my way.

Woukd love to demo the Electro. 1600 is a lot to spend without. But I do love a good cheeky bargain.

Thanks

Ben

 

[jockey.wilson]

NAIM!

(or maybe something from Chord if you can find something in budget!)

 

[Anonymous]

The Harmon Kardon HK990 is a very powerful amp, it's got a built in DAC too, at around £800 it's not too expensive and should drive them Dyns pretty well..

 

[Anonymous]

Having heard the 110's along with the DM 2/7's with Cyrus and Arcam amps; I'd say go for Cyrus if they take your fancy

A Cyrus 8VS pre integrated along with a 2nd hand XPower would make for a superb combo IMO

I listened to the most recent Cyrus Pre and Xpower combo and listened to the likes of Zero 7, Beastie Boys, Late Night Tales by Cinematic Orchestra, Metallica and System of a Down and they're superb speakers. Unfortunately they were out of my budget range at that time

If not them then maybe something along the lines of the Arcam A32

 

[Frank Harvey]

Cyrus and Dynaudio have always gone together well. Ideally though. I'd be looking at a pre/power in order to make sure the Dyn's bass stays tight and controlled. An X Power will do a great job.ntheres plenty of fairly cheap, used Cyrus pre's around which you can pick up to get the system up and running. Later on a DACxp Plus digital pre will top the system off nicely

 

[CnoEvil]

If you have followed any of my posts, I always recommend doing a demo.....but if ever there was an amp to take a risk on, this would be it. There is nothing really to dislike about it, and at that money, you would lose little if you had to sell again.

It it had been Naim or Cyrus, I wouldn't have suggested this course of action, as they are much more likely to split opinion.

If you take the plunge, let me know how it goes.

Cno

 

[afterworks]

Well I have found a Cyrus 8XP D with QX Dac card for £1099 and also an X power for around £800...

I just hate the look of them!! So boring! I know it's not important but you'd think they'd make them look appealing!

Plus the half price Electrocompaniet ECI5 is seriously tempting...

 

[poldo]

Try Exposure's 3010s2 mono blocks they are a bargain.

I am going to demo some Dynaudio Contour s1.4 on the integrated version very soon, the dealer said it is a great match.

 

[plastic penguin]

Well I have found a Cyrus 8XP D with QX Dac card for £1099 and also an X power for around £800...

I just hate the look of them!! So boring! I know it's not important but you'd think they'd make them look appealing!

Plus the half price Electrocompaniet ECI5 is seriously tempting...

Looks, like sound, is very subjective. If the Cyrus/Dynaudio blows you away you may change your mind.

 

[albireo]

Hi afterworks, I have the same speakers. Needless to say I also love them.

I will make a recommendation that comes from my personal experience: try Creek electronics.

I initially powered my 110 using a Creek Evolution: that's what I had at the time so it was worth a try. On paper, and based on what I had read on the forums, much more was going to be needed to make the Dyns sing. However the Evo, at ~150W in 4ohm drove them beautifully - I will never forget the awe&shock when listening to Brubeck at Carnegie Hall on this set-up - an album from '63 sounding completely transparent, dynamic, fast.

Still, curious of seeing if I was missing something from the speakers, I ended up getting a pre/power combo (Musical fidelity pre and, again, Creek power amp, a design capable of higher current than the Evo integrated). That's what I have now and I can tell you there won't be any updates for a while

Interestingly though, the improvement over my integrated is not as vast as I was expecting. The bass is tight, however it was also tight with the integrated: there was simply *less* of it. Not sure how to explain this, it is just as if the evo "knew its limits" and avoided producting low bass altogether, preventing the risk of bass boom. What I have now is what I perceive as slightly bigger frequency extension, slightly improved dynamics. However, I could have lived perfectly with the Evo and the Focus without missing much.

I cannot exclude the 110 get even more astonishing with megabucks amps - however for the few pennies I have invested in my system I'm extremely satisfied.

Bottom line of this long-winded post: try, if you can a Creek Evolution 5350 or better still a Destiny 2. I think Creek/Dynaudio Focus is a beautiful match.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Ben

I'll recommend that you should also look at Densen Audio Technologies B-110 Plus amplifier. Densen electronics quality of power and their sonic characteristics also suit Dynaudio speakers just nicely 8)

http://densen.dk/index.php?page=densen-b-110

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[shafesk]

I'm gonna go a different route and suggest a tube amp. More specifically the Cayin a-55T. My brother has your speakers paired with it and it should do a great job in a medium sized room. I think you'll love the amp too, beautifully made, sounds superb as well. If you are looking away from a clinical setup like you said I think a tube amp can be just the ticket.

All the best,

Shafin

 

[Anonymous]

Have you considered selling your speakers and buying the active, Dynaudio Focus 110A's? Their purpose made, in built amplification will have all the power that's needed to get the best out of them, and IMO, they'll give you greater clarity and control (if that's your thing) than it's possible to get with the passive version no matter what amplification is driving them.

You could get a good quality yet cheap, DAC/Preamp like the Emotiva XDA1, and you'll have saved yourself money, and still have the speakers you love, albeit in active form, and less boxes too.

 

[Electro]

Hi Ben and welcome. You could do a lot worse than get this: http://www.kronosav.com/products#ecwid:mode=product&product=10684128 This is one of the most musical sounding solid state amps, that has bags of current...at that price it's excellent value.

+1

I am biased obviously But this amp is capable of driving almost any speaker in a way that can't be described in words it is only when you do a direct comparison with other amps that you get an idea of what it can do that most others can't .

It delivers music effortlessly with detail power and space that lets you to forget about the hifi and just enjoy the music .

Very few amplifiers can do this especially at this price so if you get a chance to listen to one don't hesitate , you won't regret it .

 

[BronC]

It might we worth contacting unilet in New Malden to see if they have anything left in their sale.

They had a Plinius 9200 for £1500 and a Quad 99/909 Pre/ Power ams at £1400.

I don't know how they will go - but they are good.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

From my experience, I would recommend anybody who is looking for a new amp or new speakers to add into their conisderation an option of selling the existing speakers/amp and getting active speakers*. This way they not only get the desired component but also gurantee** the amp is designed for the speaker.

so ooh...'s advice makes perfect sence to me and I support it. this advice can be in addition to or instead of teh other options, however the person wants to take it.

* - after auditioning a selection of gear for all options, of cause

**- assuming compentent design

 

[alchemist 1]

Try the yamaha as2000 amp. Loads of power and built too high standards.

 

[John Duncan]

Cleaned up. Some posts have been lost, for which apologies; I don't have time to reconstitute them right now.

Let's keep it on-topic please, boys and girls, and keep any personal enmity towards other posters to yourself...

 

[Anonymous]

I thought about the Yamaha AS2000 as well but I've heard it a few times with Dynaudio, B&W and Monitor Audio speakers and I just didnt think it was all that...

Bettered, to me, by the likes of the NAD C365BEE, Roksan K2 and Leema Acoustics amps...

 

[afterworks]

Thanks for all your input guys.

Have decided to take a gamble and go with the Electrocabinet ECI5. I figure I can re sell it should I not like it but considering I'll be going from a £300 Marantz 6004 - I think I'll be suitable blown away.

I didn't fancy the nature of anything to forward. I have my studio monitors for that.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'll let you know how I get on

I am a little nervous to say the least , demoing it would have been idea but just not possible.