Amp (with DAC) for B&W 607’s

ast2312

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Hi All,

Just hoping I can get some quick views on my next amp. I find the Cambridge CXA81 a little too bright for my 607’s and have narrowed down the possible amps which are closer to the speaker price.
Option 1 - Marantz PM6006 UK Spec
Option 2 - Denon PMA600
or for a little extra,
Option 3 - Audiolab 6000a

I appreciate the Audiolab is a little more than the other 2 but just keen to get views on speaker matching with the above.

Best

Andrew
 
Ordinarily I would suggest Rotel amps, as B&W and Rotel are stablemates. But because the OP wants a built-in Dac...
I would have done the same.
I cannot really understand, apart from cutting down the box count, why anyone would limit their upgrade path by wanting all eggs in one basket.
The quality of DACs these days, and decreased costs, make it easier to tune a system to your liking, a bit like seeing what different phono preamps can bring to the party.
Limiting yourself by having these inbuilt is not the way to create a flexible and upgradeable set-up.
 
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I would have done the same.
I cannot really understand, apart from cutting down the box count, why anyone would limit their upgrade path by wanting all eggs in one basket.
The quality of DACs these days, and decreased costs, make it easier to tune a system to your liking, a bit like seeing what different phono preamps can bring to the party.
Limiting yourself by having these inbuilt is not the way to create a flexible and upgradeable set-up.
This is the issue. And until the OP comes back and see if an external Dac is feasible or not, it's tricky to recommend.
 
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ast2312

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Hi All, many thanks for the posts - all very helpful and some further considerations.

Thanks Al ears for the first reply. Unfortunately demo’s are not an option for me at this time. However, with the minimal knowledge I have, I have found demo’s are not a fail safe option with home demo’s being the best approach (obviously not easy during these times). Having spent large sums of cash Naim following dealer demo’s I could not get close to the demo SQ which I based my decision on (I actually think it was the room acoustics and speakers which caused bass boom).

Thanks also to the posts re Dac’s and box counts. I do still prefer a limited box count due to space considerations and appearance.

I think my main concern is speaker matching. I have previously owned both Marantz and Audiolab amps before but not 607’s. My key concern is controlling bass as it sits in a very small room with all hard surfaces except the floor (not ideal).

Just thought a quick post may help if anyone has had previous experiences of these amps with 607’s.
 

ast2312

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Of course, I felt it was a low risk purchase based on reviews and a special offer did help me make the choice. The main selling point was the ease of placement and bass ability. Just have not settled on an amp.
 
Of course, I felt it was a low risk purchase based on reviews and a special offer did help me make the choice. The main selling point was the ease of placement and bass ability. Just have not settled on an amp.
Ah, OK thought you might have heard them and was wondering what amp that was with if you did.
It was a pretty good deal though I must admit.
Apart from that I cannot help as the only B&Ws I have owned were driven by a Primare amp combo.
 

DIB

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Might be a little over your budget but I've had a Rotel A14 for a few months now and am very pleased with it and would tick all your boxes. The similar specced A12 may be a better (ie cheaper) option. I know it generally gets a bad press but the Bluetooth AptX connection on the amp is very passable and stable. All my family stream Spotify from their phones through it and they all love it.
 

manicm

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From many reviews I’ve read the 607 and 606 are slightly polarizing speakers. They seem to be for those who prefer a slightly bright taste. That said, they will suit a neutral to warmish amp i.e. will go well with 6000a.

Also, out of the box the 607 and your ears will need a week to run-in - one needs to know your lover! Personally I like the B&W sound because of their scale.
 

manicm

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To the OP - if you’re looking for a streaming solution and can stretch your budget I’d seriously look at the amp/streamer Audiolab 6000A Play. It’s a fusion of the 6000N streamer (excellent reviews) and the 6000A amp.
 

rainsoothe

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Look at Quad Vena 2 (or the Vena 2 Play if you want streaming as well). Imo they could do with a forgiving amp, especially if the room isn't furnished, and the Quad is it (that's not to say it's boring or something). Further up the scale, Cyrus One HD (or the One HD Cast) are also great options, not as warm as the Quad, but still a bit rolled off in the highs.
 
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gunman

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From many reviews I’ve read the 607 and 606 are slightly polarizing speakers. They seem to be for those who prefer a slightly bright taste. That said, they will suit a neutral to warmish amp i.e. will go well with 6000a.

Also, out of the box the 607 and your ears will need a week to run-in - one needs to know your lover! Personally I like the B&W sound because of their scale.

I am a newbie just looking for my very first Hi-Fi Audio system, me too is interested in B&W606, and wanted to pair it with a suitable amp, besides Audioland 6000a, are there other neutral to warm amps that you could possibly recommend? Thanks a lot.
 

matthewpiano

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I can say from ownership experience that the B&W 600 series is bright and forward, and they need an amp with some warmth to balance that. Get it right and they can sound superb.

One of my biggest successes with my 607s was a Yamaha R-N602 receiver. Plenty of power, and enough smoothness to ameliorate the brightness of the B&Ws without killing the sound. The features of the Yamaha make it very flexible too.
 
I can say from ownership experience that the B&W 600 series is bright and forward, and they need an amp with some warmth to balance that. Get it right and they can sound superb.

One of my biggest successes with my 607s was a Yamaha R-N602 receiver. Plenty of power, and enough smoothness to ameliorate the brightness of the B&Ws without killing the sound. The features of the Yamaha make it very flexible too.
This and perhaps Arcam
 
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Deleted member 116933

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TBH your main problem is the B&Ws may be a "budget" speaker but they are capable of so much! 300quid amp/dac combo really don't think will cut it. I don't think they would be out of place with a 1-1500 quid amp on the end of them.

Save a little longer and buy once! if you're buying new

I think if it were me id be looking second hand and to get more bang for your buck, something that can really take them by the horns and really control them.
Maybe an older Arcam AVR, there's an Arcam AVR400 on eBay right now for £350! has more digital inputs than you can shake a stick at! and HDMI switching! if that's to expensive there's an older avr 100 for 120 quid. Assuming your in the UK

and there many more Av amps from Yamaha and pioneer, I used to use AVR as a stereo amp for the longest time .
 

TomC

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I once had a Marantz PM8005 in combination with a B&W 685 S2. That played really OK. Even the seller pointed out to me that the combination of Marantz and B&W is almost always very good (better than say Rotel and B&W even though they are sister companies).
 

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