Amplifier for Dali Rubicon 2

[Plamd]

Hi dear forum members!

I recently purchased Dali Rubicon 2 speakers and I'm looking for good matching new amplifier. My budget is £1000. +/- 30%. The room is 21 sq. m. I listen different genres of music. I'd like my system to sound good also at low volumes. There are no many threads in forums about pairing Dali Rubicon 2 speakers. From what I read for amplifiers in this price range i have some list for auditioning: Rega Elex-R, Naim Nait 5si, Arcam A19, Musical Fidelity M3si. Unfortunately it's hard to audition all list in my country. I arranged auditions for Arcam and Naim next week. So , if anybody have experience with Rubicon 2 and recommendation for matching amplifier, please share!

I'll be very grateful for any responses I get. Thank you in advance.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi dear forum members!

I recently purchased Dali Rubicon 2 speakers and I'm looking for good matching new amplifier. My budget is £1000. +/- 30%. The room is 21 sq. m. I listen different genres of music. I'd like my system to sound good also at low volumes. There are no many threads in forums about pairing Dali Rubicon 2 speakers. From what I read for amplifiers in this price range i have some list for auditioning: Rega Elex-R, Naim Nait 5si, Arcam A19, Musical Fidelity M3si. Unfortunately it's hard to audition all list in my country. I arranged auditions for Arcam and Naim next week. So , if anybody have experience with Rubicon 2 and recommendation for matching amplifier, please share!

I'll be very grateful for any responses I get. Thank you in advance.

You will need to audition your above list of amps. Apparently the Rubicons need a real gutsy amp to control the speakers well.

My guess, given the Rubicons are close to 2k is you'll need to 'up' your budget, whether new or s/hand. I would avoid amps that err on the lively side.

I would look at Creek Evo 100 (or Destiny), Arcam A39 (or older A38).... Guess that Naim and Rega may not partner the Dalis that well, but couldn't say for sure.

Buying on recommendations is a risky business. Do what you can to audition, even if means listening to so-called lesser brands. It'll give you a springboard/yardstick.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Agree you do need to up your budget if you can . Amps you could look at are abrahamsen 2up £1000 plenty of power there .

or Yamaha S-2100 £2000 new but you could get one for around £1400 new if you look around , Yamaha S-3000 £4000 new but seen them on eBay mint for around £1800 , Yamaha S-800 is a new amp from Yamaha and has more power then Yamaha flagship amps so worth looking at but do not no the price , marantz pm8005 £500 - £600 new a good powerful amp for the money . I found that marantz , Yamaha , abrahamsen works well with Dali speakers but you need to get out there and listen to some amps to make your own mind up but you will need a amp that has a bit of power to run the Dalis

 

[Frank Harvey]

Tricky. You're going to need an amp with excellent bass control, because the Rubicon 2s have a lot of bass, and don't come with any type of bungs to help tame it. As previously mentioned, they can be a tad lively, but that's fine if you listen at lower levels, but higher levels I think you'll need to find a smooth amp to compensate. As good as the amplifiers you have mentioned are, I think you could do worse than try the upcoming Cyrus One amplifier, which did a great job with LS50s and PMC Twenty5.23s when I tried it out.

 

[radiorog]

In my mind, I have as one of my future set ups, dali rubicons with abrahamsen v2up. Warm,smooth and verydetailed amp. Not heard the speakers, but the reviews make them move onto my "must audition" list.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Plamd

One of our clients uses Hegel's H160 amp/DAC with Rubicon 6's and another client a H360 amp/DAC with Epicon 2's. Both pairings have superb synergy. Based on this i would say that Hegel's H80 amp/DAC or if you can strectch your budget even further and wait a little longer then their new ROST amp/DAC/streamer (projected price £1800-£2000) are also worth a look.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[plastic penguin]

In my mind, I have as one of my future set ups, dali rubicons with abrahamsen v2up. Warm,smooth and verydetailed amp. Not heard the speakers, but the reviews make them move onto my "must audition" list.

I was also impressed by the review of the Rubicon 2s, but their agility, pace and big bass might clash with the Leema. And TBH the Leema, despite it being a very grippy amp might struggle to fully control the Rubicons.

This is why I love the PMCs so much: They give you the soundscape of a hi-end speaker yet they're easy to drive.

Having said all that, I could be wrong about the Rubicons.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies and comments! I know that buying on recommendations is not a good idea, but I need some start point and orientation. All comments are very helpful and gave me clearer picture of what I need. Here is what I learned from your comments:

- I need to increase my budget – can increase up to £2000 (double it for at least equal gift for my wife )

- The Rubicons 2 are on the lively side, so I need smooth amp for high volumes

- The amp must be mighty powered with good bass control

- Additional amps for audition: Creek Evo 100, Cyrus One, Hegel H80, Abrahamsen, Yamaha, Marantz

My upgraded audition list: Creek Evo 100; Arcam A39, Naim Nait 5si, Musical Fidelity M3si, Cyrus One. I can also add Yamaha and Marantz.

Rega is not represented here, in Bulgaria. Abrahamsen v2up and Hegel H80 are very interesting, but also no dealer here and could buy only on recommendations.

What do you think about Parasound? I can arrange audition for Parasound Halo Integrated amplifier or P5 preamplifier + A23 power amplifier.

Thanks once again!

A "mighty powerful amp" isn't the answer per se. What you need is an amp that will control the bass. They are often two different things, hence why I recommended Creek, Arcam... but it depends how loud you usually play music.

I suppose what I'm saying is quality over quantity will always win out.

 

[Plamd]

Thanks for revising. plastic penguin, It's my wrong understanding that bass control and power are connected this way. Practically I'm playing most of the time at low level, rare in midle level.. I definitely will audition Arcam and Creek. They are first in my list.

 

[Plamd]

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies and comments! I know that buying on recommendations is not a good idea, but I need some start point and orientation. All comments are very helpful and gave me clearer picture of what I need. Here is what I learned from your comments:

- I need to increase my budget – can increase up to £2000 (double it for at least equal gift for my wife )

- The Rubicons 2 are on the lively side, so I need smooth amp for high volumes

- The amp must be with good bass control

- Additional amps for audition: Creek Evo 100, Cyrus One, Hegel H80, Abrahamsen, Yamaha, Marantz

My upgraded audition list: Creek Evo 100; Arcam A39, Naim Nait 5si, Musical Fidelity M3si, Cyrus One. I can also add Yamaha and Marantz.

Rega is not represented here, in Bulgaria. Abrahamsen v2up and Hegel H80 are very interesting, but also no dealer here and could buy only on recommendations.

What do you think about Parasound? I can arrange audition for Parasound Halo Integrated amplifier or P5 preamplifier + A23 power amplifier.

Thanks once again!

 

[guitar58]

I own a pair of the Dyn' s 2/7 also,but am still looking for a good amp for them.

I'd like to know what your using to drive yours.

Retailers in my country won't shelve the good ones for audition.

I've read all the recent reviews from the budget to the best.

I can spend 1 to 2 k

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Thanks for revising. plastic penguin, It's my wrong understanding that bass control and power are connected this way. Practically I'm playing most of the time at low level, rare in midle level.. I definitely will audition Arcam and Creek. They are first in my list.

I personally feel that the arcam will not get the best out of the Dali speakers you have .

I've tried 4 different Arcam amps upto the A39 with Dali speakers and it was very disappointing sound I felt that Arcam and Dali do not go well together .

the sound that came out was dull and lifeless not sure why but from the Arcam A19 to the A39 it was the same but it got better ones I got to the A39 maybe because it uses a big power supply which helps with bass control .

i can not comment on the Creek amps as I never herd one yet .

What amps can you get a demo on in your country as it's important that you get this right first time round .

when you brought your Dalis did you have a demo with this speakers. ? If so what amp did the dealer use in the demo room . Because if you liked the sound of the speakers you would love the amp they were using too .

Also with theses Dali speakers you have did you buy stand for them too ? As it's important if you want the best out of them to have stands .

plus your not said what sources you would be running with what ever amp you choose..... streaming , TT record player , CD player ? What's your poison because if you want to run TT then you want a amp with a good built in phono stage or a amp with a built in dac for streaming .

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Plamd

Bass control is Hegel amplifications forte. Bass control is also the main reason (as mentioned earlier) that our clients chose Hegel amplification to power their Dali loudspeakers.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I own a pair of the Dyn' s 2/7 also,but am still looking for a good amp for them.

I'd like to know what your using to drive yours.

Retailers in my country won't shelve the good ones for audition.

I've read all the recent reviews from the budget to the best.

I can spend 1 to 2 k

sorry what are Dyn' s 2/7 ?

 

[JamesMellor]

If it was me I'd very much want to try the new NAD C388 with them

 

[MUSICRAFT]

sorry what are Dyn' s 2/7 ?

Hi Blacksabbath

Dynaudio DM 2/7's.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Plamd]

Hi Musicraft

Thanks for sharing your customers experience. It.s very helpfull for me, because it is directly with Dali speakers. I'm seriosly thinking about Hegel H80. The only problem is that Hegel are not represented here and i cannot audition.

Best regards

 

[Al ears]

Hi Musicraft

Thanks for sharing your customers experience. It.s very helpfull for me, because it is directly with Dali speakers. I'm seriosly thinking about Hegel H80. The only problem is that Hegel are not represented here and i cannot audition.

Best regards

I am not sure where 'here' is but having heard a few Hegel set-ups I would say, and very rarely do, that the Hegel amps are ones that you can buy with confidence without audition. Clearly if you can audition it is a good idea to do so however, if it turns out that you really do think it is not suitable, which I would very much doubt, you could still sell it on with small financial penalty due to their popularity.

 

[S. Basu]

Hiiii Forum Member,

Recently I have planing to purchase Stereo Amplifier Naim Nait 5i after getting lots of positive review. My question is I am using Focal chorus JLM bookshelf 706s is it match with my speaker becouse I hard this legendary amp not matching with every speaker. My set up is Maranz CD Player CD 5005, Speaker is Focal 706, DAC Maverick Tube magic and amp was NAD 326BEE which i already sold.

Plz suggest me bcoz i have not option for audution.

S. Basu

 

[matthewpiano]

I own a pair of the Dyn' s 2/7 also,but am still looking for a good amp for them.

I'd like to know what your using to drive yours.

Retailers in my country won't shelve the good ones for audition.

I've read all the recent reviews from the budget to the best.

I can spend 1 to 2 k

My experience with the smaller DM2/6 is that they have considerable qualities, beyond most price-comparable speakers, but they do need an amp that can grip them, despite Dynaudio's claims that they will work with just about any amplifier. The amps I've found work best with mine are Exposure and Rotel. Both relatively simple in design but with an emphasis on the getting the basics so right that they can control more difficult speakers such as Dyns and B&Ws. If you want to save money, the Exposure 1010 and Rotel A-10 would be worth a listen, but if you are happy to use your budget I'd strongly urge you to audition higher models such as the Rotel A-14, Rotel RA1592, Exposure 2010s2, and Exposure 3010s2D. I suspect, from past experience of a Creek amp with other speakers, that Creek amps would also be worth hearing, and Rick's comments on Hegel lead me to suspect they would also be a fine match.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hiiii Forum Member,

Recently I have planing to purchase Stereo Amplifier Naim Nait 5i after getting lots of positive review. My question is I am using Focal chorus JLM bookshelf 706s is it match with my speaker becouse I hard this legendary amp not matching with every speaker. My set up is Maranz CD Player CD 5005, Speaker is Focal 706, DAC Maverick Tube magic and amp was NAD 326BEE which i already sold.

Plz suggest me bcoz i have not option for audution.

S. Basu

Not sure why you're asking this question that's about Dali speakers.

Anyway, you mean Focal JM Lab (not JLM) speakers. Is Naim amplification a good match. Absolutely not. Probably one of the worst combos I've heard. Both equipment will antagonise each other. If you're keeping the Focals the best amp is Arcam or the Nad you've just sold.

Any amp that's a smooth midrange and top end: Arcam, Nad, Creek, Roksan Kandy, Yamaha, midrange Marantz or any Class A or valve amps.

Avoid Naim, Cyrus...

 

[matthewpiano]

I've heard Focals sounding superb with amplification by Arcam (A38) and Sugden (Mystro and A21aSE) so I'd recommend listening to the current models by both brands.

 

[Plamd]

Hi Blacksabbath25

Thanks for sharing your experience with Arcam and Dali.

I'll try to answer your questions:

I can get demo for all brands in my audition list ( Arcam , Creek, Naim, Musical Fidelity, Cyrus, Parasound, Marantz and Yamaha). There are few representatives and each of them is representing 2-3 brands for amplifiers. They usually don’t stock many items and rare have new models for demo purposes. For the moment, I can audition Arcam A19 and A39; Naim nait 5i (not 5si), Creek Evo 50A(not 100A); Musical fidelity M3i (not M3si); Marantz PM8005 an 14s; Yamaha (not contacted yet with dealers); Parasound Halo Integrated and P5+A23 amp.

How I liked Rubikons: I went to the store to listen Dali Opticon 2, but “unfortunately”, next to Opticons on the shelf were Ribicons 2. I was stunned by their sound and big difference compared to Opticons. I even forgot to ask about the amplifier. Just went out and were happy that I found my speakers. I think the amp was some old Pioneer model, but I call the dealer for clarification.

Stands: I’m not planning to buy stands. I’m planning to upgrade the room furniture and put speakers on the furniture sections. I know that the best sound will be achieved with stands, but I want to save some space.

Music sources: I have no TT or CD player and don’t plan to buy. I have Arcam DAC and mainly listen digital lossless files from my laptop through USB connection with DAC. When I listen CD I use laptop and the same connection with DAC. Also I use streaming services like Google Play Music and ITunes. I have Google Chromecast Audio device and connected its optical output to my DAC optical input.

Thanks again for trying to help me!

 

[Plamd]

Hi Blacksabbath25

Thanks for sharing your experience with Arcam and Dali.

I'll try to answer your questions:

I can get demo for all brands in my audition list ( Arcam , Creek, Naim, Musical Fidelity, Cyrus, Parasound, Marantz and Yamaha). There are few representatives and each of them is representing 2-3 brands for amplifiers. They usually don’t stock many items and rare have new models for demo purposes. For the moment, I can audition Arcam A19 and A39; Naim nait 5i (not 5si), Creek Evo 50A(not 100A); Musical fidelity M3i (not M3si); Marantz PM8005 an 14s; Yamaha (not contacted yet with dealers); Parasound Halo Integrated and P5+A23 amp.

How I liked Rubikons: I went to the store to listen Dali Opticon 2, but “unfortunately”, next to Opticons on the shelf were Ribicons 2. I was stunned by their sound and big difference compared to Opticons. I even forgot to ask about the amplifier. Just went out and were happy that I found my speakers. I think the amp was some old Pioneer model, but I call the dealer for clarification.

Stands: I’m not planning to buy stands. I’m planning to upgrade the room furniture and put speakers on the furniture sections. I know that the best sound will be achieved with stands, but I want to save some space.

Music sources: I have no TT or CD player and don’t plan to buy. I have Arcam DAC and mainly listen digital lossless files from my laptop through USB connection with DAC. When I listen CD I use laptop and the same connection with DAC. Also I use streaming services like Google Play Music and ITunes. I have Google Chromecast Audio device and connected its optical output to my DAC optical input.

Thanks again for trying to help me!

 

[emperor's new clothes]

Hi Plamd,

Agree with BS above and have found synergy between "built in Japan" Marantz and Denon amps with Dalis. Not heard the Hegals, but would expect them to shine. I have heard the Marantz PM14SE with Rubicon 6s and sounded superb to my ears, as I would expect for 3 x the price of my own combo. From the same stable, the new Denon PMA 2500NE has had excellent reviews. HiFi + tested £11,500 Epicon 8s with high end Naim amps plus the 14SE and were surprised by how well a £1700 amp performed. Worth a read.

Hi Guitar 58,

Prior to the Opticons, I had DM2/7s and fully agree with Mathews comments. They came alive with the Marantz Pm8005, following an unsuccessful home demo with the Creek 50A, which lacked bass and timbre to vocals - a Dynaudio forte.