Any experienced advice for compatible speakers for roksan k3 amp

[Azerbyjan]

i wonder if anyone can help with recommending an appropriate set of speakers to work well with roksan k3 amp. The room is 5 x 12 m and open to eaves. I thought B&W 683 s2 would be ok but have found a few compatibility issues. They're very hard to drive, the integrated k3 cuts out quite quickly on any reasonable volume so I added the k3 power amp and bi wired so at least I can drive the speakers, however the sound gets a bit brash too high and bass seems to fall away. In comparison i have a k3 powering some veteran mordaunt shorts ms 5.40 in a smaller room 5 x 5m providing punchy bass and midrange and good soundstaging and easy to drive too.
I've read some threads about proac and pmc and did wonder about opticon 8s . I'd prefer to buy second hand, budget around 2k. Different types of music , jazz, funk , big band, r&b . More dynamic bass required and any suggestions appreciated as i'm scratchin around for a solution and ready to pass on the b&w's.

 

[plastic penguin]

If it's tonally anything like the K2, Focal, older Monitor Audio Silvers would be my first port of call.

Your amp shouldn't cut out unless it's played for hours. Some amps have this built-in option that cuts in if it gets too warm. But 150 watts per channel shouldn't struggle with any price compatible speaker.

Best to book a demo and test the water and see what brands sound the best.

 

[nopiano]

It’s quite a large space. When you say the Roksan cuts out, do you mean it stops or switches off? It must be massively overdriven in that case, or faulty.

 

[Azerbyjan]

I think my mistakes, many, was to think i'd get a good sound from the 683s, but they are power hungry speakers and all amps i tried with them just overwhelmed them. Thought the k3 would do the trick but as i mentioned that cut out as well, though when matched with power amp could drive the speakers but the sound becomes a bit high and fatiguing.

 

[Azerbyjan]

Same amp doesn't cut out on my mordaunt shorts when volume is up high, and sound is better too but thats in a smaller room. Driving the 683s makes amp quite hot on just over half way round on volume and so thats when oveheat cuttout switch would kick in, quite annoying and dissapointing to boot.

 

[plastic penguin]

Did you buy the K3 from a dealer or second hand off an auction site?

 

[Azerbyjan]

Did you buy the K3 from a dealer or second hand off an auction site?

Hi
yes I bought from Hi fi shop, ctually had the amp checked out by Roksan when I first tried with 683s as I was less than overwhelmed by what I heard.
Reading some other earlier threads on this subject detail this would be a likely problem, should have done due research earlier.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi
yes I bought from Hi fi shop, ctually had the amp checked out by Roksan when I first tried with 683s as I was less than overwhelmed by what I heard.
Reading some other earlier threads on this subject detail this would be a likely problem, should have done due research earlier.

I've not read any issues with this amp. Could you ask the dealer for another one? Tell him you're not happy with it.

 

[Azerbyjan]

I've not read any issues with this amp. Could you ask the dealer for another one? Tell him you're not happy with it.

Well if the dealer where in business i might. Seems like it is just not best matched for the b&ws as they require more guts, not talking about wattage, to power. There are other threads on this site saying the same , it's either change the amp or change the speakers, amp to drive b&w 683s would benefit from a music fidelity, think I'd rather change speakers though and it's a bit difficult lining up a dealer to do a listening test, guess i'd need to take my amp in as well.

 

[Azerbyjan]

I've not read any issues with this amp. Could you ask the dealer for another one? Tell him you're not happy with it.

As someone who owns B&W 603's i can tell you for certain the K3 wont drive them properly as i have tried it. The transformation when i put them on the end of a Musical Fidelity M5Si was huge. The 603's demand current not just watts and the K3 just doesnt control them. I found the sound undefined and lacking in energy. Moving over to the M5Si was transformational.

 

[plastic penguin]

My experience older Kandys ( L3 & K2) is they are ballsy amps, they were rated at 120 watts and 130 watts respectively).

If they can't drive a 8 ohm speaker, even tbough they dip to 3 ohms, there are better out there.

Reinforces how good my amp is. At 80 watts per channel it drives 4 ohm 85db speakers and 6 ohm speaker that dips to 2.5 ohms without missing a beat.

 

[Azerbyjan]

My experience older Kandys ( L3 & K2) is they are ballsy amps, they were rated at 120 watts and 130 watts respectively).

If they can't drive a 8 ohm speaker, even tbough they dip to 3 ohms, there are better out there.

Reinforces how good my amp is. At 80 watts per channel it drives 4 ohm 85db speakers and 6 ohm speaker that dips to 2.5 ohms without missing a beat.

I replaced an Onix oa22 powering mordaunt shorts to the roksan k3 for the living room, great improvement. So naturally `i thought amp would be good for larger office space so bought another and picked up the BWs second hand not having auditioned them but under the impression they would fill the space with musicality. Big mistake, should have been a bit more diligent. Anyhow think selling on either amps integrated and power or speakers wont be a problem but takees a bit of time rebuilding system, and recommendations from experience with tested compatible products is gratefully received.

 

[plastic penguin]

I replaced an Onix oa22 powering mordaunt shorts to the roksan k3 for the living room, great improvement. So naturally `i thought amp would be good for larger office space so bought another and picked up the BWs second hand not having auditioned them but under the impression they would fill the space with musicality. Big mistake, should have been a bit more diligent. Anyhow think selling on either amps integrated and power or speakers wont be a problem but takees a bit of time rebuilding system, and recommendations from experience with tested compatible products is gratefully received.

When you are ready go and demo as many amps as you can within your max budget.

I can recommend brands but I don't know what is available in your area.

 

[radiorog]

I have owned a k3 amp for 7 years approx. Im very surprised to hear yours is cutting out. In my medium sized room i only listen to mine around the 8-11 oclock on the volume dial.
I dont know the exacts on specs and calculations that attribute to how well a speaker is driven, but yours at 89db and 8 ohm to me sounds like a very easy speaker to drive. Maybe the minimun of 3 ohms is a bigger issue than i realise here.
At this point i wpuld guess the amp is faulty. You say you have another. Can you swap them around and see if the other one cuts out also?
I am actually hoping to upgrade my amp soon, as i am feeli g it has maybe a slightly V shaped tonal curve to it.
I jave dynaudio speakers with mine, and am sure the Evoke series would sound very good with the k3. Ive always wonderd what pmc would sound like with my amp, as well as spendor, proac.
I heard sone harbeths with the k3, sounded good, and im pretty sure i was using the k3 when i auditioned atc scm19s, and they sounded very good.

 

[Azerbyjan]

I have owned a k3 amp for 7 years approx. Im very surprised to hear yours is cutting out. In my medium sized room i only listen to mine around the 8-11 oclock on the volume dial.
I dont know the exacts on specs and calculations that attribute to how well a speaker is driven, but yours at 89db and 8 ohm to me sounds like a very easy speaker to drive. Maybe the minimun of 3 ohms is a bigger issue than i realise here.
At this point i wpuld guess the amp is faulty. You say you have another. Can you swap them around and see if the other one cuts out also?
I am actually hoping to upgrade my amp soon, as i am feeli g it has maybe a slightly V shaped tonal curve to it.
I jave dynaudio speakers with mine, and am sure the Evoke series would sound very good with the k3. Ive always wonderd what pmc would sound like with my amp, as well as spendor, proac.
I heard sone harbeths with the k3, sounded good, and im pretty sure i was using the k3 when i auditioned atc scm19s, and they sounded very good.

Thanks for advice on speakers, i thought I might audition som e monitor audio silver 500s too. The B&Ws are much better with a musical fidelity amp, the Roksan integrated basically overheats at about the 7/8 mark though combined with the k3 power amp this issue of cutout is resolved. When I first linked up the 683s back in 2015 to the k3 and pushed volume up managed to blow left output fuses. Sent it back to Roksan for evaluation and warranty repair and didn't drive it at high volume again until I combined it with power amp. Listening to the 683s at volume i think the combined amps struggle to perform, bass drops off and top and middle are focused but brittle. My conclusion was that i've a bad match which after a bit of reading around on this site seems to validate.
What amp are you thinking of upgrading to, would you be adding new speakers too??

 

[radiorog]

Thanks for advice on speakers, i thought I might audition som e monitor audio silver 500s too. The B&Ws are much better with a musical fidelity amp, the Roksan integrated basically overheats at about the 7/8 mark though combined with the k3 power amp this issue of cutout is resolved. When I first linked up the 683s back in 2015 to the k3 and pushed volume up managed to blow left output fuses. Sent it back to Roksan for evaluation and warranty repair and didn't drive it at high volume again until I combined it with power amp. Listening to the 683s at volume i think the combined amps struggle to perform, bass drops off and top and middle are focused but brittle. My conclusion was that i've a bad match which after a bit of reading around on this site seems to validate.
What amp are you thinking of upgrading to, would you be adding new speakers too??

Yeah, i can see this happening i suppose. When i turn the volume dial passed 10 oclock, i can also start to hear a little brightness/harshness creap in, depending on the recording. Luckily im in a small medium sized room and 9 oclock on the dial is my usual optimal level, and here it sounds pretty sweet. I have also definitely noticed that after an hours usage the sound becomes even more fluid and organic sounding. Im putting this down to the initial 10w being class A, which is what i read somewhere once.
I wnet for a speaker audition recently and heard them with a primare i35 amp. I was very impressed with this, and was clearly a step up in sound quality. It just had more grip over the entire sound, and was hearing things clearly in the mix that id never even noticed before. I heard pmc twenty 5 22, spendor a7, and neat sx2. The pmc and spendors were my favourites. Im going to be goong back to hear other amps, sugden a21se, a copeland amp at that price, and ive seen they do a Benchmark power amp too that id like to hear. They also have Dali actives that i want to hear.

 

[Azerbyjan]

That sounds like quite an upgrade, bit of wonger outlay Primare looks good and loads of connectability.
Think I've decided to sell the B&W 683s, and find some easier speakers, noticed that focal chorus don't biwire, so that knocks them off my list.

 

[plastic penguin]

That sounds like quite an upgrade, bit of wonger outlay Primare looks good and loads of connectability.
Think I've decided to sell the B&W 683s, and find some easier speakers, noticed that focal chorus don't biwire, so that knocks them off my list.

Is biwiring that important? When I've tried it in the past there was no sonic benefits to justify the outlay of biwiring cables.

FWIW I heard the K2 against my Leema. I was using MA RS6 on both and the Leema made the presentation more alive, regardless of genre. And I've never had an overheating issue, that's with speakers that dipped to 2.5 ohms.

Just saying....