Can I improve - Sonus Faber Concertino Domus speakers & Denon AVR-3805 & iPod set-up?

admin_exported

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Well I know I can always improve...!

I have some Sonus Faber Concertino Domus speakers that I bought to use with a Denon AVR-3805 amplifier. The plan was to use it for movies and hifi but then we moved and kids came along and so now I have the speakers and AV amp which is used solely for listening to music...

I don't have a CD player and play Apple lossless via an iPod.

My questions are:

[*]What are people's thoughts on the Sonus Faber Concertino Domus speakers as I can't find a What Hifi review? Would other speakers be better with the other components.
[*]Is the Denon AVR-3805 a good amp to use just for stereo music or would it be better to get something else, i.e. a pure hifi stereo amp?
[*]Should I get a CD player or is Apple lossless and an iPod comparable with my set up?
[*]Should I sell the lot and start again.....

Appreciate your thoughts.

Many thanks

Matthew
 

JoelSim

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I would imagine getting a very good 2-channel amp would be the next step. I don't know much about the Denon but AV amps are a compromise.
 
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Anonymous

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Wow, they are some very nice speakers! A great set to base your upgrade on! I would look to upgrade the amp first - a good, powerful two channel would be what you need - something by Primare or Naim would be smashing. Just don't skimp on the power! Then look at getting a good dock for your ipod (I for one believe there isn't that much difference between an ipod or decent CD player) Arcam do a nice one, but look around.

The amp is most important at this stage though. And did I mention you need plenty of power for the Sonus Fabers?
emotion-1.gif
 
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Anonymous

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I have been planning to get hold of some Concertino Domus for a home test, in the aim of finding a replacement for my B&W 805s. I have heard great things about them and I believe they will sit with my Naim components well.

You definitely need to replace the receiver if you want to pull the best from your speakers. But it all depends on what your budget is. Those speakers are capable of working with electronics way beyond their price.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks all for your replies.

I guess I would look to spend up to £1,000 (ish) on a new amp - the speakers are 30-150W so any suggestions as to what specific makes/models may be appropriate?
 
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Anonymous

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matthew, the speakers power handling rating is not what is most important here. what you need to keep in mind about your speakers is their sensitivity (measured in dB) and their impedence (measured in Ohms). these two measurements will indicate their relative ease of drive. though from Hughes's comments it would seem that they are not an easy load to drive and you would need an amp with about 100wpc to drive them effeciently.
 
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Anonymous

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ok, just checked online and found their specs - 88dB and 4 ohms maybe this can help with further amp suggestions...
 
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Anonymous

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For that figure, I would be looking at 100 watts per channel to be honest, but 50watts might just about do it - however, the handling capability of those speakers makes it suitable for a much more powerful amplifier so try looking at Primare models if you can.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks again for the feedback - will take a closer look at the Primare range of amps.
 
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Anonymous

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Hughes123:For that figure, I would be looking at 100 watts per channel to be honest, but 50watts might just about do it - however, the handling capability of those speakers makes it suitable for a much more powerful amplifier so try looking at Primare models if you can.

A good quality amp will be close to doubling it's rated output into a 4ohm load. As long as the amp is ok with 4ohm loads, it should provide plenty of control, even if 8ohm measurements arent particularly massive. I wouldnt spend too much time worrying over rms watts output.
 

Gerrardasnails

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mattheww_nz:
Thanks again for the feedback - will take a closer look at the Primare range of amps.

If you want brand new at that price, Primare might be out of your league. If you want power on tap plus excellent build and specification, look no further than the Cambridge Audio 840A v2 at £750.
 
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Anonymous

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thfcwestlower:
Hughes123:For that figure, I would be looking at 100 watts per channel to be honest, but 50watts might just about do it - however, the handling capability of those speakers makes it suitable for a much more powerful amplifier so try looking at Primare models if you can.

A good quality amp will be close to doubling it's rated output into a 4ohm load. As long as the amp is ok with 4ohm loads, it should provide plenty of control, even if 8ohm measurements arent particularly massive. I wouldnt spend too much time worrying over rms watts output.

See, I don't agree - to get the best out of any speakers, you need to be feeding them with nearly their maximum handling capability (not that the handling capability bears any relation to how much power speakers can handle). For example, my theory is that an 85db sensitivity speaker on 8ohms needs 100watts to get the best out of it. So for an 88db 8ohm speaker, you would be looking at around 70watts to get enough dynamic power (in a normal sized room). For an 88db 4ohm speaker, you would need about 100watts again.

The common misconception is that a 4ohm speaker is just as easy to drive as an 8ohm speaker, because the power output of the amplifier increases. Yes, that is true, but distortion will kick in far sooner, resulting in clipping and that's what damages speakers. The damping factor is also important, but that is for long-term effects on driver strain.
 

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