Channel balance problem

[matthewpiano]

Listening more to the 340A SE today, I continually had a feeling that the left channel was slightly stronger than the right. Playing some mono recordings confirms this.

My feeling is that I can't live with this. Is it something that I have to accept at this price point, or is it fairly rare on modern kit? I've never found it to be an issue on any other brand's amplifiers myself.

Any thoughts welcomed before I take this back to RS and give the Denon PMA510AE a whirl instead.

 

[nads]

IIRC it seems to be something with CA amps at lowish levels.

 

[Anonymous]

perhaps the one you have is faulty.... let RS connect a different one in their audition room and take your mono cd to check? ....

 

[nads]

seems to be the other way arround here

http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/33598.aspx

 

[Anonymous]

The lower spec CA amps have tone and vol controls in series. You will find that one channel will sound louder than the other until you start to get the vol control up past 10 oclock. A solution and one that I used on my 540 was to fit a couple of attenuators. This brought the vol up to about 12 oclock for normal listening levels. Not perfect but all sorted to my satisfaction. This 'problem' is not anything to worry about, its just the way the amp is designed. If you go and get another it will be the same.

 

[matthewpiano]

IMO it is poor design. I'll be taking it back and going for the Denon PMA510AE instead.

 

[Craig M.]

almost speechless. if you like the sound it makes, try the attenuators. i wouldn't worry about bad design if there is a way around it, particularly given how hard it has been for you to find something you like.

 

[chebby]

Get the CA 650A (or 550A) with it's Alps 'Blackbox' volume pot and dual mono design.

To quote CA....

"2. ALPS Blackbox volume encoder

The 550A and 650A use a high end ALPS Blackbox volume encoder - all of
the signal goes through this at all times so this is a key component.
Benefits include perfect channel balance at all volume levels and
improved and stereo separation."

 

[matthewpiano]

Craig, I hear you and you make sense, but I just can't accept that a £200 amp needs working around to get such a basic thing as channel balance right. This should be part of the ABC of amplifier design, and a quality volume pot should be on the essentials list, not something that is compromised on.

To be honest I experienced the same issue with a Cambridge amp some time ago but I thought they might have paid some attention to resolving it by now. I only listen at low-ish volumes (about 8-9 o'clock max) so it is really annoying.

My other issue with attenuating the signal is that I always find some of the drive and fullness of sound is lost in the process.

 

[John Duncan]

matthewpiano:IMO it is poor design. I'll be taking it back and going for the Denon PMA510AE instead.

It is poor design yes. But the attenuators suggestion is a good one...

 

[matthewpiano]

I still have my NAD C545BEE CD player, boxed up in the spare room, so my options in terms of amplifier choice are quite open at this point. I'm giving this serious thought. I appreciate the attenuator suggestion but, no matter how silly it may seem, I'm not happy with the idea, particularly as I'm now wondering a little about the 340A SEs general ability anyway.

I will get this right with the help of my local Richers who are consistently excellent and helpful.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Have a side by side demo of the NAD C326BEE and the C/A 650 amp if you can MP and see what your thoughts are then...

I think that the NAD C545BEE is a very capable CDP to say the least so it needs a good amp to match it.

 

[Anonymous]

reading the other threads, sounds like me to a poor design .... get a refund and get something decent ....

no wonder there is a market for zapparators (sp) and all those fancy gadgets

 

[matthewpiano]

d_a_n1979:Have a side by side demo of the NAD C326BEE and the C/A 650 amp if you can MP and see what your thoughts are then...

I think that the NAD C545BEE is a very capable CDP to say the least so it needs a good amp to match it.

Thanks Dan. I reckon you probably understand all my headaches given your own challenges in getting the right set-up. I'm starting to regret selling my C326BEE now, although I got most of what it would cost me to buy another one when I sold it so it isn't a disaster. At least I kept the CD player.

I'm going to have another look at the NAD, the Marantz 6003, and the CA 550A (the 650A is too much money at this stage and the 550A shares much of the design including the much better Alps Black Box pentiometer). I'm leaning towards the safety of the NAD though to be honest.

 

[matthewpiano]

dim_span:
reading the other threads, sounds like me to a poor design .... get a refund and get something decent ....

no wonder there is a market for zapparators (sp) and all those fancy gadgets

I suppose at £200 something has to give, but I can't understand how NAD, Marantz, Rotel and Denon manage to use a decent volume pot that maintains balance properly not to mention all the old amps I've had that have displayed no such issues.

To me, CA's advertising for the 550A and 650A amounts to an admission that the volume controls used in their cheaper and/or older products weren't ideal in terms of balance at some levels.

 

[d_a_n1979]

If youre around Preston on Thursday afternoon MP pop into Sight & Sound around 1300...

I'll be there whimpering in the corner wondering what the hell to do next...

Anyways... Yes; I feel your pain! I think moving from the NAD C326BEE to where you are now has been a very up/down process and IMO the NAD is leagues ahead of the C/A 340!

I really do think that you'll have to have a nosey at the 650 amp OR maybe take a look at the Rotel RA04/RA06 or even possibly the Audiolab 8000S. You could even look at the NAD C355BEE... RS have it @ £299 currently in titanium finish!!!

 

[Anonymous]

You're quite right about avoiding attenuators, Matthew. I used a pair of the Rothwell RCA attenuators and found that they flattened the treble somewhat. It was a breath of fresh air to take them off!

I think that you're going to struggle with budget amps and their pots if you listen at low volumes. Even higher end kit has had these problems in the past, notably some preamps when used with power amps that have higher gain than the pre was intended to feed. For example, my S2000MP suffers from this when used with a Quad 405 at it's original input sensitivity.

This is a real shame because you managed to settle on something.

 

[matthewpiano]

I've gone for the Denon PMA510AE. The guy in Richers said the Marantz PM6003 and NAD C326BEE were not worth the extra outlay and after spending all afternoon listening, I have to completely agree with him. It drives the Q floorstanders beautifully - the best I have heard them - and combines weight and authority with a great sense of atmosphere.

I did try my NAD C545BEE through it but quickly boxed that back up as the MF V-DAC sounds substantially better. Eventually I fancy the matching Denon disc-spinner and I plan to get another Denon tuner - probably a TU1800DAB again - to complete the set-up.

Channel balance? Perfect at all volume levels.

Special mention again to Richers in Preston - exceptionally good service. They always seem to want to help get things right rather than just laughing and suggesting spending more money. RS have a very strong team in there of which they can be justifiably proud.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Glad you've got all sorted MP

I think if I do go for the NAD combo I'll be visiting RS in Preston seeing as they've £150 off the NAD C355BEE amp compared to everywhere else!

I know showing respect to a hihi shop is advisable but with price cuts like that I'd rather have the £££ in my account for further, future upgrades like a tuner or better cables etc...

What's the soundstage like with the Q Acoutsic speakers? Is their bass depth and clarity/tautness good?

 

[matthewpiano]

Hi Dan.

The Qs are very capable indeed but need some care in set-up and partnering. They respond considerably to bi-wiring and gain tautness and control when connected in this way. They are pretty flexible about positioning and go surprisingly low for such compact floorstanders. If single-wired they lose out in terms of refinement and you don't really get a proper picture of how good they really are.

I can understand why it would be hard not to go for Richer's current price on the C355BEE. If thats the right amp for you then it is something of a bargain.

 

[Messiah]

I just wonder (and I'm sure you must) if you are ever going to find the right system.......

AVI I tell you!

 

[ear]

I havrnt hear yet the 650a but heard the 550a, and it didnt sound thin nor tyring to me.I liked it.seemed a bit underpowered though.gives us impressions on the pma510 please.heard it already but found it a bit messy, no layering of sound.

 

[matthewpiano]

Oh I certainly have wondered but I also think I've had it in the past and changed it out of some mis-apprehension that it could easily be improved.

The new Denon gets me closest to it (there was no accident in going back to considering Denon), and on my first listening session this afternoon I am very content. Hope it stays that way!

 

[Anonymous]

A couple of nice old sansui amps on ebay at the moment - an AU 717 that looks mint + an AU 7500 fully refurbed in the vintage electronics sections. Can't help but think that a top class vintage amp wouldn't be a better option than the succession of new budget amps that have been in and out of your system.

 

[Craig M.]

matthew, after the amount of effort you've put into finding the right system, i really hope you're on the right track, i think i'd have given up by now. big respect for not settling for something that isn't right.