Good amplifier to play spotify music

[admin_exported]

Hi all,

First of all apologies for my ignorance regarding hifi questions. I am new to hifi systems and not a techie person at all.

I am planning to bulid a hif system at home. Nothing spectacular, just a low medium range system with floorstander speakers as my living room is quite big. the speakers will probabaly be the most expensive part of it so i was thining to get the Q Acoustics 2050i or mission MX3 ot Tannoy V4 as I saw good reviews here.

What I need then is an amplifier that meets the following requirements:

1. It can play music from Spotify or music stored in my PCs hard drive (as well as my old CDs and vynils so I would need to plug in a turntable and a cd player later on).

2. Ideally I would also like to play the internet music wirelessly (without wirng the PC to the amplifier) as I noticed that the jack connection in the PC is not very good and the sound quality out of it is not very good either.

3. Finally if the amplifier has a internet radio function that would be awesome (althoug this is more of a nice to have that a must have option)

Three questions for you:

1. How are this type of amplifiers called. I read names such as DAC, AV receivers, streamers and I do not know what is what so I am a bit confused here. What is the right term for this type of amplifiers?

2. What brands/models would you recommend that are not overly expensive (my budget would be 250-350 pounds) and fit well with floorstander speakers of the range above.

3. What do you think of the Pioneer VSX527. My local hifi shop has recommened it to me but I am not sure if that is a good option for me.

Thanks very much for your advise and sorry again fro my lack of knowledge here

Martin

 

[toyota man]

Hi if I were you I would pop into your local hifi store and see if they would lend you the amp and speakers that you have in mind as a home dem would give you an idea of how it sounds in your own home . what sort of music do you listen to what size is your room and would you consider second hand or ex dem ?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Martin

I'd recommend an amp with a DAC but I they're out of your price range as you'd be looking at around £550. I'd go for a straight amp and add a DAC to your system in the future when you can afford it. Music straight from PC's / streamed sources like Spotify isn't great. A DAC makes a huge difference in the conversion from digital to analogue which PC's don't do very well.

Answers to some of your questions:

Amplifier - takes the sound signal from a source and amplifies it.

AV Receiver - an amplifier with a radio tuner built it.

DAC - A single device or section of any digital device (CD player etc) that converts a digital source like a CD to analogue which is then amplified by the amplifer or AV Receiver. DACs can be bought separately and are being so as they can better than the DAC that is in your CD player or PC.

Streamer - A device that takes digital music from a source like a PC / Hard drive and allows it to be connected to a HiFi. i.e. it sits between a PC and HiFi. Streamers are built into some devices like AV Receivers.

You haven't said if you want to use your PC as the main control interface? A streamer will often give you internet radio though if you are using your PC as an interface, then you can use that instead. The ideal way to connect your PC to your HiFi is via ethernet / your router. Your point 2 - are you choosing wireless for convenience or because you said the sound isn't very good? If it's the sound, it will sound much better via ethernet and a DAC.

The Pioneer VSX527 is an AV Receiver (i.e. made more for TV / films / DVD / Blu Ray). You'll get your internet radio / ethernet connection etc from a number of AV Receivers but generally it won't sound as good as a dedicated HiFi amplifier for 2 channel music.

But I think with your budget, and all the features you're looking for it's an option. You need to decide and compromise - what is more important to you - having better sound or having all these features?

 

[fatman]

hmmm, was sure i replied to this earlier.

you pretty much wrote a sales pitch for the Onkyo TX8050, has Spotify onboard so you won't even need your PC on!

 

[Anonymous]

Ps - you could connect your PC to some amplifiers via USB - there is a big argument about which is better, ethernet or USB.

 

[richardw42]

Beat me to it. The Onkyo definitely is an obvious choice. AV Recevers also have an awful lot to offer in terms of features and usually have more power than price comparable stereo ones. I don't know why people get so sniffy about them.

 

[crang]

Onkyo TX8050

simples!!!!!

search for thread it's arrived by Record Spot

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone. Thisis very helpful advise.

So if I understand well the DAC is just a digital to analogue converter but not an amplifier in itslf. Are there any hifi amplifiers that already have a dac built inand ideally can play spotify? Would you say that the Onkyo TX8050 suggested by fatman is a good option for quality sound?

To answer your questions, Ithiink my living room is about 7meters X 10 meters. Additional challenge is that the ceiling must be 6 meter or so and the floor is made of erracot tiles so probabaly not the nbest for crytal clear music

I would prefer to control the music playing from the hifi rather than from the PC. I would rather not use the PC at all if possible and just connect to Spotify directly through the router at home. I do not know if that is possible.

Regarding whether I would sacrifice sound or all these features. I think I would sacrifice the sound a bit if that emans I can isten to internet music easily. I am not a sound expert so probably I could live with a relatively decent sound even if not the best possible. However most of the music I listen to these days comes from the internet so I would need a decent quality audio from sources like Spotify.

 

[Anonymous]

....so any ideas further advise would be greatly appreciated

 

[Anonymous]

The Onkyo TX-8050 certainly looks like a good option as suggested by others! I've no idea about the sound quality as I haven't heard it. Onkyo do make fine products though.

Your DAC understanding is correct. The Onkyo TX-8050 has a DAC built in (though note that most amplifiers do not). Get to a HiFi shop and ask to listen to it and take some CDs & MP3s with you. Test the difference in sound between CD, MP3s and Spotify.

I think as a start, it will be a big jump up in sound quality compared to what you're used to.

Btw one of my definitions was slightly incorrect:

Receiver - HiFi amplifier with a radio tuner built in (rare these days as AV Receivers have taken over).

AV Receiver - Audio Visual amplifier i.e. An amplifier made for TV / Blu Ray / DVD sound processing, usually with a radio tuner and sometimes now with DAB/Internet radio built in.

A question - will you ever use this amplifier for TV i.e. 5.1 sound, Blu Ray etc? If so, then you'll want an AV Receiver. If not, then the Onkyo TX-8050 looks like a fine option.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Miggyboys,

Your defintions above are very clear. I am planning to use the amplifier mainly for music. I am not to bothered about TV or movies. I've read other posts in this forum about the TX8050 and others seem to be very pleased with it.

I would love to test it in a shop. Problem is that where I live (Belgium) HiFi shops are in general small and they do not have much stuff in the stores. I had a look in a couple of stores here but none of them had that model. So I am afraid I will have to trust this forum as the best source for information and comparison of diff options.

I will probably put an order for the Onlyo this week.

Thanks very much again. Your advise has been very useful.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm glad you found my and everyone else's advice useful. Good luck with your foray into the world of HiFi and I hope you enjoy your new system!

 

[the record spot]

Yep, hearty recommendation for the Onkyo, terrific little amp.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Record Spot,

I¡, ve read your other posts about the Onkyo TX8050 and your recommendation to pair them with second hand mission 751? DO you think this is a god option for me. I could go up a little bit in the budget to 350-400 pounds max.

My room is not the best for music. It is relatively arge (/meter X 10 meters and high cceiling plus tile type of floor.

If possible I would prefer not to buy a pair of speaker and have to sell them afterwards.

Thanks!

 

[the record spot]

As long as it's the original 751 and not the Freedom model which was like listening through cotton wool. If I'm honest, I'd suggest buying the Onkyo now (check the sales) then saving up a little for something newer. The Tannoys I use now remind me of the Missions, albeit a different design, but highly musical and a good pairing with the 8050.

 

[Anonymous]

Sonos. Simples. Get the one with amp. You control it with your ipad iPod, it streams spotify or from your pc. If you want to upgrade at later date, its perfect. Got the dac built in and I think 40watts per channel. Looks good too.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

Of the 5 star rated stanmounters below 400 pounds in whatifi the mission mx3 and the tannoy mercury v4s areavailable at reasonable prices (250-300 pounds). Do you think any of those speakwrs could be a good match for the Onlyo TX8050?

Thnaks again. I am really new to this and trying to find my way here

 

[moon]

Beat me to it. The Onkyo definitely is an obvious choice. AV Recevers also have an awful lot to offer in terms of features and usually have more power than price comparable stereo ones. I don't know why people get so sniffy about them.

indeed, the Denon 2113 I have has Spotify on board, decods HD, simple to use, has penty of power on tap all for £249. Absolute bargin.