Help upgrading my amp

AndiV

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Jul 23, 2021
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I currently run a Marantz PM4001 amp with q acoustic 1020 speakers. This setup was my first foray into Hifi and separates.

I’m perfectly happy (for now) with the speakers & my Marantz cd 5001 player. We also stream Apple Music (lossless) yet I’m finding it to sound a little flat.

Which amp would be a good upgrade to what I’m using now? Ive looked at the Marantz 6006 & 6007 as possibilities. Any help or advice is very welcome.
 

Tinman1952

Well-known member
I currently run a Marantz PM4001 amp with q acoustic 1020 speakers. This setup was my first foray into Hifi and separates.

I’m perfectly happy (for now) with the speakers & my Marantz cd 5001 player. We also stream Apple Music (lossless) yet I’m finding it to sound a little flat.

Which amp would be a good upgrade to what I’m using now? Ive looked at the Marantz 6006 & 6007 as possibilities. Any help or advice is very welcome.
Hi. How are you currently streaming Apple Music lossless?
 

Tinman1952

Well-known member
I’ve been thinking of an external dac (schiit modi 3) connected via optical cable to the airport express
That would be a much better solution. If you are currently using the analogue out then the internal DAC in the AE is not great and has been shown to have higher jitter than the first gen. I would expect a marked improvement with an external DAC 👍
 

AndiV

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It’s possible that Apple Music is a little flat sounding, though your streaming device may be a factor. The PM6006 or 7 would be an upgrade, though it would benefit from a speaker upgrade too I suspect.
Can you get to hear one? In the UK, Richer Sounds are in many towns and cities.
Why do you recommend a speaker upgrade? 🙂
 

AndiV

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That would be a much better solution. If you are currently using the analogue out then the internal DAC in the AE is not great and has been shown to have higher jitter than the first gen. I would expect a marked improvement with an external DAC 👍
That’s what I suspected. I’m waiting for the dac to come into European stock then I’ll order it. Seems a more logical & costly upgrade than a new amp at the mo
 
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insider9

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That's not a bad position but I missed something in your OP that's pertinent.

Since you're happy with CD playback but Apple Music via Airport Express sounds flat I'd suggest you try a different streaming solution that doesn't involve Airport Express. It looks like it could be the culprit.
 

AndiV

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That's not a bad position but I missed something in your OP that's pertinent.

Since you're happy with CD playback but Apple Music via Airport Express sounds flat I'd suggest you try a different streaming solution that doesn't involve Airport Express. It looks like it could be the culprit.
What to replace it with, that’s the million dollar question(?) As I said in a previous reply I’ll get an external DAC first and see if what difference that makes. Do you have any other advice / ideas?
 

Edbostan

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I currently run a Marantz PM4001 amp with q acoustic 1020 speakers. This setup was my first foray into Hifi and separates.

I’m perfectly happy (for now) with the speakers & my Marantz cd 5001 player. We also stream Apple Music (lossless) yet I’m finding it to sound a little flat.

Which amp would be a good upgrade to what I’m using now? Ive looked at the Marantz 6006 & 6007 as possibilities. Any help or advice is very welcome.
It is always the source which is important. I play Apple Lossless from my NAS drive via Sonos Connect plugged into Onkyo amp and I can't tell the difference between Apple Lossless, CD or Amazon Music. Don't blame the amp but concentrate only the source first.
 
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AndiV

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That’s what I’m beginning to understand, thanks for your advice. My original post sums that about cd playback so I should have figured that out, haha.
So, what would be better in your opinion, an external dac or changing the airport express? Instinctively I’m leaning towards a dac.
 

Edbostan

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That’s what I’m beginning to understand, thanks for your advice. My original post sums that about cd playback so I should have figured that out, haha.
So, what would be better in your opinion, an external dac or changing the airport express? Instinctively I’m leaning towards a dac.
My amp is purely analogue so the only dac I have is the Sonos Connect which converts digital signals from the NAS to analogue input for the Onkyo amp. I know nothing about airport express.
 

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