Help - Yamaha AS501+YBA11 vs Marantz PM6005+???

[itsme]

Hi Guys, please help me with this one

i finally have the funds (and permission*dance4*) to upgrade my current amp.

Currently i have an old Yamaha stereo receiver and old Bose Acoustimass. In the future i want to upgrade to Dali Zensor 1 or Q Acoutics 3020.

I like the idea of the Yamaha option to wireless steam music with the YBA 11 adapter.

Is this also possible with the PM6005 and an onther make of adapter?

please share your thouts

thnx

 

[matthewpiano]

Can you stretch to a NAD D3020?

 

[itsme]

Hi Matthew, thank you for your response.

AS501+YBA11 = €440

PM6005 = € 395 + ??? DAC €.....

NAD D3020 = €499

the price is a close call, i can stretch to a NAD. Is there a particular reason to chose this amp over the other two?

Or the Denon PMA 50 = €429 ???

thank you very much.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

What old Yamaha do you have?

I'd suggest getting the speakers - if the amp is in good working order it may be worth upping the budget on your speaker choice.

But upgrade see how it sounds Then look at upgrading the amp if required.

 

[itsme]

i have the RX-497 stereo receiver

 

[matthewpiano]

Hi Matthew, thank you for your response.

AS501+YBA11 = €440

PM6005 = € 395 + ??? DAC €.....

NAD D3020 = €499

the price is a close call, i can stretch to a NAD. Is there a particular reason to chose this amp over the other two?

Or the Denon PMA 50 = €429 ???

thank you very much.

The NAD has the features you want, and is a better amplifier than either the Marantz or Yamaha in my opinion. The Yamaha A-S501 is a good amplifier for the money but the volume control has some pretty big steps at low volume levels, just as the old A-S500 did, and if you tend to listen at lower volumes sometimes, this can make it very difficult to subtly adjust the level without resorting to using the variable loudness control.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

i have the RX-497 stereo receiver

Is it in full working order?

If so and bluetooth is your transport of choice get the YBA11.

You could also go with a DAC - get the speakers.

Doubt you'll get a big improvement from the amps you've mentioned over the Yamaha you have.

But better speakers could actually unleash the real potential of your Yamaha.

Try going up a level with your speaker choice - a pair Quad 11l, under £200 on the used market.

Read up on them and within budget if you continue with your Yamaha.

 

[itsme]

Hi Thompsonuxb,

Yes my old receiver is working properly. I think that i will demo the NAD D3020, AS501 and PM6005 to decide.

1. is it an improvement over my current receiver

if so

2. witch new one suits me best.

greetings

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

HI there.I would tend to agree with thomson on this one,the difference between the amps at the budget end will not be night and day different,infact i'm pretty sure you'd be dissapointed spending on the amp to hear not such a step up from what you already.I remember i used to have a pair of acoustimass am3 mkiii which i loved......that was until i heard a proper set of modern standmount speakers.Unfortunately my beloved bose speakers were relegated to surround sound duties and made way for my first decent set of speakers,a pair of mission 781's.I think the best bang for your buck here will be a pair of standmounts as already mentioned,so check your budget and get out there and dem some,as already mentioned, dali,b&w,mission and monitor audio to name but a few all have something in your budget,and don't be sucked in by thinking only five star rated stuff is only going to suffice,it's a guide only and your amp might go with something that hasn't quite floated the whf staff's boat and treaded the 4 star rating,only you can tell what sounds good to your own ears.happy hunting.

 

[gasolin]

Hi Matthew, thank you for your response.

AS501+YBA11 = €440

PM6005 = € 395 + ??? DAC €.....

NAD D3020 = €499

the price is a close call, i can stretch to a NAD. Is there a particular reason to chose this amp over the other two?

Or the Denon PMA 50 = €429 ???

thank you very much.

The NAD has the features you want, and is a better amplifier than either the Marantz or Yamaha in my opinion. The Yamaha A-S501 is a good amplifier for the money but the volume control has some pretty big steps at low volume levels, just as the old A-S500 did, and if you tend to listen at lower volumes sometimes, this can make it very difficult to subtly adjust the level without resorting to using the variable loudness control.

As fare as i remember without having red the review the marantz PM6005 won a big test/review in whathif over the Nad D3020 and i think they also had a rotel amp, as i say i havn't reat the test/review i think it's this one (or at least some of it, i got my PM6005 for 250£ i don't know how cheap you can get the nad D3020) http://www.whathifi.com/news/5-best-stereo-amplifiers-under-ps500

 

[itsme]

Hi Gasolin,

thnx for sharing the comparison, very helpfull!

The PM6005 looks very interesting, i will definitly audition the various budget amps.

I feel that if there is so much difference between the best budget amps, there must be a upgrade from my old-Yammy.

By the way, what bluetooth adapter should i choose if it would be the PM6005?

thnx and greetings

 

[gasolin]

Hi Gasolin,

thnx for sharing the comparison, very helpfull!

The PM6005 looks very interesting, i will definitly audition the various budget amps.

I feel that if there is so much difference between the best budget amps, there must be a upgrade from my old-Yammy.

By the way, what bluetooth adapter should i choose if it would be the PM6005?

thnx and greetings

Mabye uPlay from qed http://www.qed.co.uk/wireless_bluetooth.htm

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Marantz-PM6005-Integrated-Amplifier-Digital/dp/B00DUCZBZO/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1449085124&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Marntz+PM6005

http://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/p-10985-nad-d3020-blk.aspx

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Hi Thompsonuxb,

Yes my old receiver is working properly. I think that i will demo the NAD D3020, AS501 and PM6005 to decide.

1. is it an improvement over my current receiver

if so

2. witch new one suits me best.

greetings

 

Do audition, but with no disrespect the Bose system you have is not showing what your amp can do.

Nor will the Dali or Q Accoustics speakers you are considering.

Google the Quads the original 11l's or 12l's. (in the flesh are worth the price for their looks alone)

The Yamaha's of that vintage (I use an ax-620 myself for stereo) had good PSU's in them and will drive the Quads sweetly I'm sure.

Not familiar with modern mission speakers but the old 75x and 78x we're a good match(but the 78x's were unreliable)

From were I'm sitting you have a more than competent starting point with that Yamaha and it makes sense to push the boat out for better 'used' speakers if your budget is tight.

 

[itsme]

Hi Guys, i have been auditioning last weekend.

NAD D3020

Marantz MCR511

Denon PMA-50

All with Zensor Pico / Zensor 1 / B&W CM1 / Dali Opticon 1.

The best sound came from the MCR511.

Second NAD D3020, i was dissapointed with this one (less open sound in comarison with the mcr511)

Last PMA-50 (dull sound, no drive whatever the speaker.

For the speaker the best sound came from the B&W CM1 but they were almost triple the price. This i can't afford.

The opticon en de zensor 1 sounded the same (i'd had to move up budget amp to justify opticon)

The Zensor pico is to small.

Only the mcr511 with the sensor sounded better than what i have now (with the budget i have)

I'll do a second demo by another dealer with.

A-S501 and mcr with Q acoustics 3020

A-S501 andmcr511 with Monitor audio Bronze 1

i'll keep you informed with my hunting.......

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Did you bring your amp with you?

If not do next time.

It'll five you a point of reference and allow you to hear it on different speakers.

(still think you should focus on getting better speakers)

 

[gasolin]

You can also look at the small mini systems from denon since you like the marantz mcr511,something like the denon dm40 with q acoustics 2050i,3050 because of the good sensitivity

 

[gpi]

Hi Thompsonuxb,

Yes my old receiver is working properly. I think that i will demo the NAD D3020, AS501 and PM6005 to decide.

1. is it an improvement over my current receiver

if so

2. witch new one suits me best.

greetings

Do audition, but with no disrespect the Bose system you have is not showing what your amp can do.

Nor will the Dali or Q Accoustics speakers you are considering.

Google the Quads the original 11l's or 12l's. (in the flesh are worth the price for their looks alone)

The Yamaha's of that vintage (I use an ax-620 myself for stereo) had good PSU's in them and will drive the Quads sweetly I'm sure.

Not familiar with modern mission speakers but the old 75x and 78x we're a good match(but the 78x's were unreliable)

From were I'm sitting you have a more than competent starting point with that Yamaha and it makes sense to push the boat out for better 'used' speakers if your budget is tight.

I would take the Q Acoustics over the 11L any day. Have you heard any of the Q Acoustics speakers?

The old receiver is compromised because it's a receiver. A standalone integrated amp will be far better and that's a fact, not just my opinion.

As for a Bluetooth receiver to use with the PM6005, this should do the job. But for higher quality files (e.g. FLAC from a computer) you'd need to hard wire to the inbuilt DAC or to an external one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00H8ONMGA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00H8ONMGA&linkCode=as2&tag=audioappra-21