Integrated Amp for RX6, maybe RX8

[Silverleaf]

This weekend I have spend a few hours to listen to the M/A RX6, RX8, several Focals (714/716) and a few Dali (Ikon II) and B&W speakers. I am very pleased with the sound of the RX6, its very neutral, never sharp or overblown. Furthermore the Monitor Audio speakers have a suberb build quality and finish. Also the RX8 is a beauty, but maybe its a bit to warm...

First I thougt about it to go the Marantz route, PM7004, NA7004 and an UD5005 blu ray player, but the advisor in the shop advised me not to focus on Marantz only for their network player. Consider the Sonos system, he said, it's a proven system which you can combine with anything.

So now the question is which amp to use. Brands they are selling are, NAD, Denon, Marantz, Arcam, Rotel, Leema. I don't want to spend more the Denon PMA1510 or Arcam A28, which is about 1000~1100 euro.

I prefer a brand that can provide me also a blu-ray player (in future to spread the costs..).

 

[Zubkabera]

I would suggest Roksan Caspian M1 or M2, they go very well with RX6. M1 will be better as you can get it for quite attractive price and spend the rest on cables/interconnects etc.

 

[Frank Harvey]

As this manufacturer has to provide you with a Bluray player, that does limit you somewhat. The Marantz would be one of the main contenders, and unless you're going to spend Arcam money, you're left with the likes of Marantz, Denon and Onkyo off the top of my head who make decent Bluray players who can provide you wit matching hi-fi.

I think the Marantz would be fine. Going for the Sonos does open up your choice of hi-fi and give you a few little extras, but as mentioned, this is limited by the Bluray player.

 

[Andrew Everard]

...Yamaha, Cambridge Audio...

 

[Cypher]

Monitor Audio has a great synergy with Marantz so the PM7004 will work very well. Or try to get a PM8003, I bought one for 600 euros brandnew. Fantastic amp with lots of power.

Or try the Yamaha A-S500.

 

[plastic penguin]

Traditionally, Arcam and Creek are great with MAs. Also, as someone else mentioned, Caspians are very good indeed, so maybe also consider Kandy K2. Leema sound fine with RS6s, but don't have the midrange intimacy with vocals as the other brands I mentioned. But worth listening to the RX6s/Leema combo and see how it stacks up.

Brands to avoid IMHO, is Cyrus, Rotel and Naim.

 

[drummerman]

Andrew Everard:...Yamaha, Cambridge Audio...

I can't remember the last time you suggested a product. Not sure why you don't do it more often.

 

[manicm]

With all due respect your dealer is just giving you a spiel by simply saying choose the Sonos instead of the Marantz.

That is entirely unprofessional of him.

 

[Silverleaf]

manicm:

With all due respect your dealer is just giving you a spiel by simply saying choose the Sonos instead of the Marantz.

That is entirely unprofessional of him.

I indeed notice his reservation about the new Marantz NA7004 networkplayer,which should be available here in Holland, by the end of this month.

Typically he sugested NAD, eg the C356BEE or a Denon PMA1500 (on sale now

)

I dont have strong afections with a specific brand, although Marantz is one of the few that comes with a decent networkplayer and new blu-ray players.

I plan a new listening session over a week or so and include some of the advised models suggested here.

 

[Andrew Everard]

drummerman:I can't remember the last time you suggested a product. Not sure why you don't do it more often.

Then I think your amnesia is back. I do, often.

 

[Frank Harvey]

manicm:
With all due respect your dealer is just giving you a spiel by simply saying choose the Sonos instead of the Marantz.

That is entirely unprofessional of him.

How so?

 

[matthewpiano]

I suppose the crucial question is, has the dealer in question heard and used the Marantz unit? If he has, and his recommendation is based on experience of Sonos and the Marantz, then there is nothing wrong with what he has said. If he hasn't heard the Marantz then he is not in the position to give any such recommendation.

 

[Silverleaf]

Well I could have started a new topic "From Marantz to Arcam in 14 days"

.

I explained above, that I preferred a one brand solution for the electronics for my new first "real" HiFi system. At that moment I never realised it would be that difficult. In the past few years I have been reconstructing my house, so I didn't have the time to look for a new HiFi system. After the reconstruction, I didn't even put my old Technics electronics with Magnat speakers back in the living room, I didn't like the sound at all. But now it was time for something decent.

Marantz/Sonos Streaming

The WHF review from the NA7004 did not convince me completely. I think the sound department is ok, but the flexibility is limited. I asked Marantz (USA, Benelux didn't respond) if the NA7004 would support Spotify. The answered that there are no plans, to implement Spotify in the NA7004 player. I think that going digital/streaming/internet streaming, asks for a brand that is willing to support new trends like Spotify. Until now, Sonos proved to be flexible, without additional cost. So I decided to go the Sonos route (ZP90 controlled by iPad).

Amplifier

Based on reviews and other reading, I thought Marantz would be my favourite choice, but I still wanted to test other amplifiers, before making a decision. I made an appointment with a local dealer and he prepared a Marantz CD6003 (used for all testing) a PM7004, a Denon PMA1500 and a NAD C356BEE, connected to the RX6 (I decided on that one). For music I used Katie Melua (Closest thing to Crazy,Piece by Piece), Cold Play (Politik, Clocks), Gary Moore (Still got the Blues, Story of the Blues) and U2 (Where the streets have no name, etc).

I started with the Marantz PM7004, which sounded good basically, but then we started comparing.... Continuing with the Denon, I noticed a few things. The Denon was considerably more dynamic and detailed. However for my taste, the mid-upper end was a bid to pronounced (fresh/bright). The RX6 is not a particularly warm (compared to B&W) or bright (focal) speaker, but the Denon coloured the RX6 to the brighter side, which I don't like. Then I continued with the NAD and that was revealing. It didn't colourize the speaker in a negative sense and it was very dynamic and detailed. I spend the most time with the NAD actually, but after some time I started to notice that this amp wants to play loud. With the volume control at let's say eight o clock (and that's just the beginning), it produced a room filling sound. The amp didn't like lower volumes at conversation or background level. I really wanted to like this amp, it has a high value for the money, but I am not the person who plays the music loud, maybe occasionally, but normally not. I am using the system in a 25sqm living room, in a semi detached house. Now I think I understand what the WHF editor meant with "congested sound stage" in his review from this NAD. So I went back to the Marantz and that was a disappointment. It lacked the dynamics and detail from both amplifiers, for some reason it sounded dull. At some point when Gary Moore was playing his guitar, or Cold Play while playing Clocks, I felt that it couldn't always handle 'transients'. I couldn't reproduce this with the other amps. The NAD has the habit to sound 'louder' at any volume, so comparing with the Marantz is maybe not such a good idea

(I started to turn up the volume from the Marantz to get the NAD feeling, but that didn't work

)

The Denon and NAD made me unsure, both proved that the RX6 could do better with a better amp. So I discussed this with the dealer and he suggested to try an Arcam A28, because it's a bit like the Marantz sound, but then at a higher level. As soon the Arcam started playing, I got the feeling that the A28 was made for the RX6, for my situation. It sounded so clean, Katie Melua's voice, was spot on and Gary Moore could do anything with his guitar whatever he wanted, but the Arcam stayed perfectly in control, with a very natural 'sound colour'. What I also liked is the fact that it played excellent at any volume, from whispering levels up to levels my neighbours won't like (with Gary Moore).

The problem over here (Holland) is, that not many dealers are selling a nice combo of British "mainstream" speakers from B&W or Monitor Audio, together with Roksan or Naim for example. There are only a very limited number of Roksan and Naim dealers and they are usually selling higher end speakers. On the other hand, you won't easily find brands like Pioneer, Yamaha etc.. in a HiFi expert shop that is selling B&W or Monitor Audio.

So finally I decided to make the following combination: The Monitor RX6 + Arcam A28 + Sonos ZP90 with Arcam rDac (coax linked). The dealer advised to wait with the Blu-Ray player, until the new units from Marantz and Denon arrive at the end of this month. I will mainly use the system with the Sonos I guess. I hope it will arrive within a few days, so I can start enjoying it.

I must say that both the reviews in the magazine as well as the discussions over here, made me much more aware, where to look for, before making any decisions.

 

[vinod_david]

Good review. If A28 is that good with RX6, then A38 should be mindblowingly good!