Looking to upgrade Amp and Speakers

[hybridauth_Facebook_538052709]

Hello everyone,

your advices-opinios will be very appreciated as I'm looking to upgrade my amp and speakers for vinyl music listening (mainly pop-rock-indie music genres) and I have a couple of questions.

I currently have the below system:
TT: Pro-ject debut carbon esprit (DC)- Ortofon 2M red
Amplifier: Sony TA-FE570 (power 2x110w-4ohm)
Speakers: Sony SS-LA500ED (sensitivity 87db, power 120w-8oh)

and I'm planning to replace the Sonys (amp and speakers) with one of the following in each category: Amp-Marantz-PM-5005 or NAD 316bee both are 2x40w (8ohm)
speakers - Polk Audio RTiA1 or Cambridge Audio SX-60

Do you think that from a sound quality pov this change will give me a significant improvment comparing to the current ones? Do you think that from a power and loudness pov any of the selected amps and speakers would be weaker than what I get from the Sonys? My room is about 30 Sq meters (320 sq feet) and the loudness I get from the Sonys is very satisfactory.

Thank you in advance for your help

Odysseas

(fyi, I'm based in Athens Greece where all electronic devices, hifi etc are like 30% more expensive than in US or UK)

 

[TrevC]

The amp is fine, I would look at replacing the speakers. The amps you're suggesting are less powerful than the one you already have!

You need to listen to whatever there is available in your country.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_538052709]

The amp is fine, I would look at replacing the speakers. The amps you're suggesting are less powerful than the one you already have!

You need to listen to whatever there is available in your country.

Thanks for the useful advice!

regardless the power differences, from a sound quality perspective do you think that I won't get any significant improvement by replacing the entry-level Sony amp with an entry-level Marantz or Nad? An improvement that would be the reason to spend around 300GBP for the amp?

 

[matthewpiano]

The amps you list aren't going to give you a worthwhile upgrade, but changing the speakers would. To get a step up in amplification you need to consider the Rega Brio-R. This will give you Rega's excellent phono stage and is an exceptionally capable all-rounder.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_538052709]

The amps you list aren't going to give you a worthwhile upgrade, but changing the speakers would. To get a step up in amplification you need to consider the Rega Brio-R. This will give you Rega's excellent phono stage and is an exceptionally capable all-rounder.

it may sounds a bit odd but what I know is that the Rega supplier in Greece passed away a couple of years ago and since then no other supplier took it on so now Rega is not any longer in the Greek market! But anyway I appreciate your advice and I may consider to order it online from UK at some point

 

[TrevC]

The amp is fine, I would look at replacing the speakers. The amps you're suggesting are less powerful than the one you already have!

You need to listen to whatever there is available in your country.

Thanks for the useful advice!

regardless the power differences, from a sound quality perspective do you think that I won't get any significant improvement by replacing the entry-level Sony amp with an entry-level Marantz or Nad? An improvement that would be the reason to spend around 300GBP for the amp?

It was a WHF 5 star amp, so it's unlikely there is much wrong with the sound, and 110 watts per channel at 4 ohms make it beefy too.

 

[rainsoothe]

XTZ 93.23 mkII are (imo) the best speakers you can find for that money and they beat even better speakers (again, imo). Also, they have a -3db setting for trebble reduction if it's needed. They sound great, weighy, detailed and rich. Other alternatives to consider are B&W 685S2 or Dali Zensor 3 if the amp is NOT bright, or Q acoustics 3020 or 3050 (floorsstanders) if the amp is bright (NOTE: I haven't heard the latest Q acoustics iteration, but if they continue their previous trend, then they're suited for bright electronics).

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_538052709]

XTZ 93.23 mkII are (imo) the best speakers you can find for that money and they beat even better speakers (again, imo). Also, they have a -3db setting for trebble reduction if it's needed. They sound great, weighy, detailed and rich. Other alternatives to consider are B&W 685S2 or Dali Zensor 3 if the amp is NOT bright, or Q acoustics 3020 or 3050 (floorsstanders) if the amp is bright (NOTE: I haven't heard the latest Q acoustics iteration, but if they continue their previous trend, then they're suited for bright electronics).

Thanks for your lights! XTZ soulds like a great option but unfortunatelly I have to place the speakers on a bookshelf and the 93.23 mkII have the bass reflex on the back side (as well as the Dali Zensor 3). I hope to find any of the other 2 (B&W or Q acoustics) in any local store to listen to.

 

[rainsoothe]

there are VERY few speakers that don't have the bass ported behind - Wharfedale Diamond 122, Neat Iotas, then on to stuff like ATC, PMC or Spendors, which need behemoth budgets and amps . Otherwise, you will need to use the supplied foam bungs (which all, or almost all rear ported speakers have) and stick them in the bass ports, which will turn the speakers into "closed" cabinet design. In any case, the positioning isn't ideal, even for the closed box designed speakers, so most likely you'll end up with rear ported speakers with their bungs in.

 

[oldleodensian]

There are some other speakers without rear bass reflex ports that may be worth checking out:

Acoustic Energy 100 and 300 series with front bass "slot"

B&W 600 series newer version all have front ports

Tannoy DC6 XT, new version with downward firing port

Focal Chorus and Aria series

And doubtless some others out there too...

 

[SteveR750]

There are some other speakers without rear bass reflex ports that may be worth checking out:

Acoustic Energy 100 and 300 series with front bass "slot"

B&W 600 series newer version all have front ports

Tannoy DC6 XT, new version with downward firing port

Focal Chorus and Aria series

And doubtless some others out there too...

ATC SCM11, 19 and 40 (all new mk2 versions with curved cabinets) are all infinite baffle designs (non ported). What you lose in "impressive trouser flap", you gain in punch and clear tonal definition.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_538052709]

thank you all for the very valuable advices. As I live in the center of Athens I have the chance to visit may audiophile and hifi stores and try some speakers. In the store where I bought my TT they told me that I can even bring with me my amp if I would like to!

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_538052709]

Hello again,

so finally I went to the place where I bought my TT, which is mostly an audiophile gallery than a typical hi-fi store and I had the chance to sit 3 hours and try a couple of differents setups, all conected to my amp and my TT.

The guys were very friendly and at the end of the day suprisingly they gave me the 2 sets that I was trying to get and try with my convenience at home!!

Polk Audio RTi A1 (price: 330 Euros - pair)

Definitive Technology StudioMonitor45 (price: 400 Euros - pair)

During the weekend I tried for many hours both sets and I concluded that the def tech producing a much more robust sound overall with great highs and lows even though I had to block the rear bass reflex port due to the position in a bookshelf.

I had many expectations from the Polk Audio but I was a bit dissapointed at the end as the high freqs were extremely whiny and very annoying!

I'm going to get the def tech and my question to you is if you find that I sould better go for a hifi than a studio monitor speaker?

 

[rainsoothe]

if you like 'em, get 'em