Marantz amps warm sounding?

[S83 Trike]

Looking for a warm sounding amp to drive my Tannoy xt6f speakers

PM7005

PM8005

HD -AMP1

Unfortunately unable to demoe these amps with my speakers - no dealer close by.

So need advice on how those above sound?

 

[drummerman]

The lower/mid range ones seem to be described warm as in a slightly diffuse sound with full bass and smooth treble ... musical and easy to listen to. The HDamp1, from reviews abroad and here seems to fall more in the neutral and 'accurate 'camp. No overt warmth but universally impressive if the reviews are to be believed. KI I think was involved in that one too so it will hardly be a duffer. - A slice of High End Marantz without the power or price (and size)? - Likely needs easy to drive and efficient speakers but I like to think it would be gorgeous with the right ones because I like small HiFi 🙂

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Also worth looking for a Marantz PM8005 if you can get one new prices new £499-£599 And secondhand maybe cheaper still it’s a lot of amplifier for the money .

 

[nopiano]

I’ve never describe them as warm exactly, but not harsh or thin. I’ve always found them quite punchy, or you might say ‘powerful’.

Of the three you list, I agree with BS about the 8005. Quite the best for the widest variety of speakers. Do try to be sure you can return, as there’s no substitute for hearing with your speakers.

 

[Vladimir]

PM8005

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Looking for a warm sounding amp to drive my Tannoy xt6f speakers

PM7005

PM8005

HD -AMP1

Unfortunately unable to demoe these amps with my speakers - no dealer close by.

So need advice on how those above sound?

you should be able to get a good dealer to send you a few in the post , maybe shop demo ones. Just offer to pay p and p, it I wouldn’t say it’s advisable to buy an amplifier without hearing it yourself in your environment.

As another option to think about.....

My two id try with those tannoys would be the Rega elex r or Cyrus one. Not massively on the warm sound tonally, but these tannoys are far from bright speakers, quite nicely balanced, so both amps would still work. But these two would get best speed, dynamic, and rhythmic quality out of your speakers if you like that and do you really want to possibly spoil that with an amp which isn’t going to be as dynamic, fast etc. Can’t think of many amps as powerful as that cyrus one to achieve dynamic prowess in musical shifts, with class d amplification and all that power. Most decent amps at this sort of price £600-750 get you around 60-70 Watts most. Bass notes more joined together, not so punchy. Urrggghhhh. I’m of course biased but that cyrus one is very good for its price and punches well above.

 

[Vladimir]

I'd go for Yamaha rather than Marantz for more holistic, warm, analogue sound.

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I'd go for Yamaha rather than Marantz for more holistic, warm, analogue sound.

I have read a review on my Yamaha A-S2100 and the reviewer thought the Yamaha sounded like a valve amplifier and it had a very warm sound I kind of agree with him .

 

[Vladimir]

I'd go for Yamaha rather than Marantz for more holistic, warm, analogue sound.

I have read a review on my Yamaha A-S2100 and the reviewer thought the Yamaha sounded like a valve amplifier and it had a very warm sound I kind of agree with him .

A mate loved how Tannoy XT8 paired with A-S1000 in audition few years ago. It took the edge off to result in less clinical sound, but not muddy.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Interesting what hiFi said the marantz 8003 lacked detail and dynamic prowess compared to others. An earlier model mind.

In so far as making music real and more musical this dynamic prowess and detail with decent punchy low bass, is what makes a hifi great.

 

[Vladimir]

Interesting what hiFi said the marantz 8003 lacked detail and dynamic prowess compared to others. An earlier model mind.

In so far as making music real and more musical this dynamic prowess and detail with decent punchy low bass, is what makes a hifi great.

OP clearly wants a fireplace. No sense pushing him to buy an air conditioner.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

Interesting what hiFi said the marantz 8003 lacked detail and dynamic prowess compared to others. An earlier model mind.

In so far as making music real and more musical this dynamic prowess and detail with decent punchy low bass, is what makes a hifi great.

OP clearly wants a fireplace. No sense pushing him to buy an air conditioner.

I’d doubt there would be much difference, but people get steered with what performs very good as well...... and that Rega or cyrus would do the job of clarity, speed, dynamics and decent punchy bass better, which all adds up to better musicality than that marantz. Has any mags done a review of that marantz?

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I'd go for Yamaha rather than Marantz for more holistic, warm, analogue sound.

I have read a review on my Yamaha A-S2100 and the reviewer thought the Yamaha sounded like a valve amplifier and it had a very warm sound I kind of agree with him .

A mate loved how Tannoy XT8 paired with A-S1000 in audition few years ago. It took the edge off to result in less clinical sound, but not muddy.

I’ve read that some people think that Yamaha amplifiers can come across clinically sounding but I do not think that’s the case a specially when you pair the amplifier with the right pair of speakers with any of the Yamaha amplifiers

and I think you can safely say that goes for any amplifier as speaker matching is important

 

[Vladimir]

I'd go for Yamaha rather than Marantz for more holistic, warm, analogue sound.

I have read a review on my Yamaha A-S2100 and the reviewer thought the Yamaha sounded like a valve amplifier and it had a very warm sound I kind of agree with him .

A mate loved how Tannoy XT8 paired with A-S1000 in audition few years ago. It took the edge off to result in less clinical sound, but not muddy.

I’ve read that some people think that Yamaha amplifiers can come across clinically sounding but I do not think that’s the case a specially when you pair the amplifier with the right pair of speakers with any of the Yamaha amplifiers

and I think you can safely say that goes for any amplifier as speaker matching is important

People buy MA speakers, have thin or no carpeting, put a glass coffee table and leather furniture, play nasty compressed pop/rock CDs, and then blame the amp for sounding bright. Because thats where the volume knob is, innit? What else could it be?

 

[CnoEvil]

I'd go with Arcam or possibly Musical Fidelity - ex-dem, or second hand if necessary.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

I'd go with Arcam or possibly Musical Fidelity - ex-dem, or second hand if necessary.

if the buyer is buying new, which I think he is? then something like the arcam a19 around a grand, which is the budget arcam intergrated, is over the budget of amps initially selected and only has 50 Watts into the tannoys 8 ohms. On the other hand the Cyrus ONE is more than double that. So for dynamic shifts utilising this power capability, its still a better amp.

i really like the musical Fidelity m6si which is used in the all in one ranges of mf amps/streamers. But way over budget. I think some of the old arcam stuff will just sound blandly too smooth and undynamic relatively speaking to these Rega or cyrus amps mentioned, imho. If you want to trade dynamics, pace and detail for tonal warmth, then do that, but I’d defo check out these award winners before you decide.

 

[Vladimir]

WHF test resulted with 4 stars, main downside being "Needs to fare better dynamically and rhythmically".

Also I don't like how dishonest the manufacturer is by presenting 2x100W under unspecified conditions, only to reveal in the fine print that is in 6ohms at clipping (1% THD+N), frequency range or number of channels driven still unspecified.

 

[drummerman]

Of the amps the OP listed ... I'd be most intrigued by the HDamp1 without doubt.

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

WHF test resulted with 4 stars, main downside being "Needs to fare better dynamically and rhythmically".

Also I don't like how dishonest the manufacturer is by presenting 2x100W under unspecified conditions, only to reveal in the fine print that is in 6ohms at clipping (1% THD+N), frequency range or number of channels driven still unspecified.

they are relating it to the Rega I think, which is fair enough. But the one will still do dynamics and detail better than that marantz, the Rega too, for similar price with a discount etc.

 

[Vladimir]

WHF test resulted with 4 stars, main downside being "Needs to fare better dynamically and rhythmically".

Also I don't like how dishonest the manufacturer is by presenting 2x100W under unspecified conditions, only to reveal in the fine print that is in 6ohms at clipping (1% THD+N), frequency range or number of channels driven still unspecified.

they are relating it to the Rega I think, which is fair enough. But the one will still do dynamics and detail better than that marantz, the Rega too, for similar price with a discount etc.

Don't tell me it can cook and do laundry too?

 

[QuestForThe13thNote]

maybe it could. But quid pro quo...... What system do you have Vlad?

 

[Vladimir]

maybe it could. But quid pro quo...... What system do you have Vlad?

I have JBL LSR305, Lexicon Alpha, Chromecast Audio, AKG K702. Sometimes I fire up the vintage kit Sony SS-F7ESG, Technics SU-7700, AKG K280 Parabolic. Bunch of stuff in storage too.

 

[rainsoothe]

For the record, Arcam A19 is nowhere near 1000 pounds, but I think Arcam discontinued it? When stocks were getting cleared, it was something like 500 pounds new, or even less. For warmish sound, Arcam, MF and even Yamaha are good suggestions (imo, the lower Yamaha models lack punch). Marantz pm 8005 is also a pretty safe bet. If budget can be stretched and you don't need a remote, Croft Phono Integrated is worth a look. Or used first gen Naim Nait XS.

 

[S83 Trike]

I'd go for Yamaha rather than Marantz for more holistic, warm, analogue sound.

Even the Yamaha AS 701 or 801?

 

[cannibal_ox77]

PM8005 is full bodied with a spacious airy soundstage, a little on the warm side of neutral. Lots of competition around it's original price of around a grand but going to be hard to beat at £539.

What music do you listen to? In my opinion I'd say the PM8005 is best suited for acoustic, jazz, classical, hip hop and electronic. Don't know about the PM7005 or HD-AMP1.