Marantz Nr1200 with KEF Q550

[Carlos Mexico]

Hi all. I really like some help please. I have a Marantz NR1200 amp and I'm connecting it to (Brand NEW) KEF Q550 speakers. The sound I'm getting out of them is very low on both line in (CD) and Phono. I only hear a reasonable low sound at 70 on the volume dial! (which I've been advised to not exceed by Marantz in order to protect the speakers and amp). I had an older pair of cheaper speakers and they sounded already very loud at 50ish on the volume dial. Is this a problem with the power of the amp? I see a lot of people online saying that the wattage shouldn't be an issue. The speakers are rated at 8ohms and the amp has an 8 ohm standard capability..... I'd really like any advice please. Do I really need to change the amp for a more powerful one? If so what do you recommend? If not, What could the problem be? Thanks!!!!

 

[Gray]

How did the sensitivity of those old speakers of yours compare with the 87dB quoted by Kef Carlos?
That can make quite a difference to the volume you get for the same control setting - though the Kefs are not especially insensitive.

Kef also quote a minimum impedance of 3.5ohms - which is what they will drop to at certain times while music is playing.
That wouldn't be a problem for some amps.
However, for the NR1200 Marantz quotes:
8/4 ohm RMS 75W/ No as the output 🤔

At the very least, that suggests the speakers and amp are not the best match electrically.

Do you know the sensitivity and minimum impedance of your old speakers?
And is that 70 volume figure out of a maximum of 100?

 

[Carlos Mexico]

How did the sensitivity of those old speakers of yours compare with the 87dB quoted by Kef Carlos?
That can make quite a difference to the volume you get for the same control setting - though the Kefs are not especially insensitive.

Kef also quote a minimum impedance of 3.5ohms - which is what they will drop to at certain times while music is playing.
That wouldn't be a problem for some amps.
However, for the NR1200 Marantz quotes:
8/4 ohm RMS 75W/ No as the output 🤔

At the very least, that suggests the speakers and amp are not the best match electrically.

Do you know the sensitivity and minimum impedance of your old speakers?
And is that 70 volume figure out of a maximum of 100?

Hello Gray thanks so much for your reply! The old speakers were called concept speakers but I don't remember what their specs were. The Marantz lets you select manually an ohm range from 4-8. I have it on 8 as standard and tried 4 and 6 just to see if it made any difference, it didn't. Yes that volume is 70 out of 100. Is that watt output a problem? Many people say not to worry too much about the watts but I'm really not getting much through the speakers.... Thanks

 

[Gray]

I'm really not getting much through the speakers....

That's the puzzling bit Carlos.
One person's "not much" might be another's "too much" but, at almost 3 quarters on the volume dial, most people would be getting more than enough.

First question to ask is, what, if anything, has changed in the way of input / output connections / settings, between Marantz into adequate Concept and the same Marantz into (currently) inadequate Kefs?
You have got any HF LF terminal links correctly and securely fitted on the Kefs haven't you?

Like I said, sensitivity makes significant volume differences but, unless those previous speakers were unusually sensitive, it seems like you've got a genuine problem somewhere.

 

[Carlos Mexico]

Hi Gray. Nothing has changed on the input/output connections. The wiring to the speaker is not bewired, just straight in wire to the connections. Are we in the main discounting the possibility that the power of the amp is not up to at least providing some decent loudness (relative I know but it's low) . I don't want to push it above 70 for fear of causing damage. I don't know anyone who has a similar set up and I don't have another amp to test. I can't see any comments online anywhere about the lack of power from NR1200 for those KEF speakers....

 

[Gray]

All I can say Carlos, is that a '75watt' rating would not be considered to be underpowered - for speakers with an 87dB sensitivity - in small to average sized rooms (as you've found with previous speakers).

Unless your new speakers are actually faulty, which is unlikely in the extreme.....
and assuming they're well positioned - totally unobstructed - and you're using identical sources into the amp.
What are your options? - other than to try a different amp.

 

[Carlos Mexico]

All I can say Carlos, is that a '75watt' rating would not be considered to be underpowered - for speakers with an 87dB sensitivity - in small to average sized rooms (as you've found with previous speakers).

Unless your new speakers are actually faulty, which is unlikely in the extreme.....
and assuming they're well positioned - totally unobstructed - and you're using identical sources into the amp.
What are your options? - other than to try a different amp.

Ok Thanks. That really helps. I’m going to see first if I can test with another amp then and go from there. I really appreciate the advice!

 

[Fandango Andy]

Ok Thanks. That really helps. I’m going to see first if I can test with another amp then and go from there. I really appreciate the advice!

I would second that. My old Tannoy's are 87bd sensitivity and nominally 8ohms. With a modest 35 watts pc, a third of the way up the volume is loud. I'm not sure I have ever gone much past 50%.

Do you still have the old speakers to hook back up? That will be an easy way of confirming nothing has gone wrong with then amp or source.