Mix & Match ?

[alchemist 1]

Mixing different brand amplifiers, pre/power , Integrated amps using their pre amp section with a separate power amp etc.

With brands having their particular house sound, how do you go about obtaining a synergy between products ?

Using the same brand amplifiers seems the logical approach ?

As an example I have a Yamaha AS- 2000 amp with a pre output facility, how would I go about
adding a power amp if I wished too ?
Currently Yamaha don't produce a matching power amp.

So how do we mix & match ?

 

[plastic penguin]

Really, the only way to know for sure is to demo various components.

Years ago when I had a crazy notion of using a power amp with my Arcam A65, I was looking at a power amp to boost sound and volume, the combo worked a treat in terms of synergy and power, but there wasn't much in a way of extra quality.

Anyway, I guess some preamp should work a treat with a different make power amp. It is a 'suck it and see' scenario.

With your Yam I would look at something that contrasts well, such Cyrus power amp or Rotel, or depending on colour, a Naim.

 

[matthewpianist]

Personally, I wouldn't bother. Unless you're chasing big volume levels and/or driving difficult speakers, I don't think you'll hear much by way of improvement. Your Yamaha is a pretty robust integrated on its own, so why add another box?

What speakers are you using?

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I've used an integrated (being used as a pre) and two powers and now a pre/power combo, and would tend to agree with the above. Former felt like it had more control, but was not transformative.

 

[nopiano]

Over the years there have been a couple of renowned pairings. One I always remember is the Audio Research tube preamp with Krell KSA power amp from the late 1980s. But for more affordable brands it makes no sense to me.

Notwithstanding your user name, the ‘alchemy’ that’s often postulated as ‘synergy’ in hifi is bit of a myth in my view. Compensating for an inaccuracy in one place by a supposedly ‘equal and opposite’ one elsewhere is the path to madness - and incessant changing of kit.

Where mixing may make sense today, is where for example, the popularity of some DAC preamp devices can be paired with other makes of power amp. So, a Wiim Ultra pre-DAC might be paired with two Fosi v3 monoblock amps. When amps are class D compact designs they have no character as such. Ideal for your Yamaha, depending how smooth, bright or warm you perceive it to be!

 

[RJW232]

Amplifiers shouldn't have a sound. But..... if the system doesn't match amplifiers can sound different. The electrical input and output circuits are different per brand and within a brand it can even be different per product (especially the power output stages). And if the input- and output impedance and sensitivy matching is not optimal the sound will be impacted.

We can assume that if you buy a pre- and power amp from the same brand, and preferably from the same product line, the best result can be obtained. And than you have to find the best matching sources and loudspeakers. A safe bet for the source is to have it again from the same brand and the same product line, but that's not always possible. Not every brand has a complete portfolio with all possible sources. So there you have the first challenge to find the best match between source and pre-amp.

A simple shortcut for this part of the journey if to buy an all-in-one system from a reputably company (Cambridge, Naim for instance have near perfect all-in-ones at their price point).

Loudspeakers are even more challenging. It's not only the match between the amp and the speaker that impacts the sound but also the room has a big impact. In a worst case scenario you could have the perfect loudspeaker for your amp which is at the same time the worst option for the room.

But all this is the fun part of our hobby! Searching for perfection 🙂

 

[abacus]

In the pro world most speakers are active speakers (The amps are built into the speaker), and mixing and matching with different pre-amps etc. causes no problems at all.

Bill

 

[record_spot]

Per Bill's comment above, actives remove all the guesswork - I usually just use a switching box to handle preamp duties, but I'll occasionally plug a proper one in. Tempted by the Quad 33 and the upcoming new one from Onkyo.