Musical AV?

[swiftmick]

Hi,

can anyone help/advise?

My first love is music and not home cinema. However, the wife and kids demand home cinema.

We only have the living room to house a system to entertain us.

I already have the following items.

Rega Planar 3 with Ortofon 2m Red.

Yamaha CDR HD1500.

Sony MDS-JB930 Minidisc.

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 on Atacama SE24 Stands (filled with kiln dried sand)

I need a AV Receiver that sounds good with music first to keep me happy, and home cinema for the family who are not that fussed as long as a film sounds ok.

Not fussed about the brand of AV receiver or age. But the music is important.

Thanks in advance for any recomendations.

 

[Native_bon]

Hi,

can anyone help/advise?

My first love is music and not home cinema. However, the wife and kids demand home cinema.

We only have the living room to house a system to entertain us.

I already have the following items.

Rega Planar 3 with Ortofon 2m Red.

Yamaha CDR HD1500.

Sony MDS-JB930 Minidisc.

Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 on Atacama SE24 Stands (filled with kiln dried sand)

I need a AV Receiver that sounds good with music first to keep me happy, and home cinema for the family who are not that fussed as long as a film sounds ok.

Not fussed about the brand of AV receiver or age. But the music is important.

Thanks in advance for any recomendations.

what price range you looking at? Marantz comes to mind for music & movie. If you looking to spend a bit more then you could be looking at Arcam or anthem av amps. You could get really good deal if you ready to go second hand.

 

[simonlewis]

Agree with Native_bon look at the marantz range.

http://www.marantz.co.uk/uk/products/pages/productdetails.aspx?catid=networkproducts&subcatid=avreceiver&productid=sr5011

 

[bigboss]

Yes, if you can afford, then look at Arcam and Anthem. Marantz, Denon and Yamaha are also musical.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

I have always known the Yamaha amps as being musical.

 

[Leeps]

The more musical AVRs do tend to cost a little more, but if you weren't too fussed about 4k, there are some excellent deals around on last year's AVR's.

 

[swiftmick]

Hi

Thanks for you advice everyone.

My budget is anything up to £1000, Happy to buy 2nd hand, Not fussed about 4k.

I am using a Denon AVR 2310 at the moment, I have the Wharfedale 9.1 bi-amped.

But I still think the music is being restrained, no detail.

I am thinking Arcam may be my best bet. Or maybe use a Yamaha DSPE800 as a pre-amp and buy a decent stereo power amp to drive the Wharfedales.

Let me know your thoughts please everyone.

Many thanks

 

[Leeps]

I've seen last year's Anthem MRX510 going for around a grand £GBP. Difficult to beat musically - in fact competes very well indeed with stereo amps at the same price. Heard the MRX710 at the Bristol show - it's drive, slam and bass control were outstanding (playing stereo music incidentally in both 2.0 and 2.1 configurations - both were excellent).

Plus you get sophisticated room correction and the ability to play multi-channel.

Curiously, last year's MRX510 sports 7.1 channels, this year's 'improved' MRX520 only has 5.1, so you really are paying through the nose for the benefit of 4K.

However do bear in mind that Anthem's tonal balance is fast, snappy and a little forward so it might depend on what speakers you intend partnering with it as to whether that's a good idea. If you're after a warmer balance, Arcam may be a better bet for you. I heard the Anthem powering Paradigm speakers (Anthem's sister company). Marvellous.

 

[ROB2009]

Hi, I had a similar dilemma recently, I ended up keeping my Marantz AV receiver and buying an integrated stereo amp with a home theatre bypass function.

Front L&R speakers connect to the integrated amp, integrated amp connects to the receiver's front L&R pre-outs, for music just use the stereo amp, switch it to HT bypass mode for movies where it powers the main L&R channels, the AV receiver powers the remaining surround channels.

This obviously depends on the electronics having the requisite inputs / outputs etc.

I'm sure there are better informed people on this forum to explain further...

 

[swiftmick]

Ok thanks guys for all your input and advice.

I have been offered a Cambridge Audio 551R for a good price. I read the reviews( no frills musical receiver) Howevr I will be also having a demo of the Anthem soon.

I will let you know which way I go soon as I am off work all this week so its demo and decision time.

Many thanks

 

[Leeps]

Sorry, just noticed your speakers. I'll own up to not being a fan of Wharfedale, so bear my comments in mind accordingly.

I like a relatively forward, direct, punchy sound. I'm all for foot-tapping excitment. But the last time I heard Wharfedales a couple of years ago (on the end of Audiolab amp/CD) it was so sharp it almost made my ears bleed (figuratively). So based on my experience, the Anthem and Cambridge might not go with the Wharfedales too well, as their tonal balance is a little forward and detailed too.

So as much as I was impressed by the Anthem, you might benefit from something a bit warmer (a la Denon, Marantz, Yamaha). But by all means let yours ears decide. I'd recommend taking your speakers to the demo though - you'll be able to compare the influence each amp has on your speakers.

 

[jjbomber]

My first love is music and not home cinema. However, the wife and kids demand home cinema.

Not fussed about the brand of AV receiver or age. But the music is important.

Naim n-Vi. They were £3K new but about £400 these days. No HDMI input, but as musical as it gets. Nothing comes anywhere close.

 

[FunkyMonkey]

What makes an amp musical????

 

[swiftmick]

Well its been a busy few days having demo's.

The Anthems are powerful and have authority to the sound. But I decided on the little Cambridge Audio 551R . A pain to set up, not the most user friendly. However its worth it for the stereo side of things. Its runnning in bi-amp mode to my Wharfedale 9.1 speakers and the sound reminds me of the Cambridge Audio Azur 650 amplifier I once owned.

I also had to purchase a Cambridge Audio Azur 551p phono so I can listen to my Rega planar 3 and Ortofon M2 red.

So job done, Im happy with the hifi side of things, and the family are satisfied when viewing bluray films.

Thank you to everyone who gave thier views and advice.

 

[CnoEvil]

What makes an amp musical????

Good question....and the answer is subjective and hard to describe.

IMO. An amp that is musical, has a realistic, almost organic sound, that retains the emotion in the music. If the presentation doesn't draw you in, but sounds edgy, thin, sterile or over-analytical...it isn't a musical amp.

The problem I have with a lot of AV amps, which can give an exciting presentation for 5 channel, is that their 2 channel presentation leaves me cold. Violins sound screechy, rather than rich and emotional, pianos sound "wrong", the male spoken voice sounds as if going through cupped hands and sopranos sound like a cat with its tail trapped in a door. It's a kind of unrefined, rough around the edges sound, lacking in detail and sublety.

That's as close as I can get to describing something as nebulous as "musical".

 

[jjbomber]

What makes an amp musical????

If you tap your toes and shake your head, then it's musical.