My current system is taking over and out of step with my current listening habits. I also have a pile of older gear from the past 25 years gathering dust in the loft. I am going to have a serious cull of my gear while bringing it up to date a bit. My first step will be to decide on what amp to base the revised system on. My amp for the past 20 years has been a Marantz PM66se KI Signature and I am trying to decide whether to keep this as the basis for the new system. Inputs will be CD, Turntable and DAB and I also want Bluetooth, but I can use an external Bluetooth receiver if I keep the current amp. Should I keep this amp or would it be worth replacing it? Do modern amps perform much better for the same or less money? If I replace it, I would want an amp with built in Bluetooth and full remote control. MM phono inputs would not be important as I have an external MM pre amp. Any advice welcome.
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Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions!
New amp or not?
- Thread starter Koolkatz
- Start date
nopiano
Well-known member
- Feb 15, 2009
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There are quite a few possibilities here. Your amp was pretty decent in its day, and won't have been dramatically bettered unless it is no longer working properly. Are there no crackles, clunks, buzzes or hum? No? Great!
How much could you spend in the amp if you replaced it? And more importantly, what speakers are you using or considering? Room size? Musical tastes?
Remote control is pretty much standard now. Bluetooth rarer but not a deal breaker. A built in DAC might be useful if you are connecting digital sources - are you?
How much could you spend in the amp if you replaced it? And more importantly, what speakers are you using or considering? Room size? Musical tastes?
Remote control is pretty much standard now. Bluetooth rarer but not a deal breaker. A built in DAC might be useful if you are connecting digital sources - are you?
There are a couple of threads on the forum, which may be interesting to you.
1 - http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/raumfeld-connector-hifi-source
Some members are keen on using the raumfeld connector as the hub of a system, then feeding the output to the amp. The raumfeld can be controlled by app from phone or tablet.
2 - http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/yamaha-t-s1000
The question for you is whether a DAB receiver is necessary - DAB was a technology filling a gap 15 to 20 years ago, but now you can stream internet radio from phones, tablets, google chromecast etc, and never need DAB.
Overall my above suggestions are just to propose a concept, whereby you could keep using your current amp, CD, speakers etc, and just add something like the Raumfeld - a lot less money and hassle than having a complete revamp of your current system.
1 - http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/raumfeld-connector-hifi-source
Some members are keen on using the raumfeld connector as the hub of a system, then feeding the output to the amp. The raumfeld can be controlled by app from phone or tablet.
2 - http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/yamaha-t-s1000
The question for you is whether a DAB receiver is necessary - DAB was a technology filling a gap 15 to 20 years ago, but now you can stream internet radio from phones, tablets, google chromecast etc, and never need DAB.
Overall my above suggestions are just to propose a concept, whereby you could keep using your current amp, CD, speakers etc, and just add something like the Raumfeld - a lot less money and hassle than having a complete revamp of your current system.
Thanks for the replies. Basically I am aiming for the following: Rega turntable via external pre amp (which also has a digital o/p available), universal disc spinner (Bluray, CD) and a Bluetooth capability for streaming from tablet. Radio will be provided by feeding my freeview PVR into the amp. My current speakers are 90's vintage Mission 760ise bookshelf units. They sound petty good at volume but the amp/speaker combination does sound a bit "light" at lower levels. This is perhaps one area I would like to improve. Budget it fairly flexible but in keeping with the level of my current equipment.
I owned the PM66KI amp for years before upgrading. Only when I set it up again for demo to a potential buyer did I realise just how good it was - with its good built-in phono pre-amp as an added bonus of course.
(He jumped at it by the way, knocking me down from £160 to £125 in the process!)
If you are happy with it's sound, take it from me, you're right to be.
(He jumped at it by the way, knocking me down from £160 to £125 in the process!)
If you are happy with it's sound, take it from me, you're right to be.
Depending on your budget i would recommend my own amp
Marantz PM8005,. very clear and open sound, good control over the speaker and a non boomy bass that sounds great when you happen to put on a god cd/record with a good bass
It has a good mm phonostage, but no dac like the smaller PM6005/6006
If your speaker are fine you don't need to upgrade them, the PM6005 is also good but might not be an upgrade to your Marantz PM66se KI Signature
Marantz PM8005,. very clear and open sound, good control over the speaker and a non boomy bass that sounds great when you happen to put on a god cd/record with a good bass
It has a good mm phonostage, but no dac like the smaller PM6005/6006
If your speaker are fine you don't need to upgrade them, the PM6005 is also good but might not be an upgrade to your Marantz PM66se KI Signature
nopiano
Well-known member
- Feb 15, 2009
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A bit more info helps. I'd stick with the amp, get the best Rega and cartridge you can afford, and use that until you can get better speakers - then get the better amp last. (If you must have digital out, the Rega fono mini ad does that. It plugs into a spare aux or tape input, not the phono input.)
Ive still got some 760s that I bought with a PM40se amp and they aren't bad at all. A bit covered sounding by comparison to today's preference for explicit detail, but kind to records and dodgy CDs! Best on decent stands
Ive still got some 760s that I bought with a PM40se amp and they aren't bad at all. A bit covered sounding by comparison to today's preference for explicit detail, but kind to records and dodgy CDs! Best on decent stands
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