Question New HiFi - Amp/Streamer/Speakers

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the What HiFi community: the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products.

kit1cat

Well-known member
Mar 25, 2022
4
5
1,525
Visit site
I like the sound of the Marantz PM7000N amp. One I'll certainly audition as long as it has a good phono stage. Any idea if it is any good? I listen to a lot of vinyl.





Yes, 9m a side does seem a lot. But I've measured it out. The amp is actually in the 'other room' of our knocked through lounge-dining room layout as per the attached photo. And yes, it is abot a 9m run allowing for wiggle room at either end.

I replaced my Audiolab 6000A with the PM7000N, sounds great to me with Vinyl, CD and it covers all my streaming needs.
 

WayneKerr

Well-known member
The cables will be run under the floorboards and come up behind the speakers at an appropriate point.

Anyone know of any nice ferrules to finish off a 19mm hole in floorboards? Hate the look of a raw, drilled hole. A brass fitting would look nice.
Ebay or Amazon should have something of use... how about one or two of those brass front door spy holes, take the lens out and away yer go :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gray

Nico69

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2019
194
188
4,770
Visit site
So finally managed to arrange a demo at the local RS store. They were very accommodating. I auditioned the following:

Marantz PM7000N
Cambridge Audio CXA61

Wharfdale Diamond 12.3
Monitor Audio Bronze 200
Dali Oberon 1 (as a standmount comparison - I have Tannoy Mercury M2s on Atacama SE24"s at home)

Turntable as source - Audio Technica LP5X (at home I have a Linn Axis with a K9 cartridge)

First up was the CXA61 with the Dali Oberons with Yello - The Rythm Devine as a terst track. I immediately dismissed these as the sound was thin. Swapped to MA Bronze 200 and it was much better. Swapped to Wharfdales and better still but not by that much. Just a smidge.

Swapped to the Marantz amp and did the same track with MA Bronze then the Wharfdales. Sound was remarkably similar to the Cambridge, maybe a little less full but not much. We swapped around and back a few times but there was little in it. We are talking small differences. Played more Yello tracks (superb production in all of them), some Massive Attack, some Pink Floyd.

To be honest I was thinking I would have been blown away by this demo compared to my 27 year old kit at home. I just wasn't feeling it. It just lacked something. I out on the title track 'Infected' by The The and it sounded absolutely terrible

We then switched to streaming on the Marantz and played 'Particles' Piano Version by Nothing but Theieves and I was blown away! Absolute presence right in the room. Amazing. Sold me the Marantz right there. We tried a few Foo Fighters tracks. Excellent. Royal Blood was a bit disappointing and messy but then it's not fine production values here. Still undecided about the speakers though the wife approves of both aesthetically.

Went home and streamed the same Nothing But Thieves track through my Amazon Echo Dot - Rotel RA-930AX - Tannoy Mercury M2's and it sounded great. Just not quite as great as in the demo. It is rather 'LoFi'. Played The The 'Infected' on my Linn and it was sublime. Clearly the turntable at RS used for the demo was rubbish or defective so it kinda marred the listening experience so I've no idea how the phono stage really sounds.

Ordered the amp. Should get it tomorrow. Will run current setup with the new amp and then decide on speakers. Might just buy online and return if I don't like them. If I buy instore they charge a 10% handling fee. Not applicable for online purchases. Might even try the Fyne Audio F302i if I can find them at a reasonable price as I prefer the light Oak colour to the darker wood and grey of the otehr two speakers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WayneKerr

Gray

Well-known member
Might even try the Fyne Audio F302i if I can find them at a reasonable price as I prefer the light Oak colour to the darker wood and grey of the otehr two speakers.
I like a light oak finish too, it's what my speakers are.
But please tell me that you wouldn't let that be the deciding factor over other makes and models of speaker - after you've made the effort to audition the electronics.
 

Nico69

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2019
194
188
4,770
Visit site
I like a light oak finish too, it's what my speakers are.
But please tell me that you wouldn't let that be the deciding factor over other makes and models of speaker - after you've made the effort to audition the electronics.

Haha! No! But then we do have to look at them daily. I'd rather look at a pretty thing than an ugly old box. I think the Fyne's are quite pretty. Plus the fact that the Monitor Audios and Wharfdales are not too dissimilar in sound despite having quite different reviews. I really though the Wharfdales were going to be miles better but they weren't. Plus the Fyne's look a little bit like a Spendor A7 ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gray
Haha! No! But then we do have to look at them daily. I'd rather look at a pretty thing than an ugly old box. I think the Fyne's are quite pretty. Plus the fact that the Monitor Audios and Wharfdales are not too dissimilar in sound despite having quite different reviews. I really though the Wharfdales were going to be miles better but they weren't. Plus the Fyne's look a little bit like a Spendor A7 ;)
the Fynes look like A7s??? Are you sure?
 

npxavar

Well-known member
Nov 30, 2022
329
113
570
Visit site
So finally managed to arrange a demo at the local RS store. They were very accommodating. I auditioned the following:

Marantz PM7000N
Cambridge Audio CXA61

Wharfdale Diamond 12.3
Monitor Audio Bronze 200
Dali Oberon 1 (as a standmount comparison - I have Tannoy Mercury M2s on Atacama SE24"s at home)
Try the Oberon 3s. They have more bass than you will possibly need. I have to use the tone controls on mine because they are placed only 5 inches from the back wall. At around -6db and the bass is still boosted. You will need an amp with tone controls that operate on a frequency range rather than on a single frequency though, and that rules out Marantz. Come to think of it, the Oberon 1s may sound just right in your listening room.
 
Last edited:

SteveR750

Well-known member
Would the Elac Debuts be in your budget?
I managed to pick up some open box debut reference 6.2 for £400, they are incredible little boxes, I'd image in the Debut 6.2 would be similarly impressive and cheaper.
Interesting thread otherwise, shame you didn't get the hear any of the Denon amps, as I've got one and thinking of upgrading to something with more power and connections, the PM7000N is on my list.

Got a good review from Darko


Sounds similar to the Denon range (not surprising really). Heos is the issue for me, I'd have to continue to use my Connect streamer to stream via Roon, and/or change sub from qobuz to Tidal.
 
Last edited:

Nico69

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2019
194
188
4,770
Visit site
Arses! Hadn't realised what a sizeable beast this was! Measurements for height and width were fine for my audio cupboard BUT it's so deep that the phono plugs and cables are hard against the rear and I can't close the cabinet door. Damn. Is there such a thing as a Right Angle Phono Adapter that's any good? Seen some online from Pence to £££'s. What's the verdict on these?
 

Gray

Well-known member
Is there such a thing as a Right Angle Phono Adapter that's any good? Seen some online from Pence to £££'s. What's the verdict on these?
If they solve your problem why not?
It does mean one extra connection though.

I fitted right-angled plugs instead of the ones on my cables for space saving - but that may not be an option for you
 
Arses! Hadn't realised what a sizeable beast this was! Measurements for height and width were fine for my audio cupboard BUT it's so deep that the phono plugs and cables are hard against the rear and I can't close the cabinet door. Damn. Is there such a thing as a Right Angle Phono Adapter that's any good? Seen some online from Pence to £££'s. What's the verdict on these?
never had the need to use them myself but it looks like you can get so well made items for around £6.
I wouldn't normally advocate adding additional items into a line but, in your case, convenience matters.
 

Nico69

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2019
194
188
4,770
Visit site
Phew! After a bit of wriggling and moving it a shelf down where the grill of the door is recessed on the inside I can get it to fit with about 5mm to spare!
The main issue was the banana plugs as the speaker terminals on the back are big fat jobbies with a screwdown option. I saw they had a hole for bare flex to go through so just clamped the banana plugs in there so they are at right angles to the back now. Also the mains kettle lead was a bit protruding but luckily I've a right angled version. Don't need phono plug adapters now. I would have eventually bought new interconnects with RA ends but the phono lead from the Linn would have been an issue and expensive to replace. I don't even know if they do one.
All up and running and sounding great! Even with current Tannoy M2s. I'll keep it this way until I can get some speakers to demo at home.
Anyway it'll have to come out again when I run the network cable as its just on wifi at the moment. But that is another job along with running the speaker and network cables under the floor (and while I'm down there I need to replace a water pipe to an outside tap etc etc).
The HEOS app is a bit of a mare especially when you have special characters in the password. There was one I couldn't access on the Marantz amp so had to change it to something more accessible then it was OK.
A nice cuppa and some more music becons.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al ears
Phew! After a bit of wriggling and moving it a shelf down where the grill of the door is recessed on the inside I can get it to fit with about 5mm to spare!
The main issue was the banana plugs as the speaker terminals on the back are big fat jobbies with a screwdown option. I saw they had a hole for bare flex to go through so just clamped the banana plugs in there so they are at right angles to the back now. Also the mains kettle lead was a bit protruding but luckily I've a right angled version. Don't need phono plug adapters now. I would have eventually bought new interconnects with RA ends but the phono lead from the Linn would have been an issue and expensive to replace. I don't even know if they do one.
All up and running and sounding great! Even with current Tannoy M2s. I'll keep it this way until I can get some speakers to demo at home.
Anyway it'll have to come out again when I run the network cable as its just on wifi at the moment. But that is another job along with running the speaker and network cables under the floor (and while I'm down there I need to replace a water pipe to an outside tap etc etc).
The HEOS app is a bit of a mare especially when you have special characters in the password. There was one I couldn't access on the Marantz amp so had to change it to something more accessible then it was OK.
A nice cuppa and some more music becons.
suggest you replace speaker banana plugs with spades at the amp end.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nico69

Emark600

Well-known member
Dec 31, 2022
50
19
45
Visit site
At my suggestion, a mate has just taken delivery of Wharfedale 12.3 to go with a Marantz PM44SE amp.
May be of interest to you that he asked and got RS to match a price of £450 that he found online.
Apparently he intends to use them in a bay window.
When he gets some cable, I'm expecting a sound quality report from him.
Anything of note and I'll mention it here.....although nobody else can tell you what is right.

(He tells me that his wife has looked carefully at the speakers - and she likes the 'feet' 🤨).
Are they gaii feet?
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts