Simple question: amp for IQ90

admin_exported

New member
Aug 10, 2019
2,556
4
0
Visit site
I need advice for buying amplifier for KEF IQ90. The music I listen is mostly jazz, drum&bass, dead can dance (I do not know where to put them, in genre way i mean), pink floyd etc.

HK-3490 or NAD 326BEE or CambridgeAudio 350A or YAMAHA AS500???

Here, in Bosnia&Herzegovina, I have no choice but to buy amp and complain later, because there are no listening rooms in shops. It is pay, wait, wait,wait. take it home and pray it sounds good, way of selling and buying audio.

Any help is more then welcome. I have to choose till friday.
 

CnoEvil

New member
Aug 21, 2009
556
13
0
Visit site
IMO. I wouldn't match the IQ90 with a bright(ish) amp. I used to own the IQ9 and it sounded well with Arcam. So of the amps you've listed, either the Nad or the HK...not sure which is better, but the HK has more power. Others might be more specific.

Cno
 

bemaniac

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2010
46
2
18,545
Visit site
I have the new kef floorstanders and if you like drum n bass you don't want an amp under 50wpc at all if you want to push these if they are anything like mine. I'm looking at musical fidelity a3 and kandy l3 plus nad c370 after a week or so of looking. Still undecided.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Do they have Arcam in your vicinity? Any Arcam amp will be perfect for jazz & vocals with your speakers, and goes well with rock too. Not sure about d&b since it's not my taste. Of your options, I think Yamaha is your best bet, with the NAD coming second.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
The truth is that at this point I do not want to spend more than 450-500 € for amp. ARCAM FMJ-A18 is about 650€.

A lot of reviews are oposite to one another. I have find some "singing hallelujah's" about HK, and in the next one I am reading about people complaining that HK-3490 is dead after only 2 months. And the story goes on for NAD, CA, YAMAHA, ... I am sick of technical data and graphics. We need as a somewhat "near-to-truth" opinion and state and that is coming from our ears and perception of music, not from THD is 0,00001!!!!

I had NAD, YAMAHA, KENWOOD, MARANTZ, OAKLEY (hand made tube pre-amp and mosfet power amp) before with differnt sets of speakers from JAMO, through JBL and INFINITY, till DYNAUDIO. Same amp different speakers completelly different sound.

It is really great that I got answers to my question so fast. Is it really true that HK is no more reliable as it used to be?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
overprint said:
Is it really true that HK is no more reliable as it used to be?

As the saying goes; you only ever hear of those with bad experiences, not the good.

I'd take the Harmon Kardon out of the bunch, it's not too bright and has a bucketload more power and control than the little NAD.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
overprint said:
As the saying goes; you only ever hear of those with bad experiences, not the good.

And what abou Musical Fidelity A1? Second hand amp, perfect condition for 250€? IT is 20 W A class.

£250 is a lot for an A1, they usually go on eBay in the UK for much less than that. It'd be a good sounding amp but I fear that for the IQ90's, it wouldnt give much at higher volumes. If you don't usually listen very loud (above 12 o'clock), then it'd be worth considering, as they are great sounding amps. Very good bass, smooth midrange and they image quite well too.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
As the saying goes; you only ever hear of those with bad experiences, not the good. And that is true.

And what about Musical Fidelity A1? Second hand amp, perfect condition for 250€? IT is 20 W A class.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Alears said:
I'd tend to agree with you Monstrous - though please note he said 250 Euros not pounds!

Oops, my mistake!

250 euros is about what, £220? That's double what the A1's usually fetch in the UK. You can get B1's for about £60-£80 sometimes here, might be worth picking one of those up and getting it posted over...
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Thank you all for your helpful advices. You can't imagine how difficult is to find some decent audio equipment here and when you find some it is more then expensive.Blood is cheaper here I think. I have to go to Croatia, find a bus driver that will "smuggle" everything over the border and behind customers beck, so I do not have to pay custom which is almost 20% and paying customs itself is complicated!!! I

I will go for NAD at this point, buy some nice cables and PRO-JECT turntable. In months to come I will buy some amp that will be good for my iq90

The ONLY question is WHICH ONE :wall:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
overprint said:
Thank you all for your helpful advices. You can't imagine how difficult is to find some decent audio equipment here and when you find some it is more then expensive.Blood is cheaper here I think. I have to go to Croatia, find a bus driver that will "smuggle" everything over the border and behind customers beck, so I do not have to pay custom which is almost 20% and paying customs itself is complicated!!! I

I will go for NAD at this point, buy some nice cables and PRO-JECT turntable. In months to come I will buy some amp that will be good for my iq90

The ONLY question is WHICH ONE :wall:

The least powerful one you'd want, is a C352BEE. Preferably, get a nad power amp like a C270, those are really good amps!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
NAD is here. I took 316. And NAD CD. The power from that small amp is unbelievable. Quality of sound is beyond my expectations. Van den Hull cables for speakers and AudoQuest for interconnects- BUT!!! These speaker REALLY need more bass. Bass is very strong when you pump up the volume, but it lacks some finesses in bass when you listen music on "normal" volume.These speakers are able to produce very, very good jazz and surprisingly fast drum&bass. Now I will go for some nice subwoofer. KEF probably PSW2500. Or there is something better for this system?
 

CnoEvil

New member
Aug 21, 2009
556
13
0
Visit site
The IQ9 (very similar) had a slightly lean but deep and very controlled bass. When I went from an Arcam AVR350 (biamped) to AVR600 (biamped,) the sound took a big jump forward and the improvement in bass definition was remarkable. These are speakers that will get better and better as the amplification improves, especially if biamped.

As for a sub, I would look to one from the BK range, which starts with the Gemini.

Cno
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I have moved IQ's to a bigger room. My friend gave me for a few days KRELL mono amps and preamp. Kimber kable are loudspeaker and interconnect cables. The difference in the sound is unbelievable. I have also tested them with tube preamp and IQ90 surprised me with the clarity and strong and and focused bass. After all reviews that I have read in past few months, I MUST say that IQ's are really decent sound speakers. They are not match to DYNAUDIO sound but for the price of 700€ the sound they produce is incredible. Just give them 15 or 20 days to "find themselves" and you will be surprised.

Probably ARCAM will be next amp and CD player. Subwoofer is out of my system. Contra bass on Oscar Peterson "Tribute to my friends" is so full and clear.Also when I listen drum&bass the bass is fast and strong. Not necessary to complement middle and high sounds.

HAPPY owner of IQ90's and NAD's.
 

CnoEvil

New member
Aug 21, 2009
556
13
0
Visit site
overprint said:
I have moved IQ's to a bigger room. My friend gave me for a few days KRELL mono amps and preamp. Kimber kable are loudspeaker and interconnect cables. The difference in the sound is unbelievable. I have also tested them with tube preamp and IQ90 surprised me with the clarity and strong and and focused bass. After all reviews that I have read in past few months, I MUST say that IQ's are really decent sound speakers. They are not match to DYNAUDIO sound but for the price of 700€ the sound they produce is incredible. Just give them 15 or 20 days to "find themselves" and you will be surprised.

Probably ARCAM will be next amp and CD player. Subwoofer is out of my system. Contra bass on Oscar Peterson "Tribute to my friends" is so full and clear.Also when I listen drum&bass the bass is fast and strong. Not necessary to complement middle and high sounds.

HAPPY owner of IQ90's and NAD's.

Many people never hear what their speakers are actually capable of with decent amplification. I'm delighted that you have heard just how good these speakers are.

It was not for nothing that the IQ9 were HiFi Choice's speaker of choice at £800.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts