Thinking of getting Arcam SA10

[robdmarsh]

Also, anyone actually got an Arcam SA10? I think I'm right in thinking that there's not much love for new Arcam products around these parts!

 

[Tinman1952]

OK fair point, I defer to your superior knowledge about bit rates. I would use wifi but I have Amazon music unlimited and this was not supported by my old Yamaha streamer and I have a PC so I don't think I can use Airplay either. I was using iTunes with Airplay and the ifi Zen Blue sounds so much better than that but that was only 320kbps. But I'm hearing plenty of detail with LDAC so I'll probably carry on using it.

By the way, which of your speakers would you choose if you had to choose one: the Wharfedale evo 4.2 or the Dynaudio emit 10? I'm drawn to the Emit 20 but they can't be found anywhere (the previous model I mean).

I like both speakers for different reasons. 🙂 Analogue Seduction has a few of the Emit M10s on Amazon and eBay for £349 at a special clearance price … but act quickly! 👍

 

[robdmarsh]

I like both speakers for different reasons. 🙂 Analogue Seduction has a few of the Emit M10s on Amazon and eBay for £349 at a special clearance price … but act quickly! 👍

Do the Emit em10 sound small?

 

[Tinman1952]

Do the Emit em10 sound small?

No they sound huge…actually larger than the Wharfedales! 🙂
and the bass goes lower!

 

[robdmarsh]

No they sound huge…actually larger than the Wharfedales! 🙂
and the bass goes lower!

Really? I'm not sure about the look of the Wharfedales. That mid band driver reminds me of Cyclops! And they're kind of in between the size of a bookshelf and floor standers.

 

[Tinman1952]

Really? I'm not sure about the look of the Wharfedales. That mid band driver reminds me of Cyclops! And they're kind of in between the size of a bookshelf and floor standers.

😁 They certainly dominate the room!

 

[plastic penguin]

Aww, finally someone who gets it and believes me about how good the Marantz mcr603 really was/is.
Now, if we're talking about Roksan, what do you think about the look of the soon to be released Roksan Attessa? Looks gorgeous and if it sounds anything like the way that it looks I don't think £1000 would be OTT price wise.

We all believe you just we didn't know what little Marantz you were referring to.

No, not heard or even seen the Attessa, as streaming isn't my thing. The only way of knowing is by demoing it with your Elecs. Otherwise my other suggestions should hit the (sonic) spot.

 

[manicm]

Pretty much the Class G. I heard the SA20 before the pandemic started, when I was looking to replace my old Arcam CDP. Wasn't that impressed. More impressed by the A39 which I heard a couple of years beforehand. Excellent value for money IMO.

Hi-fi is about synergy. I remember a poster from last year (@Al ears may recall) when this person had a old NAD and B&W speakers, who complained about not being warm enough or shrill or something on those lines. Al and I and one or two other suggested try a Rotel amp. Not as warm as the NAD.... anyway he came back astonished how they work so well together and went against his original brief.

Synergy, and not tonal balance, is everything.

The latest Rotel and B&W products may not have that expected synergy anymore, and not just because of the corporate takeovers.

 

[plastic penguin]

The latest Rotel and B&W products may not have that expected synergy anymore, and not just because of the corporate takeovers.

No idea what's really going on between the two brands, but traditionally they work a treat together.

 

[robdmarsh]

We all believe you just we didn't know what little Marantz you were referring to.

No, not heard or even seen the Attessa, as streaming isn't my thing. The only way of knowing is by demoing it with your Elecs. Otherwise my other suggestions should hit the (sonic) spot.

Roksan Attessa Integrated Amplifier

Roksan Attessa Integrated Amplifier builds upon the Roksan Kandy design and Roksan Caspian and delivers 130W per channel into 4ohms or 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Includes onboard DAC and RCA inputs. The Attessa Integrated Amplifier has been developed in the UK as an entry-level integrated...

www.audioaffair.co.uk

There's a streaming version and just an integrated amp version (with DAC). Can't decide which colour I like better, they both look amazing.

 

[robdmarsh]

Thanks everyone for you input, even though no one has an Arcam SA10

 

[plastic penguin]

Roksan Attessa Integrated Amplifier

Roksan Attessa Integrated Amplifier builds upon the Roksan Kandy design and Roksan Caspian and delivers 130W per channel into 4ohms or 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Includes onboard DAC and RCA inputs. The Attessa Integrated Amplifier has been developed in the UK as an entry-level integrated...

www.audioaffair.co.uk

There's a streaming version and just an integrated amp version (with DAC). Can't decide which colour I like better, they both look amazing.

Realistically, what is the most you can stretch your budget? First off you're speaking about the Arcam SA10 now mentioning a £1000-ish amp come streamer

There's a lot of love on here for Arcam per se, but I don't think too many own any of the new SA models. I would suggest, though, demoing one and see what you think, or if not your bag, save for a bit longer and look at the Roksan or something similar.

Personally, if I was in your boots I'd buy another 603, as it punches well above it's price tag, as I mentioned before.

 

[robdmarsh]

Realistically, what is the most you can stretch your budget? First off you're speaking about the Arcam SA10 now mentioning a £1000-ish amp come streamer

There's a lot of love on here for Arcam per se, but I don't think too many own any of the new SA models. I would suggest, though, demoing one and see what you think, or if not your bag, save for a bit longer and look at the Roksan or something similar.

Personally, if I was in your boots I'd buy another 603, as it punches well above it's price tag, as I mentioned before.

You're quite right to be reigning me in before a I go and drop a grand on sexy new gear. As for the 603, there may be a way to boost its sound using a power amp as mentioned by one of the posters above. I will definitely be investigating this.

 

[robdmarsh]

Hi,
From the internet, the MCR603 is a class D power amplifier stage. In reading th manual, the AUX outputs can be connected to a pre-main amplifier (page 37 of the english manual)

Therefore, you could keep all the functionality of the unit, and purchase a class D power amplifier. Nord implement the Hypex units which get good reviews :

Products - Nord Acoustics

Nord Hypex & B&O ICE Power Class D Power Amplifiers. NC500 NC400 NCxxxMP 1200AS2. Stereo and Multi Channel Amplifiers for Sale Ship World Wide.

www.nordacoustics.co.uk

If the Aux-Out is volume controlled, then it is an easy upgrade.

Regards,
Shadders.

I'm becoming more interested in your suggestion, Shadders. When you say "if the Aux-out is volume controlled"that means I'd be able to control volume on the power amp, is that right? Otherwise am I right in saying I would then have volume control on both the 603 and the power amp and a negative impact on sound quality?

 

[RoA]

Roksan Attessa Integrated Amplifier

Roksan Attessa Integrated Amplifier builds upon the Roksan Kandy design and Roksan Caspian and delivers 130W per channel into 4ohms or 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Includes onboard DAC and RCA inputs. The Attessa Integrated Amplifier has been developed in the UK as an entry-level integrated...

www.audioaffair.co.uk

There's a streaming version and just an integrated amp version (with DAC). Can't decide which colour I like better, they both look amazing.

The streaming version is 1500 but if your budget is 1000 I would certainly suggest the Arcam SA20 over the 10. I think it would suit your tastes. I'm more hesitant to recommend a s/h Hegel (which I normally would without hesitation) as it may be just too 'controlling' based on your comments about the Audiolab. They certainly don't sound the same though.

 

[RoA]

You're quite right to be reigning me in before a I go and drop a grand on sexy new gear. As for the 603, there may be a way to boost its sound using a power amp as mentioned by one of the posters above. I will definitely be investigating this.

I would not suggest using the 603 as a Pre-amplifier (just as I would not suggest many more expensive integrated amplifiers to be used in that way).

 

[robdmarsh]

One thing though, those Nord products are pretty expensive. I've heard good things about SMSL online. How about about this?:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SA-98E-2x160W-TDA7498E-Digital-Amplifier-Gold/dp/B01N3CXMBX/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=power%2Bamplifier&qid=1631604695&refinements=p_89%3AS.M.S.L&rnid=1632651031&s=electronics&sr=1-16&th=1

 

[robdmarsh]

I would not suggest using the 603 as a Pre-amplifier (just as I would not suggest many more expensive integrated amplifiers to be used in that way).

Ok, and why's that?

 

[RoA]

Lack of quality

 

[RoA]

One thing though, those Nord products are pretty expensive. I've heard good things about SMSL online. How about about this?:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SA-98E-2x160W-TDA7498E-Digital-Amplifier-Gold/dp/B01N3CXMBX/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=power%2Bamplifier&qid=1631604695&refinements=p_89%3AS.M.S.L&rnid=1632651031&s=electronics&sr=1-16&th=1

You are going from £1500 amplifiers to cheap China ware ... ?

What is it you want to actually achieve?

 

[robdmarsh]

I think it's pretty clear what I want to achieve -I've said it in this thread. I want to keep the tonal character and sweetness, for lack of a better word, of my Marantz mcr603 with more heft. If this can be done with the addition of a power amplifier then why not give it a go?
Now if I'm misunderstanding what a power amplifier actually does and its relationship to a pre-amplifier or integrated amplifier, then please enlighten me!
As for cheap Chifi or whatever it is you're calling it, products by this manufacturer are getting extremely good reviews from respected reviewers online.

 

[RoA]

Yours the the money, yours the choice. I keep out from hereon

 

[Al ears]

Thanks everyone for you input, even though no one has an Arcam SA10

should tell you something... Possibly

 

[shadders]

I'm becoming more interested in your suggestion, Shadders. When you say "if the Aux-out is volume controlled"that means I'd be able to control volume on the power amp, is that right? Otherwise am I right in saying I would then have volume control on both the 603 and the power amp and a negative impact on sound quality?

Hi,
For the Aux-Out connection, it may not be part of the volume control. The signal may be at a set volume, so when you turn down the amplifier volume, the Aux-Out remains at the same signal level. In this case, you will not be able to use a power amplifier. The manual does not indicate whether Aux-Out is controlled by the volume. Unless you can test this, then maybe a tech support request with Marantz.

For Nord, the amplifiers i refer to are :

Nord One MP NC252 250W Stereo Power Amp in Black | nordacoustics

Hypex NCore NC252MP twin channel ModuleNord Switchable RCA-XLR input boardAuto sensing 100-240V mains input operation0.5W standby operation650W Main PSU47K Ohms Input Impedance, low output impedanceTHD 0.0015%S/N Ratio 121dB26dB Voltage Gain2 x 200W 8 Ohms2 x 250W 4 Ohms2 x 180W 2 OhmsFully...

www.nordacoustics.co.uk

The above is Stereo 250watts and less than £500, using the Hypex amplifier units which receive favourable reviews - you can search the internet. The power amplifier does not have a volume control.

The Marantz unit is a very good all in one approach. If you move to another solution, what will be your primary listening sources ?

Regards,
Shadders.

 

[plastic penguin]

You're quite right to be reigning me in before a I go and drop a grand on sexy new gear. As for the 603, there may be a way to boost its sound using a power amp as mentioned by one of the posters above. I will definitely be investigating this.

Even though you love those speakers, it keeps nagging at me that you are under selling the 603. No doubt the synergy is well suited but there are better speakers - at a cost of course.

(I touched on this in my original reply)

I would be considering Kef LS50s, one of the Dali models (depending on room size), used PMC Twenty 21 with matching stands.

If I had the 603 I wouldn't hesitate using my current PMC TB2, which retailed originally at around £1200.

Or if you want a bigger bang, and you want to keep the Elacs, a small sub should work a treat