Upgrade

[Marceli]

Hi there

Presently I own Kef Q7 paired with Cambridge Audio Azur 640A, Chord CrimsonPlus, Chord Carnival SilverScreen, Asus Xonar STX.

I am only using my PC (FLAC) to listen to music as my CD got broken sometime ago.

Now I am thinking of getting Cyrus 6A along with Tannoy Revolution DC6. What difference I can expect from it?

I suppose the amp will be a hudge jump forward but I am not sure about the Tannoy speakers compared to KEFQ7 which still sound descently for me. I am not an experienced as the rig I own is my first one and never been upgraded.

I like to listen to different kinds of music ( Pearl Jam, Dream Theater, Al Di Meola for instance)

I appreciate some advice. 🙂

 

[matthewpiano]

You need to audition. There are several amps around that price you should try and I would suggest trying them with your KEFs as well as the Tannoys. What about a short-list of the Cyrus 6A, Creek Evolution 50A, Roksan Kandy K2, and Arcam A19?

 

[MakkaPakka]

Where are you based? There's a very good deal on that Cyrus around currently.

 

[Marceli]

I am based in Slough. Richer Sound have a really nice offer : Cyrus 6A and the Tannoys for like 900 pounds. That's why I wanted to know more about them as havew the budget of 1000 pounds.

 

[JoelSim]

I'm not a fan of the Cyrus sound, find it far too cold and uninvolving.

 

[MakkaPakka]

400 speakers for a 750 amp doesn't make sense to me. But 6dac can be had for 679 at audioexpress. I am getting one shortly.

 

[BigH]

400 speakers for a 750 amp doesn't make sense to me. But 6dac can be had for 679 at audioexpress. I am getting one shortly.

I agree, I would save up some more and buy better speakers. Many don't like the Cyrus sound so best to demo before buying, as said try other amps like Creek and ARcam and find the one you like best, don't buy just because of the good deal.

Also looking at your speakers they are probably better than the Tannoys so that does not really make sense, you want to upgrade not downgrade.

 

[MakkaPakka]

You haven't said what it is you're trying to improve on. You should really get speakers you're happy with and work backwards from there. Going from floorstanders to stand mounts could be a big step forward or a big step back depending on how big the room is, how much space the speakers have to breathe, etc.

 

[davedotco]

Dissagree entirely, the idea of spending so much on the speakers, then buying a cheaper amplifier that can neither deliver sufficiant information to make them sound their best, provide sufficient power to resolve the dynamic contrasts or be able to keep control of the speakers when the system is asked to do a little more I find completely wrong headed.

Very 'old school' I know, but a decent amplifier excercising total control over the speakers, even if those speakers have limitations, is, in my view, much preferable to the way most modern systems are put together.

But then, I am apparantly, a "loose cannon", c'est la vie........ :doh:

Edited to (try) and make sense.

 

[MakkaPakka]

I'm not sure who you're disagreeing with? I don't disagree with you. I just think you should get speakers right first because that's where the big differences in sound are and they interact with the room. Once the speakers are right then then go amp shopping for something that ticks the boxes.

 

[BigH]

Dave not sure people are suggesting getting a cheaper amp? Anyway I was not. Looking at his system I would think the amp is probably the one to change, never heard those KEfs but reviews are quite good, I think with a decent amp they maybe fine.

 

[ellisdj]

Hi Marcelli

This is a different upgrade route to consider - however have you looked at your PC Its the source and its the most vital link in the chain - if it starts bad it will finish bad - simple as that?

Getting great sound from a PC is not straight forward, but you can achieve amazing results from a PC if you know what to do - and you certainly wont get it using a standard pc feeding an Asus sound card. The PC Environment is very noisey and the Asus despite having a circuit to reduce the pc noise doesnt actually do a very good job at it.
You can use the same hardware - just work on it

What software do you use to play back the music on?

For PC audio there is no pier to JPlay - JPlay escalates a PC to the very highest digital transport possibilities - its really is amazing. www.jplay.eu You may already know and use this which is great.

Do you use the standard Opamps on the asus STX?
You can upgrade these cheaply and it makes a really big difference - the standard opamps are rubbish!

 

[davedotco]

Sorry Makka and BigH, I am probably not making myself clear.

It is currently the majority view on this forum that speakers are more important and make the biggest difference to the sound and that budget amplifiers are now so good that they can be used to drive more expensive speakers.

I thought you posts above placed you firmly in that camp and it is that view that I consider hopelessly wrong.

 

[BigH]

Sorry Makka and BigH, I am probably not making myself clear.

It is currently the majority view on this forum that speakers are more important and make the biggest difference to the sound and that budget amplifiers are now so good that they can be used to drive more expensive speakers.

I thought you posts above placed you firmly in that camp and it is that view that I consider hopelessly wrong.

OK I understand what you are saying now. Yes I do believe that speakers do make the biggest difference in sound but I don't agree about budget amps. However in my demos when the speakers were switched then nearly always there was a significant change to the sound, the same was not the same with amps, althought I did not hear any amps under £500, in fact I would be hard pushed to tell the difference between some amps in a blind test. However I would not recommend cheap amps for various reasons, I was suggesting more of an equal spend on speakers and amp.

 

[davedotco]

Sorry Makka and BigH, I am probably not making myself clear.

It is currently the majority view on this forum that speakers are more important and make the biggest difference to the sound and that budget amplifiers are now so good that they can be used to drive more expensive speakers.

I thought you posts above placed you firmly in that camp and it is that view that I consider hopelessly wrong.

OK I understand what you are saying now. Yes I do believe that speakers do make the biggest difference in sound but I don't agree about budget amps. However in my demos when the speakers were switched then nearly always there was a significant change to the sound, the same was not the same with amps, althought I did not hear any amps under £500, in fact I would be hard pushed to tell the difference between some amps in a blind test. However I would not recommend cheap amps for various reasons, I was suggesting more of an equal spend on speakers and amp.

Fair comment.

My view is slightly different though, and as I said a bit 'old school'.

Of course changing speakers make a 'significant change' to the sound but I have come to the conclusion that many of these changes are what I would call 'presentational'. Sure you might get a bigger sound or more bass or whatever but I happen to think that there is a lot more to it than that. Getting the music 'right' is the thing, and speakers screw this up more than any other link in the chain (unless you are playing vinyl) primarily because they are rarely under the total control of the amplifier.

This to my mind is crucial, it is actually quite difficult to explain how important I think that is, but it is, I believe, the primary reason I find so many modern budget systems (up tp £1500-2000 so difficult to listen to.

BTW, when you are trying to hear the difference between amplifiers, listen to the speakers, not the amps......

 

[the record spot]

I think a few of you are woefully underestimating the Tannoys. They'll stack up comfortably, though you may need to decide on a different amp. definitely have a listen to both. And, yes, they are the equal of the KEFs you have, albeit for different reasons.

 

[Marceli]

Firstly an aplogy for leaving the post unattended. Simply because I was away.

I am using Foobar to play FLAC . I think is a great piece of software.

I am not sure about the second of your questions with regards to Opamps - never modified those as simply wasnt aware of it ) I know I sound noobish 🙂 ) But I will certainly get info on this and will upgrade.

My room is like 6x6m so floorstanders can appreciate it. They are 7 years old I am also playing guitar through Tone Port and my computer so as you would assume the speakers doesnt have an easy life. ( I know I shouldnt reallly do that but at least I do not play loud )

So taking all post into consideration I will demo Cyrus and if I get to like it go for the one with DAC built in. Would it be better than upgrading the asus card?

Many thanks for all suggestion

Edit: please can you advise me with regards to upgrading my sound card - what Opamps would you recommend and how to do that?

Many thanks

 

[pauln]

Firstly an aplogy for leaving the post unattended. Simply because I was away.

I am using Foobar to play FLAC . I think is a great piece of software.

I am not sure about the second of your questions with regards to Opamps - never modified those as simply wasnt aware of it ) I know I sound noobish 🙂 ) But I will certainly get info on this and will upgrade.

My room is like 6x6m so floorstanders can appreciate it. They are 7 years old I am also playing guitar through Tone Port and my computer so as you would assume the speakers doesnt have an easy life. ( I know I shouldnt reallly do that but at least I do not play loud )

So taking all post into consideration I will demo Cyrus and if I get to like it go for the one with DAC built in. Would it be better than upgrading the asus card?

Many thanks for all suggestion

Edit: please can you advise me with regards to upgrading my sound card - what Opamps would you recommend and how to do that?

Many thanks

You'd be wasting your money upgrading the sound card, as others have said, you'd be better off with a DAC outside the PC - an Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC would do the job and cost you a hundred quid. You'd probably get that much, if not more, for the STX on ebay.

 

[Marceli]

That would be a good option. I read a review of the DAC and seem to be a descent choice however I am not sure if I want to stick to an USB DAC.

I installed JPlay as some of you avised and its amazing. I didnt buy the full version as not sure what to go for : DAC or just keep using Xonar STX.

And that would be another hundred quid saved on the software if I will go for DAC.

 

[BigH]

That would be a good option. I read a review of the DAC and seem to be a descent choice however I am not sure if I want to stick to an USB DAC.

I installed JPlay as some of you avised and its amazing. I didnt buy the full version as not sure what to go for : DAC or just keep using Xonar STX.

And that would be another hundred quid saved on the software if I will go for DAC.

Xonar are pretty good, I would stick with that.