Warm, musical budget integrated amp. Which?

[Tibor]

I intend to replace my Arcam Alpha 7 R amplifier.

My system: Arcam CD 72 player, Acoustic Energy Neo 1 speakers.

Can you recomennd a musical, fluid sounding budget amplifier with no harsh treble?

-Denon PMA 720AE

-Pioneer A 30 (the cheapest in my country)

-Nad 326BEE: do not like because of inprecise volume regulation with remonte (I was listening to it, the sound was very good, very musical with strong bass)

-Cambridge Audio Azur 351A

-Nad 316BEE

Sorry, the budget Rega amp and the Arcam A 19 amplifiers are over my budget

I have no possibility to listen all these amps, so I need your help

 

[Cypher]

- Denon PMA-720AE

- Pioneer A-30

are both great amps with a very musical sound. I heard a PMA-520AE amp recently (the little brother of the PMA-720AE) and it already sounded very good, very close to the sound of the PMA-720AE.

Hope this helps a bit

 

[radiorog]

The ca 351a sounds amazing.i was very impressed.

 

[Tibor]

Thank you, I think I have the answer

 

[SpursGator]

Well do tell us which you've chosen.

I would choose the NAD 326Bee...I own one and have no idea what you mean my the imprecise volume control. You push up, the volume goes up, you push down, the volume goes down. ??

 

[KidKomet]

If you want warm, the Cambridge Audio would probably be my last choice. For musical presentation it's the NAD every time for me.

 

[matthewpiano]

Tibor, if you like the sound of the NAD I would go with the C326BEE. I know what you mean about the volume control using the remote - it does seem to jump in larger increments than you expect and it is something I noticed with the C325BEE and C326BEE I had. However, the NAD has a fairly unique sound and if you like its presentation having heard it I think it is a safe choice. Just do as I did and adjust the remote manually on the front panel.

 

[Mattan]

I have the Denon. I'm no audiophile, but I wouldn't say the sound is warm. I like the sound though. I play mainly dance and indie and the music seems to have a bit of an 'edge' to it compared to my old cambridge audio A3i

 

[nima]

I would definitely not go from Arcam Alpha 7 to any amp mentioned above without a proper home demo. And I doubt very much, I would part with Arcam after the home demo

I think you'd be better of with changing your speakers or adding irDac to your CD player.

 

[Tibor]

Yes, the Nad 326BEE has absolutely musical and fluid sound, but is very annoying that is inpossible to regulate the volume with small increments(by remote). I am used to listening music at low volumes at night (in the bed) every day.

Dear Mathewpiano, you had Pioneer A30 amp, how would you describe the sonic signature of this amp compared with Denon 720AE and Nad 326BEE?

The Pioneer is far cheaper than Nad and Denon, and it has good reviews in german hifi press

 

[Tibor]

If you want warm, the Cambridge Audio would probably be my last choice. For musical presentation it's the NAD every time for me.

Thank you for information

 

[Tibor]

I would definitely not go from Arcam Alpha 7 to any amp mentioned above without a proper home demo. And I doubt very much, I would part with Arcam after the home demo

I think you'd be better of with changing your speakers or adding irDac to your CD player.

The arcam Alpha 7 is a very good amp, but my Arcam has some technical problem with volume knob, I can adjust the volume only by remote

 

[davedotco]

I would definitely not go from Arcam Alpha 7 to any amp mentioned above without a proper home demo. And I doubt very much, I would part with Arcam after the home demo

I think you'd be better of with changing your speakers or adding irDac to your CD player.

The arcam Alpha 7 is a very good amp, but my Arcam has some technical problem with volume knob, I can adjust the volume only by remote

So still perfectly useable then.

The Alpha & was never a great amplifier, even at it's price but it was always a very competent one with no obvious vices and in my not so humble opinion, far better than many of the amps mentioned in this thread.

Were you in the UK (you're not are you?) I would recommend that you have a good rummage down the back of the sofa and come up with a bit more cash and get the £850 Croft integrated.

This is a valve hybrid design that gives a real taste of valve 'warmth' and texture without the expense of all valve models.

 

[matthewpiano]

Yes, the Nad 326BEE has absolutely musical and fluid sound, but is very annoying that is inpossible to regulate the volume with small increments(by remote). I am used to listening music at low volumes at night (in the bed) every day.

Dear Mathewpiano, you had Pioneer A30 amp, how would you describe the sonic signature of this amp compared with Denon 720AE and Nad 326BEE?

The Pioneer is far cheaper than Nad and Denon, and it has good reviews in german hifi press

Hi Tibor. I've still got the A-30 at the moment. It is a very nice amp but I would suggest it isn't as warm as the NAD, particularly in the bass, with more emphasis on clarity. I'd say the Denon is warmer, but the Pioneer more refined and composed.

If you really liked the Arcam though be careful.

 

[KidKomet]

So still perfectly useable then.

The Alpha & was never a great amplifier, even at it's price but it was always a very competent one with no obvious vices and in my not so humble opinion, far better than many of the amps mentioned in this thread.

Were you in the UK (you're not are you?) I would recommend that you have a good rummage down the back of the sofa and come up with a bit more cash and get the £850 Croft integrated.

This is a valve hybrid design that gives a real taste of valve 'warmth' and texture without the expense of all valve models.

Boom. Job done. I can't think of a better direction to go given your tastes and requirements.

 

[Blackdawn]

What about the Marantz 600* ? They seem to win nearly every award for budget amps. I would have a difficulty picking between the Pioneer A30, Marantz and NAD C316BEE.

 

[davedotco]

What about the Marantz 600* ? They seem to win nearly every award for budget amps. I would have a difficulty picking between the Pioneer A30, Marantz and NAD C316BEE.

That is because the capability of the three amplifiers mentioned is not exceptional, sure they sound nice enough, goes loud enough without obvious distress but are otherwise not that special. They all present the sound a little differently, a little more bass here, a little less there etc, etc, yet their ability to draw you into the music is severely limited. This is of course only as I see it, others have different views.

Better amplifiers such as the Creek and the Croft earn their place by their ability to reveal more of the music, they give greater insight and are more engaging, something that, for me, the lesser amplifiers do not do.

 

[chebby]

Were you in the UK (you're not are you?) I would recommend that you have a good rummage down the back of the sofa and come up with a bit more cash and get the £850 Croft integrated.

Looking at the OP's list I am guessing his amp budget is about £150 - £250.

Have you ever met anyone who had between £600 and £700 'down the back of the sofa'?

Let's keep it real.

 

[matthewpiano]

Were you in the UK (you're not are you?) I would recommend that you have a good rummage down the back of the sofa and come up with a bit more cash and get the £850 Croft integrated.

Looking at the OP's list I am guessing his amp budget is about £150 - £250.

Have you ever met anyone who had between £600 and £700 'down the back of the sofa'?

Let's keep it real.

Exactly what I was thinking Chebby.

 

[Cypher]

Better amplifiers such as the Creek and the Croft earn their place by their ability to reveal more of the music, they give greater insight and are more engaging, something that, for me, the lesser amplifiers do not do.

I have now owned the Pioneer A-30 for some time now and I still enjoy it a lot. I paid 249 euros for it.

The Creek evolution 50A for example will cost me 899 euros. The creek may be better (it should be) but it's way more expensive

Also.........not every amp that's more expensive may be your 'taste'..............I owned a Roksan K2 once.........could not live with the clinical sound it gave.......so expensive is not always better.

 

[davedotco]

Were you in the UK (you're not are you?) I would recommend that you have a good rummage down the back of the sofa and come up with a bit more cash and get the £850 Croft integrated.

Looking at the OP's list I am guessing his amp budget is about £150 - £250.

Have you ever met anyone who had between £600 and £700 'down the back of the sofa'?

Let's keep it real.

Exactly what I was thinking Chebby.

I assumed the amps in question were a little more expensive than that, my fault entirely..... :doh:

It is clearly a big (bigger than I thought) leap in cost but it does address the OP's requirements rather better than many of the other suggestions.

'Down the back of the sofa' is a family expression we use all the time, 're-organising your financial situation to release some extra funds' does not have the same ring too it.

 

[BigH]

Better amplifiers such as the Creek and the Croft earn their place by their ability to reveal more of the music, they give greater insight and are more engaging, something that, for me, the lesser amplifiers do not do.

I have now owned the Pioneer A-30 for some time now and I still enjoy it a lot. I paid 249 euros for it.

The Creek evolution 50A for example will cost me 899 euros. The creek may be better (it should be) but it's way more expensive

Also.........not every amp that's more expensive may be your 'taste'..............I owned a Roksan K2 once.........could not live with the clinical sound it gave.......so expensive is not always better.

I did not find the RK K2 clinical, if anything it was the other way, which speakers did you use?

 

[davedotco]

Better amplifiers such as the Creek and the Croft earn their place by their ability to reveal more of the music, they give greater insight and are more engaging, something that, for me, the lesser amplifiers do not do.

I have now owned the Pioneer A-30 for some time now and I still enjoy it a lot. I paid 249 euros for it.

The Creek evolution 50A for example will cost me 899 euros. The creek may be better (it should be) but it's way more expensive

Also.........not every amp that's more expensive may be your 'taste'..............I owned a Roksan K2 once.........could not live with the clinical sound it gave.......so expensive is not always better.

This is the essence of choice in hi-fi.

I can produce specifications and other details that show the Creek is a superior amplifier and in a well conducted test I would guess that most people would hear that superiority, but of course that is not the whole story.

The question is whether the difference is worth the cost to you, that is pivotal.

I have my views which are perhaps a bit off the mainstream, but I give them and try hard to explain how I got to them. Personally I think the Creek is outstanding value, primarily for the level of 'engagement' that it gives me (see above). For me this makes the price difference very worthwhile, for others this is not the case.

One of the factors that convince me of the value of the Creek (and the Croft) is that in order to get a worthwhile improvement I find I need to go to models like the entry level Electros and Sugdens, quite a lot more money.

 

[Tibor]

Sorry, my budget is up to 400 euro, so Creek is not for me. Marantz 600x series is over my budget. I do not want "the super perfect amp" for this price.

I looking for a budget amp wich has no clinical sound, with "rounded of " treble, so listenable without fatique. My speaker has a weak tendency toward harsh treble sound at moderate/high volume levels.

My Arcam was a good amp with silky treble, but now it has some problems, is not very reliable

 

[davedotco]

Sorry, my budget is up to 400 euro, so Creek is not for me. Marantz 600x series is over my budget. I do not want "the super perfect amp" for this price.

I looking for a budget amp wich has no clinical sound, with "rounded of " treble, so listenable without fatique. My speaker has a weak tendency toward harsh treble sound at moderate/high volume levels.

My Arcam was a good amp with silky treble, but now it has some problems, is not very reliable

Buy an amplifier with tone controls and use them.

It is most likely that the 'harsh treble sound' is an amplifier issue, this is the classic symptom of an amplifier running out of power or having difficulty driving the speaker for other reasons.

You need to be aware that €400 will not buy you a new modern amplifier that is as good as your old Arcam, even more true if the Arcam style is to your liking.