Which amp for CA 840C + Monitor Audio S6?

[admin_exported]

I'm in the process of upgrading my system. It was: Arcam CD72, Arcam A65+, MA S6. The CD player has been replaced with the CA 840C, which I am very happy with. Now looking to replace the amp but keep the speakers. Suggestions welcome. Budget is around the £750 mark. I know there's a group test of potential amps in the April WHF, but I haven't had a chance to read that yet.

I have had a quick audition of the CA 840A v1 and the Cyrus 8vs2 (with the 840C and MA RS6 speakers, since I thought they would be they closest match in the shop to my older S6). Both were good but preferred the Cyrus. Wondered what else I should consider. Also I have since read, both on this forum and elsewhere, that Cyrus with MA can sound overly bright but that wasn't my experience during the trial in the shop.

 

[d_a_n1979]

I auditioned the RS6's with the Cyrus 8v2 and 6v2 amps and never thought they were overly bright to be honest. Theyre a very good match.

With that budget you could go for a Roksan Kandy LIII amp, i auditioned that with the RS6's as well and it was superb but that using my Arcam Alpha 9 CD player. The Roksan CDP was too bright for my ears.

With your C/A CDP, which like Arcam is smooth and warm so wont show the 'sometimes' brightness of the RS6's you could possibly look at a decent integrated and power amp set-up.

If you're fine with good decent 2nd hand equipment it would be woth checking out some Musical Fidelity amps on Ebay currently, there's also a Cyrus 8 integrated amp and Cyrus 8 power amp on Ebay which would be very good with the M/A speakers.

Not sure how Cyrus, Musical Fidelity and C/A will fit tho. I have listened to the C/A 840A amp and CD player and didnt like either of them. They were a little too laid back for my liking and there wasnt enough bass weight. This is in comparrison to my previous Arcam Alpha 10 integrated and 10P power amp set-up.

I've now reverted back to the Arcam Alpha 9 integrated and power set-up and i am really struggling to find amps that are better with my taste in music.

The new NAD C355 amp could be worth looking at. It's well under budget but it's very VERY good, i heard one last night with M/A RS8 speakers and they sound was amazing. Plenty of power and great timing, if you didnt know it was NAD you would swear that its a £1k plus amp.

The rest of the budget could be spent on mains, speakers and interconnect cables etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I hadn't considered the Roksan. It's quite difficult to find some brands here in Australia so I'll have to hunt around for a Roksan stockist. Actually, I think I do know one.

I'd be reluctant to buy something 2nd hand without having heard it first, especially with the extra shipping costs due to the fact that most 2nd hand equipment is listed in the UK. I did almost bid on a 2nd hand 8vs2 after the audition I had, but decided I ought to consider some other options first.

The NAD is interesting, especially as NAD is just about the only make that seems to be cheaper here than in the UK. Everything else is a lot more that the UK price. Is the C355 really in the same league as £750-£1000 amps?

 

[d_a_n1979]

You'd have to believe it to hear it re the NAD amp.

I think it really IS that good!

NAD and Arcam seem to go very well with M/A speakers due to the forwardness/slight brightness of the treble. The Cyrus amps also go very well with the M/A speakers but at the very bottom end, the Cyrus lacks ever so slightly, but again that all depends on what music you listen to and how loud you have your system

When i helped my girlfriend choose her system (which is a Cyrus 8v2 amp, Cyrus 8 CDP and B&W CM7 speakers) we auditioned the M/A RS8 speakers at the same time as well as the B&W 684's and the 683's the both the CM7s and the RS8s blew the other B&Ws outta the water.

The NAD amp that i listened too last night (the C355) with my friends RS8's sounded fantastic. The amp/speakers arent fully run in yet, he's only had about 50hours outta them both (using an Arcam CD82 as the source which he's looking to upgrade ASAP). The bass weight of thr NAD was superb as was the timing and the treble was smooth yet still crisp and refined. We listened to alot of Red Hot Chillis, Morcheeba, HardFi, Amy Winehouse etc and the vocals and guitars were brilliant. The bass notes in the morcheeba music were brilliant and that made me buy the latest album on Amazon today!

Comparing the RS8s to my RS6s was hard as his system is in a fairly large room, about x2 mine, so the bigger speakers do work just that bit better. I think in my room the bass would be over bearing.

After listening to the NAD last night tho i am seriously considering buying the C355 at the end of next month, or i may save myself a few £££ and go for the C352 at the end of this month. Just depends on how much i will save when i buy my B&W 683 & 685 / Onkyo AV system.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll bear the NAD in mind then!

Has anyone got any opinions on the Myryad MXi2080? I'd be able to get one fairly cheaply.

 

[Anonymous]

Why not the matching CambridgeAudio 840Av2. It had a star review and is theorically the perfect match for your CD player. And I guess that if you have found your CD player there in Australia, the amp would be easy to find as well.

 

[Cypher]

Thanks for your comments about the C355BEE D_A_N1979. I'm definitely going to check out the amp now

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="smo"]
Why not the matching CambridgeAudio 840Av2. It had a star review and is theorically the perfect match for your CD player. And I guess that if you have found your CD player there in Australia, the amp would be easy to find as well.

[/quote]

I actually listened to the 840A V1 in a shop and wasn't all that impressed (it was connected to a 840C). Is the V2 a significant improvement over the V1? If so I would definitely consider it as CA equipment is widely available here and reasonably well priced.

 

[Thaiman]

[quote user="ca_blues"]Now looking to replace the amp but keep the speakers. Suggestions welcome. Budget is around the £750 mark. [/quote]

The 840c is one of the best CA ever made and most people would used the cdp with 840A. However when I demo, I thought the combo sounded too cold! and treble are slightly odd being very digital sound. I have not heard the version 2 yet though.

I am not the biggest Arcam fan out there but looking at your system I may suggest you try FMJ A32 Amplifier (£850 from link which is a bargain)

The above amp should add warmth that needed to the system without take away any details or deep bass which we are know that your CDP can deliver.

good luck

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Thaiman"]
[quote user="ca_blues"]Now looking to replace the amp but keep the speakers. Suggestions welcome. Budget is around the £750 mark. [/quote]

The 840c is one of the best CA ever made and most people would used the cdp with 840A. However when I demo, I thought the combo sounded too cold! and treble are slightly odd being very digital sound. I have not heard the version 2 yet though.

[/quote]

That was pretty much my experience too. I've also not heard the v2 and wasn't going to bother since I thought it wouldn't be much different.

I've arranged to have a Cyrus 8vs2, Naim Nait 5i-2 and Myryad MXI2080 on home demo for a few days. Might add the 840A v2 to the list and then pick the best of those four. I expect they are all pretty good.

 

[Thaiman]

off that demo list, my money would be on Myryad

and Cyrus a closed 2nd.

 

[biggus_1961]

What part of australia are you in im in brisbane..If you are in brissy them ma/roksan/ca can all be heard in livingsound hifi....nad at northside hifi and possibly a great deal at reg mills hifi as he is closing down (retireing)..Livingsound also carry rega..BW at northside hifi right up to 800 series too.
There is one more shop in toowong rhat has kef/ma/bw/nad........

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="biggus_1961"]What part of australia are you in im in brisbane..If you are in brissy them ma/roksan/ca can all be heard in livingsound hifi....nad at northside hifi and possibly a great deal at reg mills hifi as he is closing down (retireing)..Livingsound also carry rega..BW at northside hifi right up to 800 series too. There is one more shop in toowong rhat has kef/ma/bw/nad........[/quote]

I'm in Sydney. It's possible to find most of the recognised brands here but the prices can be a bit hard to take.

I've now included the 840A v2 in my final four to demo after reading a couple of reviews that say it is a significant improvement over the v1. Worth a try I reckon.

 

[biggus_1961]

Try electronic Enterprises at www.eeonline.com.au ive bought a few things from there and they always gave a discount and good prompt service especially when 'chris' used to work there.They do cambridge audio too.