Which amp?

[tonky]

I want to choose between the Denon PMA 1500AE, Cambridge 840A, Kandy K2 (maybe the Naim Nait 5i)

I have heard the 840A and Nait5i at separate dealers (a-b comparison is out unfortunately) I will have to travel to hear the others.

I use epos es 14 speakers (definite keepers) and older Denon and Marantz cd players (good sounding non the less). A local dealer was pushing me to the Nait and was disparaging about the denon which he would only order in if I was purchasing. Is the Denon 1500 in the same league as the others?

Any advice would be useful please. I could get to hear all the above in good time but a-b comparisons would be difficult.

cheers Tonky

 

[Anonymous]

hi tonky. i recently audiotend the Nait 5i along with an Arcam A28 and Cyrus 8vs2. for me the nait was clear winner in the demo but found it didnt gel well with the rest of my system and was also not easy to live with (power switch at rear, no headphone socket, thump through speakers when switched on).

i would be interested to hear your thoughts on the 840Av2 in comparison to the nait 5i.

would your budget extend to an Arcam A38?

 

[tonky]

Hi,

I enjoyed my nait demo but i marginally preferred the 840A (it is clearer, cleaner sounding and separates the instruments in space better) . I want a headphone socket. And I am put off by the mixed reviews the Arcam A38 receives.

cheers Tonky

 

[Anonymous]

are you kidding? i have never heard a bad word said about the a38! it has won quite a few awards and if you are still in any doubt just try it and find out for yourself!

 

[tonky]

This particular site only gives it a 3 star review and pretty much calls it bland.

Other sites and hi fi mags are more complimentary.

cheers tonky

 

[JoelSim]

Another mag has called it a 'Future Legend'. You should audition it if you like a smooth sound.

 

[John Duncan]

JoelSim:Another mag has called it a 'Future Legend'. You should audition it if you like a smooth sound.

'Future Legend?', I think

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:JoelSim:Another mag has called it a 'Future Legend'. You should audition it if you like a smooth sound.

'Future Legend?', I think

Primare junky...

 

[John Duncan]

igglebert:JohnDuncan:JoelSim:Another mag has called it a 'Future Legend'. You should audition it if you like a smooth sound.

'Future Legend?', I think

Primare junky...

Silver knobs, texture like sun (etc)

 

[drummerman]

tonky:
This particular site only gives it a 3 star review and pretty much calls it bland.

Other sites and hi fi mags are more complimentary.

cheers tonky

It's actually not a bad product. I'm not sure if 'smooth' is the best description but it is both neutral and draws you into the music rather than imposing itself like a bad pa amp. If it where 2 or 300 quid cheaper it'll be a no contest. As it is a Roksan Kandy K2 is a lot cheaper (and 'smoother') but can't match the A38's transparency and clarity, nor quality of bass, it has however a lot of power. That power is not everything is evident by Roksan's own M1 integrated, less powerful than the K2 but higher up the hirarchy. Denon's PMA1500AE is tonally right between the two and at £500 would be my choice if the Arcam is financially out of reach. A fantastic amplifier and unfortunately rarely mentioned here.

I had the 840v2 and matching player for a little while and they are superb products. I kind of wondered how they manage to offer so much for relatively little money, especially when comparing them to some of the better known products often listed here. In the end, they are a technical tour de force and probably more acurate than many others. Add power to spare but I found they did'nt involve me enough. There was also a build quality issue on my particular samples but I believe that was probably the exception rather than the rule. They have been reviewed many times so you should'nt find it difficult to find info. Certainly one to shortlist and audition if you can.

As always, listen for yourself and speaker choice is crucial to determine the final outcome.

Hope this helps

 

[drummerman]

As regards to the nait5i, I found bass a touch soft and treble stand out/forward just short of harsh. Used with a number of different speakers the sound was strictly 'between enclosures' but it had a solidity and punch that Arcam's A28, also used at the time amongst others, could not equal. At the time I thought cyrus'es 8vs2 was superior in almost every respect bar equally low power but thats just my opinion.

Naim just launched a new integrated pitched between the 5i and supernait. I believe it costs around 1.2k and is upgradeable with the usual (costly) Naim add-ons such as power supplies/amplifiers. Perhaps a better option if you want to go that way but it seems equally underpowered, especially for that sort of money.

 

[tonky]

Thanks for your informative replies drummermann.

After moving on from the cambridge gear what equipment do you listen to music on now?

Thanks, Tonky

 

[drummerman]

Denon PMA355UK, 685 cdp, MS20iPearls

It's transitional but no excuses, I kind of like it considering it costs about the same as one of the interconnects I have from my previous system

 

[matthewpiano]

One VERY satisfied PMA1500AE owner here. I cannot fault this amplifier and find it far more involving and enjoyable to listen to than my previous Cambridge Audio 740A. As Drummerman found with the 840 components, I thought the 740A/C combination I had was technically excellent but ultimately uninvolving musically. Changing to the Denon kit changed this completely and I'm discovering more new music and listening to old favourites with fresh enjoyment as a result.

There is a lot of snobbery amongst dealers about Japanese kit, and the Denon range seems to suffer more than most. I found dealers to be very pro Arcam etc. but rather disparaging about the Denon stuff. However, I auditioned gear from Rega, Naim, Audiolab, Arcam, Marantz, Rotel, Roksan, and Linn before I finally settled on the Denon. It is a match for any of the more lauded British kit and, for me, it was the most completely convincing of the lot. Close behind (but with a tendency towards sounding hard with complex passages) was the Rega kit. IMO everything else was quite some way off.

In the end only your own ears will tell you which is right for you, but a gentle reminder to dealers that it is YOUR money and YOUR choice won't go amiss.

 

[JoelSim]

You could argue that the fact that the hifi dealer fraternity loves Arcam etc shows the high quality on offer if you are after an audiophile sound, it all depends on what you are looking for. Impact? Control? Involvement? Detail? Neutrality? The only way you can decide is to spend a bit of time demoing.

ÿ

 

[matthewpiano]

JoelSim:
You could argue that the fact that the hifi dealer fraternity loves Arcam etc shows the high quality on offer if you are after an audiophile sound, it all depends on what you are looking for. Impact? Control? Involvement? Detail? Neutrality? The only way you can decide is to spend a bit of time demoing.

ÿ

'Audiophile sound'?? Surely what anyone wants is a MUSICAL sound first and foremost...

I agree wholeheartedly about the demoing though. Absolutely vital as everyone's ears are different.

 

[JoelSim]

matthewpiano:JoelSim:
You could argue that the fact that the hifi dealer fraternity loves Arcam etc shows the high quality on offer if you are after an audiophile sound, it all depends on what you are looking for. Impact? Control? Involvement? Detail? Neutrality? The only way you can decide is to spend a bit of time demoing.

ÿ

'Audiophile sound'?? Surely what anyone wants is a MUSICAL sound first and foremost...I agree wholeheartedly about the demoing though. Absolutely vital as everyone's ears are different.

To me you can't have an audiophile sound without it being musical, but different brands/models have different strengths.

My iPod has a musical sound but that doesn't mean I like listening to it.

ÿ

 

[tonky]

Hi Matthew,

Thanks for your help. Do you think the Denon pma1500ae is appreciably better than the rega brio (10 yrs old ) and pioneer a400 which I use at the moment. I do intend (in the near future) to cart the brio to a dealer in nottingham where I want to a-b it with the Denon. But I would appreciate your opinion anyway

cheers tonky.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

tonky:
Hi Matthew,

Thanks for your help. Do you think the Denon pma1500ae is appreciably better than the rega brio (10 yrs old ) and pioneer a400 which I use at the moment. I do intend (in the near future) to cart the brio to a dealer in nottingham where I want to a-b it with the Denon. But I would appreciate your opinion anyway

cheers tonky.

Richer Sounds are selling the original 840A (which I have) for £399!! I've not listened to the V2 but my amp is stunning to me. I went from a Creek Evo that was very very good and the 840A is on another level. The V2 is supposed to be better for the tweaks they made to the original and it has won many awards. I would say that it would be better than the Denon (which looks great too) but it's whether you think that the extra money is worth it. Notable plus points from the Cambridge is balanced connectivity, fixed level inputs and the "incognito" (I think it's called) multi room option - I've not even looked into this but it is worth doing so when you pop in to RS.

 

[matthewpiano]

tonky:
Hi Matthew,

Thanks for your help. Do you think the Denon pma1500ae is appreciably better than the rega brio (10 yrs old ) and pioneer a400 which I use at the moment. I do intend (in the near future) to cart the brio to a dealer in nottingham where I want to a-b it with the Denon. But I would appreciate your opinion anyway

cheers tonky.

I would say it is considerably better than the original Brio and the A400 but with some similar characteristics so it could suit you very very well.

Try to get a listen to Gerrardasnails' 840A recommendation as well, although I personally don't find it as completely involving as the Denon. Great amp though.

 

[tonky]

Many thanks DM MP et al. I will update after I audition.

Tonky