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Integrated amplifier sound

I read the forum every night to get advice from you all. I am learning so much. I just started using my Music Fidelity A3.2 Dual mono solid state integrated amp(115 W per channel into 8 ohms) with my flagship pair of ADS L1590 Tower speakers. It is not a good match. I have never heard so much beautiful detail and sound but, it sounds like the Music Fidelity  would do better with ribbon speakers like Magnapans or Acustat brand speakers.  My towers are very efficient. 90db. I was using an acurus D-100  with 100 watts per channel and it was great! Very neutral sound but clean and I had slam. I cannot get slam with the music fidelity. When I try to increase volume it is just not the same. I have tried Cambridge audio amps and love the smooth rolled off sound but they lack the power for slam. I see the 851 Azure new has great reviews but it is not integrated. A lot of guys get two and put them in as mono blocks. I cannot afford that right now. I am going to put my Music Fidelity on Audiogon soon and need to find an amp for these towers. I have heard that Rogue Audio Spinx is a good sound and may provide some of what I am looking for. What amps have the power and reserve like the ACURUS has to get me back in the game. I really should have auditioned the Music Fidelity before I bought it. It is not a cheap amp. I am so upset. I will unhook it and use a spare cambridge audio integrated with low power for now. I will be purchasing used in order to stay under 1,500 dollars. Please advise!
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willland's avatar
willland
846 posts
 
I too have found Acurus amps to be very punchy bass slam with great reserves with my very efficient Klipsch speakers.  Millercarbon is spot on with the "right 20 watts" comment.  My Acurus amps(A200/A200x3) are spec'd at 200w/ch and barely break a sweat with my "99dB" Klipsch RF-63 floorstanders. 

I have occasionally moved my Yamaha A-S1000 integrated(90w/ch) over to drive my RF-63s and found it to have close to the bass drive slam as my A200.  

You mentioned Cambridge Audio 851 not being an integrated amp.  The Azur 851A sure is. https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/851
I am using an older Cambridge Audio 640A v2.0 integrated(75w/ch) to drive a pair of Klipsch Heresy IIs and slam is not lacking there either.

Bill
helomech
1,673 posts
 
The Rogue would be a significant downgrade from your Musical Fidelity and the Sphinx in particular produces the least bass "slam" I've encountered from an integrated. It's more like the bass you'd get from a $200 AVR at BB. Bottom octave was completely MIA in my system. 

IME, nothing beats Yamaha for bass slam on a budget. The A-S801 should meet your needs.
steve59's avatar
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steve59
1,760 posts
 
My ADS speakers were bright and needed careful component matching. I'm a little surprised the mf wasn't an upgrade from acurus. I used HK citation with decent results with the ADS L9e speakers I think I also liked the B&K 4420 that you can find used for around $400 nowadays. I only survived 9 months with the ADS as the extreme detail wore me down. I would follow up with Rogue audio next. Good luck
big_greg
6,623 posts
 
The best value I've found in the price category you mentioned is a used Vincent SV-237.  150 WPC @8 ohms and 250 @4 ohms.  The first 10 watts are Class A.  I can't speak to "bass slam" because I'm using it with Harbeth P3ESR speakers and a sub.  Speaking of which... if you want bass slam, why don't you get a sub or two or four?
ljgerens
155 posts
 
The Acurus amps are really underrated. I have two Acurus A200 amps and in my systems, they have outperformed amps coasting 2 to 3 times their price. They were the best amps I have used to drive my KEF 104/2s or KEF Reference Model Ones. They run cool for both speakers and provide more punch or bass slam than other amps that I have tried. The Yamaha A-S801 is a nice integrated for the price, but was no match for the Acurus A200. 
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