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Looking for amp advice (punk, rock & reggae edition)

My current amp isn’t doing it for me. Marantz pm6005 which is class D @45 wpc. Speakers are Focal Chorus 807V. It’s very detailed but a little clinical, my biggest gripe is a lack of midbass. According to Stereophile the impedance curve dives to 4 ohm between 100 and 200 hz which is where I think I the problem lies. All indications are that more power is needed to corrrct this which seems plausible as the more volume I give it the more it fills in in that range. The problem is that apartment living doesn’t allow 100db listening sessions.

So, I’m looking for an amplifier (separates or integrated) that has the current needed to round out the sound. The speakers are staying for many more years so replacing them isn’t a viable option, plus I love the sound.

Im interested in going tube but I have no experience with tubes. I have so many questions regarding tubes it could probably be it’s own thread but it seems to me that people love these more than SS on the whole. I’m open to any suggestions though.

My budget is $2500 (used ok but prefer new)

I listen to punk, post punk, lots of reggae (specifically dub), some electronic, a little jazz and some jangle pop (think REM).

Im looking for a warm side of neutral sound with good detail that can keep its composure with fast music yet be gentle enough for jazz. I like bass, if there’s an 808 or that dubby bass guitar, I want to hear it. These speakers do a nice job when the signal is right.

My analog front end is a PDC with a 2M Blue through a Lounge LCR MKIII. All interconnects are AQ Evergreen.

Thanks
gochurchgo
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
@gochurchgo.

I know you say you have experimented hugely with position but here is my experience of the 807v.
I must have spent at least 6 hours moving them in tiny increments to get the best possible sq in my listening seat. This includes distance from walls, toe in and critically the upright angle. The latter may have been because I had raised them onto 2" thick maple blocks which them subsequently raised the tweeters in relation to my ears. But after carefully lowering the front adjusters on each speaker i was able to dial in a really sweet spot that really was by means of very finite 1/2" adjustments in position, yes they were that finicky to set up in my room.
However the rewards were well worth it.
That being said they were never ever driven with less than 150wpc amps with current to spare........
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
If you really want to make those Focals sing I would seriously look into a Pass INT30A but it is a bit beynd your budget (around $3500 used). I used one for awhile driving my 1008Be's before moving on to a pair of Pass xa100.5's and it is excellent. Before the Pass I used a Cary SLI-80F1 hence my recommendation and it did a fine job but not as good as the Pass.

Chuck 
gochurchgo OP
923 posts
 
@uberwaltz That being said they were never ever driven with less than 150wpc amps with current to spare........


I am currently eyeing an amp thats 150wpc but my concern is how much louder it will be like once you leave "0" on the volume haha. That company also makes a 100 or 110 watt amp thats not as sexy but probably more realistic. When I think about it though, the extra 40-50 watts its only 3db more right?

My amp: 45wpc
amp1: 100-110wpc
amp2: 150wpc

Wouldn’t amp 2 be pretty much 10db louder? If so then, when I clean house I am usually playing around 85db max. Sounds like a touch of overkill but not too bad. My speakers are rated 25-175wpc after all.
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Not really the right person to ask on indepth technical stuff.
Yes you get a 3db increase every time you double the power in theory, everything else being equal
So amp2 would not be 10db more, in theory, 45 doubled to 90 would be 3db, then 90 doubled to 180 would be 3 more db.
So 150w would be more like 5db extra
I think..........
Please correct me if that is incorrect
willemj
1,036 posts
 
A little while ago I moved up from a 2x45 watt Quad 303 to a 2x140 watt Quad 606-2 (both driving relatively inefficient Quad 2805s in a pretty large listening room). The biggest benefit was a cleaner and more dynamic sound. The old Q303 had clearly been asked to do more than it was made for. It has persuaded me to put a pair of 2x260 watt QMP monoblocks on my wish list.
Unless you are into boutique amplifiers, power does not necessarily cost much. Take a look at the excellent Pxx00s series of Yamaha Pro Audio amplifiers. The series has now been discontinued, so with a bit of luck you can get a real bargain. See here for an exhaustive test of the 2x350 watt P3500s: http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/amplificateurs-de-puissance-haute-fidelite/mesures-ampli-yamaha-p...
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