Please tutor me on some integrated amp basics.


I’ve recently purchased Magico A3 speakers and a VPI Classic 2 SE turntable with an Ortofon Black 2M moving magnet cartridge. I have a Marantz SA 8005 CD/SACD player to play the few (maybe a hundred or so) CD’s in my possession.
I’ve mostly vinyl albums and no streaming sources. I’m next going to upgrade my old amp/preamp purchased back in the late 70’s with a new, probably integrated, one and am starting to do some research.

Here’s where I need some tutoring. A lot has changed since the seventies with the advent of digital technology. As well as I need to learn more about amplification components in the high end of audio technology. I keep running across terms I don’t understand. I’ll give you a list and if someone would be kind enough to explain these basics I’d be obliged.

For instance I was reading about the Hegel H360 integrated amp that Magico’s Alon Wolf recommended for their A3’s. The review mentioned they were a Class A/B amp, another person commented Class A’s were better, and a third person said he didn’t care for Class D amps. What do these classes signify? 

A second question is about DACs. I generally understand their purpose of the DAC, converting a digital to an analog signal. However my only digital device, the Marantz SA 8005 already has a DAC, ostensibly of good quality. The turntable ’s Ortofon cartridge would not need to play through a DAC, I presume. Would I bypass the CD’s players DAC if I purchase the higher quality Hegel H360 integrated amp?. Or could I find an equivalent integrated amp without an integral DAC?

On the other side of the equation I understand the turntable’s cartridge cannot play through the Hegel without first going through a phono stage. My old Phase Linear 4000 preamp you just plugged the turntables RCA cables into the back of the preamp and you were done. What’s that about? Do they make equivalent integrated amps to the Hegel H360 with integrated phono stages already in place, so I can just plug my turntable in as I’ve been able to do before. The amps don’t seem to be well integrated at all if you have to add a pricey phono stage to make them work, and end up having an extra DAC. That’s just me whining.

Third question is what are monoblocks, how are they used, and what are their advantages to a system? They were used at one of my speaker auditions.

I figured out the answer to what amplifier damping was myself, so I’m sparing you that one, but what does the term impedance mean? I keep coming across that.

Thank goodness I don’t have to figure out the cabling nightmare yet. Thanks for any help.

Mike
skyscraper
Mike, I think you got it right. Luxman is more traditional, better quality and higher class. That will translate into the sound and your overall enjoyment of your system.
As for cables and power equipment, that is not going to be easy. This can make a big difference. Do you need a tonearm cable or VPIs arm comes with the harness including RCA connectors that go straight into phono stage ? My Nottingham is like that. Tonearm cable is the most important cable in the entire system. If possible, I would go with one brand, except power conditioner/regenerator of course.
The Luxman looks like a great amp and let us know how it sounds!! Well done.
Haven't seen anyone mention two of the newest intergraded amps the Aesthetix MIMAS hybrid and the AYRE EX-8 also Belles has one coming out soon
Twoleftears, I checked out the Furman online. And thanks for your input on the Simaudi and Plinius.

Terry9 and Cleeds, from what you’re saying, it looks like I’ll need to put some serious study into this subject of electrical supply. I really only wanted to plug this equipment in without any other major expenses.The Furman Twoleftears mentioned alone goes for $2000, I hope you all are enjoying that your’e killing me here.

On the serious side I will assiduously study your posts above and figure out what’s involved with power conditioning. I’ve done a fair amount of house and hydronic system wiring but never heard of the equipment you mentioned for power conditioning before. So I’ve learned something new today. Thank you.

Inna, could I ask you one more question since I know absolutely nothing about modern cabling.

Roughly how much do you think I’d need to budget for cabling for a simple system like mine with one VPI Classic 2 turntable, one Marantz SA 8005 CD player, one Luxman L-507uXII integrated amp and two Magico A3 speakers. I’ve roughly $23,000 into the system components, if that helps with an estimate. Thanks,

To give you a rough idea of the lengths of cables needed, the speakers will be roughly eight to ten feet apart. The components will be on shelves built into the wall located behind the speakers, equally spaced between them. They’d be about as far from the floor, as you’d see on a typical rack.. And since you asked, I will have to get an RCA cable to got from the VPI turntable to the Luxman’s phono stage inputs. I checked the VPI’s unpacked box and there was none in there.

Anybody else, please feel free to offer a guesstimate. I’m only trying to figure how to budget for this purchase.

2psyop, thank you.

Tomstruck, lots of choices out there it appears. Appreciate you mentioning some others.


Mike