2. amps-preamps
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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
skyscraper OP
831 posts
 
Inna, fortunately I have until February, when the Magico’s hopefully arrive, to study and make choices on the wiring.Rest assured I will not call you names due to your suggestions, even when they haul me into bankruptcy court. At your suggestion, I will see what information I might find out about the Purist Audio Design Neptune fluid cables. What do you like about those cables? Is there something special about their design you are aware of, or is it simply the results from listening to your system with them? If you never see them used, that is a good sign, like my having to wait another five months to get my Magicos.

Kapa11, I looked into the Pass Labs integrated amps, before purchasing my Luxman integrated amp last week, and was quite impressed. If I could have afforded them, I very well might have purchased them. I still do not wish to purchase new for the aforementioned reasons, even if I could get a better product. I feel the risk is not worth the reward and don’t want the headaches of repairs to worry about when I live so far out in the country, away from but one high end service person. I’ve been there, and done used that in other realms. I won’t buy a used car for the same reasons, unless you happen to have a used low mileage ’55 Mercedes you’re thinking of parting with.

My sister still has and uses a complete set of Carver equipment from years ago she still uses. You remember those big trapezoidal shaped speakers he designed after moving on from Phase Linear. Her system still works perfectly. Thank you for your suggestions.

Mike


inna
7,296 posts
 
Mike, I am not a technical person and can't judge the design from this point of view. You can talk to Jim Aud of Purist Audio, he replies quickly, and ask him any questions. He is a former NASA engineer specializing in underwater signal transmission and he has been making cables for over 30 years. Aqueous fluid cable was his original cable. You can also talk to Audiogon member albertporter who is now Purist dealer as well. He personally has been using these cables from the very beginning of their existence, though he always has top of the line.
As for the sound, I'll spare you all the audiophile jargon, they are exquisite sophisticated cables with incredible soundstage. They do nothing wrong and almost everything right. 
I would not rush with buying expensive power cord for Luxman. First, I would get tonearm cable and speaker cables and would listen for a few weeks or month with either stock Luxman cord or, say, $200 Audio Art Classic cord. 300 hours of burn in time for Purist, less for Audio Art. Then you could decide where to go next. It would also to a degree depend on how much electrical work on your house wiring you were going to do. But if you want to get everything at the same time and everything new, that's more difficult and possibly more expensive. Getting cabling perfectly right is tough even with unlimited budget.
skyscraper OP
831 posts
 
Inna, thank you for the contacts. Last night I looked up the price for a pair of the length Audio Design Neptune fluid cables I'd need, about three yards long. They were running well over three thousand dollars a pair, which is unfortunately well out of my price range.  You're fortunate to own some. I'll be done paying off my VPI turntable in a couple weeks and will go ahead and buy the VPI cables you suggested to get started. 

I'll have to do a lot more research on cables next, which appears to be a fairly complex subject to sort out.  

Mike
inna
7,296 posts
 
Mike, no, don't look at the suggested retail prices, street prices are much lower. I checked two weeks ago with one dealer. Purist Audio Neptune speaker cables with spades 2.5 meter pair are $2050, brand new, not demo not return.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Sorry, 2 meters pair are $2034, 2.5 meters pair are about $200 more.
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