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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!
128x128arichison
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. 
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
@millercarbon ... Hmmm...I respectfully disagree. I had a Raven Nighthawk MKIII over here on my 90db speakers and regarding the "slam" that the OP wants, it fell flat on it's face. It sounded anemic and thin. when I told the manufacturer why I was sending it back, he suggested that I didn't have the subwoofer bypass switch on in the correct position, but I did.

To the OP... My Hegel Rost has "only" 75 watts into 8 ohms but it has tremendous grip and oomph in the low end. Tons of slam, IMO. I'm sure the damping factor of over 2,000 has a lot to do with it. In the end, the Raven was no match n pretty much every regard.

Now, before I get slammed for my comments about the Raven, I have to say that during my research for the Hegel's replacement, I read many glowing reviews of ravens products, specifically the Nighthawk MKIII. It was in one of those reviews that I heard someone replaced a very high wattage solid-state amplifier with the Nighthawk and they were very happy.  The manufacturer said something in a video that it sounds like 100 solid-state Watts. It was comments like these that made me pull the trigger.

In my system, on my speakers, to my ears the Hegel out performed the Nighthawk tremendously. I don't mean Justin slam and bass and grip and oomph, etc. No, in pretty much every other regard, (detail, midrange, soundstage, low noise floor, etc), I preferred the Hegel.

I purchased mine brand new from a dealer for less than half its retail, so the deals are out there.
devilboy
1,176 posts
 
Needless to say, I'm keeping the Hegel. I must have been crazy to consider selling it.
br3098
994 posts
 
@arichison, I think you are barking up the wrong tree. ADS speakers are great but they are not known for "slam." If you are looking for exaggerated bass and high SPL you should probably look at different speakers. Vintage JBL or more modern Vandersteen 1/2/3s.

You had the sound you wanted from the Acurus amp and the ADS speakers - a happy coincidence? I'm assuming that it wasn't perfect of you would still be playing on the Acurus. You can test lots of other amps or you can make a knowledgeable change by trying other speakers that are known to produce high SPL.

stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,398 posts
 
Music Direct has a “B stock” pair of the new JBL L100 speakers with the blue grill for $2500.00 with full warranty. That is $1500.00 off retail. Those speakers will give you fantastic bass slam with its 12 inch pulp cone woofer and they are quite efficient. Your Musical Fidelity integrated will really make the speakers sing.

Just an FYI, I am thinking of purchasing those speakers as I think my McIntosh integrated would be a good match. The only thing making me take pause is the money I will be spending on my daughters wedding in November. Twice I had the speakers in my cart and procrastinated About hitting the send button.
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