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Warm, Smooth yet Transparent Amp

Hello All,
I am currently running an Arcam AVR300 for movies and music, 60/40 respectively. The music portion just isn't happening. Everything works but I'm not getting that "involved/pull you in" kind of feeling. I have gone through several pairs of speakers, Proac tablette 50, Triangle Titus 202, Von Schweikert VR1s and currently Vandersteen 1C. Since this is a wide array of speakers, I've come to the conclusion it must be the amplification.

So now I'm thinking of adding a 2 channel amp running out of the front channels "out". I don't like harsh, shrill highs, but rather a fuller, sweet sounding, yet transparent. Is this possible without spending several thousands of dollars? I am trying to keep it under 1200.00 so used but quality is what I'm hoping for. If Possible. I know that all of you knowledgeable people would have an answer.

I'm also running an Oppo 83 blu ray/cd. Dish K722 receiver for TV. Listen to FM, CDs and MP3 through the Oppo. I'm looking for all the things I have read about on these forums over the years. Good Imaging, transparency, involving. I've read good things about Conrad Johnson MF2250 (affordable used) and I just missed out on one on Ebay, earlier today. Now I'm just frustrated I guess.

Please assist if you can. Oh, I like folk rock, rock, certain new age kind of music. Examples, Dave Matthews, Eric Clapton, Sarah McLaughlin, and everything in between, *chuckle*. Any and All suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Bruce
denon53
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Hi John,
Well you certainly understand my point of distinction within the audiophile
vernacular. Here's my example of transparency. If you were in a room and
someone is playing their instrument (no microphone) there's nothing
between you and the sound (ultimate transparency). You'd hear all the tone,
timbre, pitch and harmonic overtones that instrument has to offer. The
sound will be naturally full, rich and vibrant just as they're intended to
sound. They won't sound lean, bleached, two dimensional and
sterile(Pseudo transprency). I'm reminded of this every time I visit the local
jazz clubs (without exception).
Charles,
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Hello Charles,
Yes, your description of transparency sounds very enticing indeed, I would call that natural transparency. The word transparent has taken a ugly turn for me on these boards, as most will equate it with that artificially created sound where the treble region is emphasized to provide the illusion of more detail. I find that sound lean, thin, anemic, and soul-less. There are many detail freaks in the high end these days, who are looking for the ultimate in resolution and transparency, no matter how artificial it is when compared to live, unamplified music.

I'd love to visit more local jazz clubs, but unfortunately, my wife is not a fan of that genre of music. So we compromise, no jazz for me, no country for her, and we just attend live Symphony Orchestral performances (we both enjoy classical music). :)
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
John,
Yes, "natural" is the key term.
ddd1
261 posts
 
Not sure I agree with your "conclusion it must be the amplification" (without having seen your room, that is).

If you are mixing audio and video and your speakers are flanking a reflective screen and placement dictated by "where the screen is" (not to mention what your wife thinks) then changes in amplification might be dwarfed by bad room placement and lack of room treatment.

I would keep everything the way it is and borrow a better amp before spending your own money.
marqmike
847 posts
 
Hello Denon53
Like Charlesdad I think transparency comes from a lack of distortion so it can result in a more transparant and warmth of tone when those things are in the recording. I think the more transparency results in closer to the live natural sound. It's without as many artifacts that distort the sound weather in the higher frequencies or somewhere else and let the original sound come through less molested. A lot of times this allows something to stride that fine line and become more musical without losing anything at the same time. So in this context transparency won't add warmth but it will let what warmth the recording caught that the musician intended come through best. And that is not an easy feat for a lot of electronics Instruments can create a warm sound, a strident sound, a dissonant/discordant sound, ect. No doubt we are all familiar with them. So with that being said I would recommend a Belles 150 amp. When available can go for used in the neighborhood of 700.00. It is decently transparent. It can convey recorded warmth. It has sins of omission because it might be slightly less detailed in comparison to others but it had no noticeable sins of commission. It produces sounds which can be quite natural. But all components have different interactions with other components so you may have a different result than what is suggested on this thread.
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