2. misc-audio
  3. 1028250015

Which has a greater effect on music,int.amp or CD?

Excluding speakers and IC's, which does for pairing purposes? For example, if I like warmer sound but with detail (like some rock), do I go with a warm, musical cd player or integrated? Both be too warm? I have been thinking about the following possible combos, any experience or thoughts:

Arcam Diva A75 Int. OR
Audio Refinement Complete Int.

with

Arcam CD72T CD OR
Audio Refinement Complete CD OR
Ah! Tjoeb 4000 CD

I have heard the Arcam's together, too dynamic for me. Will be hearing the ARC's this weekend in NY.

I was thinking the Arcam int. with the ARC CD or Ah!, OR
the ARC int. with the Arcam CD.

Speakers to follow. (PS, right now for speakers I have Sound Dynamics RTS-3's and Paradigm 5SEMK3 floors.)

Thnx.
mattybumpkin
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
Definitely the amp in my opinion. A warm amp will make all your sources warm, if you ever add a tuner, phono, tape, etc. Getting a warm CD player is really going to limit your choices. I find some CD players called "warm" to be more like "dull". Anyway, why would you want a non-warm clinical amp?

The Complete is a nice amp for the price. I like your CD choices above. A popular choice for many in a warm CD is The Planet.

If you want more detail still on the warm side you could look at some of the Creek amps, or step up to The Complete's big brother, the YBA Integre DT.

Even though you don't include it, I would consider tweeking the warmth with your speaker cable choices. They do matter. Also adding something like the Blue Circle BC62 power cord to the amp, will bring out the warmth.

kthomas
911 posts
 
I agree with Sugarbrie - start with the amp. I'd be careful buying an amp before deciding on speakers, but if I had speakers and wanted to choose the next biggest factor, I'd focus on the amp. -Kirk
ohlala
1,238 posts
 
Get the CDP that has the tone you want, and then the amplification that doesn't ruin its strengths. This has advantages, especially upgrading advantages, over getting an amp that replaces the sound of the CDP with its own, although this may work. EX. I have a new friend that replaced her Arcam 72 with a $3k Ayre CDP and was astonished by the difference being passed through an $1100 LFD Mistral integreated. And I too have witnessed this, coincidentally enough with another Mistral.

**Please describe your listening experience with the Arcams, including more detail about being too 'dynamic', and the speakers and other gear you may have listened to that was not 'dynamic'.
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