Amp and Preamp for JM Lab Alto Utopias

Paul, you are the second person to have written me recommending Accuphase. I"m going to have to seriously consider this. I got a private email prior to your post here. In Seoul, Korea, where I live, Accuphase is not too badly priced either. I could easily start with an amp like the P-7100 and build my way from there using local dealers. I'm not sure I can get the class A amps over here. I read your other posts about listening to the lower powered Accuphase amps in Class A with B&W. I'm intrigued to say the least.

Phaelon, you have hit me with something I've never previously heard about. I didn't know anything about Neodio prior to your recommendation. I will look into them. As far as my price range--about 10-15 grand used. I can continue to use the Tri-Vista 300 as a preamp while I build my system again if I were to start with a power amp. Later, I'm probably going to have to replace the Tri-Vista because the preamp inputs in the back are disintegrating. We have terribly humid weather in Seoul, and it can be particularly hard on plastic and rubber. i've pretty much loved everything about the Tri-Vista except for the build, which is partly why I haven't been on the Audiogon much over the past five years--too busy listening to music. I feel that for me the Tri-Vista has been a great sounding amp. I just wish they used better parts in the construction. It looks great on the outside and much of the inside, but currently three of the six RCA inputs are unusable because the plastic inserts that go into the RCA jacks have completely fallen apart. I will try to repair these down the road, but the RCA jacks on these as well as lot of more inexpensive gear are cheaply constructed. Except for that, I'm not sure a lot of other amps better the Tri-Vista to my ears. I've heard a fair number already of both integrated and separates, though much remains to be heard.

I greatly appreciate all of these recommendations. Thank you.

Utopias sound is a bit, just a bit on the lean side of neutrality. This make my recommendation of preaamp very easy: JOule-Electra from LA-150Mk2 to LA-450ME depending on your budget - all will creare synergy with your speakers.

With power amplifiers there are more choices. I will suggest you one: If you like cold amp in summer then investigate class D amplifiers: again depending on your budget: from inxpensive but good Wyred4Sound ($2.4k) to Mark Levinson No 53 ($50k).

In my system based on B&W Diamond speakers, I use combination of Joule-Electra LA-300ME (Harry Pearson called it "most romantic" preamp and for good reason) and pair of FULLY balanced Spectron Musician III monoblocks with all upgardes and I am in my own "sonic paradise". Not terribly cheap but yet not ultra expensive - just what my budget allowed.

Good Luck

Thanks for the suggestions, Dob. I've seriously considered investing in a good integrated Class D amp just for the summers, and I was thinking about a Rowland. I'm not sure that Rowland is as good a match for my speakers for most of the year though.

Washline, the P-7100 and the A-65 are Accuphase top of the line power amplifiers. I did not compared them, but form what others have reported except for the fact that the P-7100 has better control over large woofers there is not significant difference between the two. Thus, P-7100 may be considered the better unit of the two (not only it has more power but it does not get hot either) but both amps are about as good as it gets.

Regarding the humid and hot summers in Korea, my guest is that Accuphase units should be fine for many years under those conditions. After all in Japan (where they are built) the summers are also hot and extremely humid. In the Netherlands we have also quite humid summers (not as bad as in Korea though) and there are people here that have 20 years old Accuphase units that still work fine and so far required no service. Thus, since you also have good prices in Korea for Accuphase I would advice you to arrange an audition to check whether you like the Accuphase-Focal combination. But be warn that these Accuphase boxes are very addictive, once u get one u will want to get more of them and they ain't cheep (and if eventually you will end up, say, with a P-7100/C-2810/DP-700 combo, then you will most likely want to get better speaker e.g. Nove or the Grande Utopias Be).

Finally, regarding the digital amps mentioned above, they are indeed very efficient but that does not mean they will run cold. In fact some of these amps get hotter than most of the class A/B amp (e.g. Lyngdorf). Also, why invest in a second amp and not in a good ventilation system than can regulate the humidity in your room?

Best wishes,
Paul

p.s. I am not an Accuphase dealer (just a scientist :) who is very found of Accuphase).

Thanks Paul for the suggestions. I'll look into the Accuphase gear when I have a chance, but unlike a lot of folk on the Audiogon, this will be my last purchase for many years. I'm a university professor on a decent but certainly not an extravagant income. Investing in a good ventilation system is a nice but impractical idea here. We don't have duct work in Korea. Heating is radiated through the floor and people use space air conditioning rather than central air. Buildings are constructed of concrete. The problem in Korea isn't just summertime heat. We also get 100% humidity. We have torrential rains for months at a time, and homes accumulate mold and mildew. It's really a dreadful climate those times of the year. And we all live on top of each other. Houses here are built a mere few feet from each other. That's what it's like in a city of 12 million and a metro area of 23 million. Like Dan D'Agostino, I don't listen to a lot of music during the summer for that reason. I'd love to try the Nova Utopias. Getting them into my listening room on the second floor of my house, though, is an ordeal I don't need. The Altos are good enough for me. In fact, to my ears and apropos my taste, I haven't heard better. Xenakis' La Legende d'Eer and Otomo Yoshihide sound superb on these speakers, better than on any other in my tests.

I think if I can use balanced interconnects rather than RCAs for the most part, I should be mostly fine. I'm sure Accuphase will do fine in this climate as you suggest.

Paul, in case you might know, what's the reception of the ASR Emitter in the Netherlands? Have you heard it? How would you compare it to the Accuphase if you had?

Thanks again for the all the advice and suggestions.

Best,

Bill