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Upgrade question - speakers or integrated?

Hey all -

I'm on the audio merry-go-round again and would like some thoughts. I'm running Focal 807v monitors through a YBA 201 integrated. My budget is ~$1500. Which of the two is a better candidate for upgrading? I listen to mostly jazz, folk, and other nuanced music. I save the rock and hard stuff for my car.

Would it be sonically better to replace the YBA with another integrated - like an Exposure 3010? Or the Focals with another monitor - say a Reference de Capo?

There's really nothing wrong with what I have. But you know how it is.
simao
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,702 posts
 
Sim,

OHMs are a different breed. I always tend to levitate to
them, but Walsh drivers and omni presentation is much
different.

Triangle + Focal have MAggie like qualities but with better
macro dynamics for music that you need to feel a bit as well
as hear.

I replaced Maggies with OHMs. Had Triangles first which
convinced me that dynamic designs could be a viable
alternative.

Tube amp with Focal would might be the ticket if you've been
down the tube amp path with Maggies prior and liked it.
I've heard Rogue Cronus which is very reasonable priced
sound quite nice with Magnepan.
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,855 posts
 
My source is a Rotel 1072 - which I'm going to hang onto. It gives way more bang for the buck than it should. The YBA doesn't have a phono input, though I may get an external phono stage.

And a Rogue Cronus is also in the wings. I used to have a pair of Rogue 120 magnum monos powering the Maggies. They were pretty awesome.
adam18
670 posts
 
I've been enjoying my Rogue Audio Cronus -- Rotel RCD-1072 combination for many years, and this set up has driven my B&W DM 601 S3, Vandersteen 1C, and my current Revel F-12 speakers to a tremendous level of musical happiness !
The Rotel deck and Rogue amp get along extremely well (I'm using an AudioQuest King Cobra interconnect between them) and this combo may take your Focal's to a whole new level ! Just my two cents ...... Happy Listening.
photonman
96 posts
 
I would say, save your money and let it grow. I agree if nothing is wrong and you really don't know what you want, integrated or speakers or new Ferragamos etc, just wait until that "Ah Ha" moment when your thoughts all congeal in your head and you figure it out after your months of research. I went through the same machinations between components etc until I decided speakers was the way for me. And then I ended up spending 3x my original budget...eeek!
tonyangel
309 posts
 
If you just want to warm things up, maybe you could try just sticking a tube buffer into the system and see if that does it for you. Yaqins get pretty good reviews and are under $200.

Still, your question is one that I've found myself pondering a few times and it brings to mind a review that I read about the Silverline Minuets. According to the review, or write up or whatever it was, they were demoing the Minuets by driving them with a POS integrated and a CD player bought at a garage sale. According to the publication the sound coming from the Minuets was impressive. If that article actually means anything, perhaps the answer to your question would be to upgrade the speakers.

Given your choice of music, I'd suggest that you look into something by System Audio.
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