Which Amp is the best for my speakers?

So you just bought that speaker you always wanted, but now, it is set up in your living room, it does not sound like what it sounded at the showroom?

It must be sales trickery! Right?

Most people abandon the fact that the amplifier you use is one of the most important things you need when driving a speaker.

I am going to use an example:

I had a client coming in on a Sunday, eager to buy a Monitor Audio Bronze floorstander, but after hearing the Monitor Audio RX8, he committed to the superior Silver range from Monitor Audio. The demo was done on a Rotel Pre/Power 200watts combination, which blew him away. Upon asking what electronics he has, he assured me that his Yamaha will do the trick, as the speaker's rated 150watts is way below his Yamaha's "rated" 180 watts per channel. 

a Few days later, I got a call, the client says the speakers does not nearly sound as good as it did during the demonstration, can I help? So I jumped into the van, armed with the same Rotel Pre/Power combo, Audioquest Interconnects, Audioquest custom made speaker cables with banana plugs. Arriving at the client, I quickly added the Power Amp to the existing Yamaha's pre-outs. Magic happened, the client was ecstatic. I proceded by then using the Rotel Pre-amplifier and cabling, where the sound just opened up so much more. Needless to say, the client upgraded to the better, newer and more powerful system, and was happy.

SO, WHAT THE WATTS IS GOING ON?

So I am not going to bore you with the technical explanations, it is time-consuming, it is debatable, it is always being challenged, so here I will follow with the easiest way to explain it.

You have a Hyundai rated at 140kw, and a Mercedes rated at 140kw. Who will win the race? Same power right? But do we take into account weight, efficiencies, using more low-cost manufacturing components vs newer technology? Mercedes will always win, it just does it better, with the same rated power. You might add, the Mercedes has more torque...which makes for the next paragraph.

You never walk into an audio shop and asks for the most powerful Wattifier. You ask for an Amplifier, which produces amps, which is the actual electrical current driving the motors in your speakers, which produces watts.

Why the watts then?

Mostly marketing really! Thank you Sony PMPO.

So how do I choose?

There is no better way to choose the right amp for the right speakers, then going for an auditioning at your local showroom. Contact your local importer of the speaker brand you have, and ask them what they would recommend.

Example, KEF would most of the times recommend you look into Primare, which powers their speakers exceptionally well. Primare also powers most British speakers very well, including B&W and Monitor Audio.

Another example will be Yamaha driving Bowers and Wilkins very well, but not KEF as much, as KEF tends to be very sharp on the higher frequencies when coupled with a Yamaha, which is naturally a sharper sounding amplifier, which is once again neutralized by the B&W's warm sound.

You would find a Focal Speaker will not work at all with Primare or Class D amplifiers, yet, enjoys Class A and AB amplifiers from McIntosh and Marantz/Denon.

Go and audition, don't just read about it, it is much more fun!

Audioholics 2013 Consumer Excellence Award Winners

July saw Audioholics reveal their Consumer Excellence Awards. The winners to name a few

• AV Receiver – Denon AVR-4000
• Budget AV Processor – Outlaw Audio Model 975
• Upscale AV Processor – Classe SSP-800
• Audio Amplifier – Emotiva XPR-1
• High-end Floorstanding Speakers – Legacy Audio Focus SE

Visit the page here for full report

“While the economy showed signs of recovery in 2013, manufacturers continued to innovate and release new and improved products at all price points to reach a broader market. With all of the fierce competition of manufacturers competing for your hard earned dollars, the consumer wins by having a larger product base to chose from with the latest features and technologies that only a few years ago were largely unaffordable or even unattainable at any price point.

The prestigious Audioholics Consumer Excellence (CE) Awards program recognizes the most advanced and forward-thinking products in crucial CE categories submitted for consideration by the industry’s leading manufacturers. Awards are given to products which serve consumers directly and also those products which serve to improve the business and success of the custom installer. The CE Awards is a clear benchmark award for the products which will make an impact in 2013 and beyond.

We received so many excellent entries from all of the major manufacturers.  This made the judging process challenging.  Here are our winners for 2013 based on our criteria for judging.”

Visit the page here for full report

ATC launches new Integrated Stereo Unit

From ATCLoudspeakers.co.uk

The new, compact, SIACD expands on, and is styled to match ATC’s range of stand-alone electronic products for home installation.  The SIACD is built to the same design and manufacturing standards as the company’s internationally renowned professional audio products. 

Overview

• New class A/B “grounded source” 100W/Ch. power amp stages offering class leading performance
• High performance DAC with USB, coaxial and optical digital inputs
• On-board CD Player
• Headphone amplifier with front panel mounted output
• 2 x stereo line level analogue inputs
• 1 x stereo line level output
• Black or silver anodised finish options
• 6 year warranty*
• Hand built in Stroud, UK 

This new product is designed as a simple yet versatile one-box solution for D-A conversion, CD playback, pre and power amplification duties.  The SIACD is housed in a rugged yet elegant chassis, only 315mm/12.4” wide.  Styling compliments the rest of ATC’s range of outboard pre and power amplifiers and the product is available in both black and silver brushed and anodised finishes. 

Whereas many other manufacturers’ favour class-D power amp technology for compact devices, ATC have based the power amp design on the class A/B circuits employed in their highest performance professional, active loudspeakers, thus ensuring the highest possible performance of this vital element of an all-in-one player amplifier.  In this revised design, ATC engineers have made further improvements to their discrete MOSFET output stage to give vanishingly low levels of distortion, very wide bandwidth and a reduced idle temperature.  

Maximum output power is 100W per channel, continuous, into 8 ohms with both channels driven.  The resolution offered by this approach is simply above and beyond what is available from most ‘high-end’ stand-alone power amplifiers, let alone ‘all-in-one’ player/amplifiers.

ATC SIACD, new integrated stereo unit introduced July 2013 

The preamp/DAC stage features two, line level, stereo, analogue inputs and three digital inputs.  Both analogue inputs are equipped with rear panel mounted, RCA/phono connections.  One of the two inputs also features a front panel mounted 3.5mm jack input for simple connection to portable music players.  The USB, SPDIF and optical inputs are mounted on the rear panel. The DAC utilises Wolfson’s WM8740 chipset and is compatible with 16 to 24 bit word lengths and sample rates up to 192kHz (coaxial and optical digital inputs only).  Excellent digital clock recovery ensures signal integrity is maintained even with poorer quality digital sources and the SIACD.  The USB input is compatible with word lengths up to 16 bits and sample frequencies up to 48kHz and is galvanically isolated from the digital source via a high performance transformer. The SIACD headphone amplifier is specified to drive a very wide range of headphone sensitivities and impedances.  It features very low distortion and noise and an extremely wide and flat frequency response for best possible performance.  The headphone output is front panel mounted.

The chassis is constructed from a combination of steel and aluminium and uses constrained layer damping to control panel resonances. The front panel is machined from an extruded section of 13mm/0.5” aluminium alloy with a brushed and anodised silver or black finish.  All the user controls are machined from solid aluminium.

Marantz shows new Stereo Network Receivers

FROM MARANTZ.COM

Marantz Announces New M-CR510 and M-CR610 Wireless Network Stereo Receivers Featuring Apple’s Airplay: Top-Quality Sound from All Your Favorite Sources 

The Marantz® M-CR Series Wireless Network Receivers let you enjoy great-sounding music from diverse sources, including Internet radio, music-streaming services, mobile devices, TV and other digital audio sources 

Mahwah, New Jersey (July 18, 2013) — Marantz, a world leader in advanced home entertainment solutions, announces the launch of the latest models in its acclaimed line of M-CR Series Network Stereo Receivers: the M-CR510 and M-CR610. The new wireless music systems deliver exceptional sound quality from a variety of music sources. Both feature a compact, elegant design that enables users to wirelessly access music from home networks, cloud streaming services and mobile devices.

“The incredible sound and beautiful design that users get from these systems, while being able to access all their favorite content sets them apart in the marketplace. The M-CR wireless music systems are an easy answer for those looking to simplify their listening experience without compromising on sound quality or looks.” said Paul Belanger, technical product manager, D+M Group. 

Highlights of the M-CR Series Network Stereo Receivers include:

• Wi-Fi Built-in with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)
• WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia) for reliable wireless audio streaming
• iOS Wi-Fi sharing for simple configuration
• An unparalleled and beautiful design that is easily featured in home décor
• Optical digital input for connection to televisions or other devices
• AirPlay* wireless music streaming
• Spotify**, Pandora, and SiriusXM** streaming
• Windows 8/RT compatible and DLNA 1.5 certification.
• Full support of most digital audio files: MP3, WMA, AAC, 192/24 FLAC, ALAC and WAV.
• Mobile App Control 

Also with the M-CR610 users gain a CD player, AM/FM tuner and four channels of amplification instead of two available in the M-CR510. 

Marantz M-CR610 (MSRP: $699)

 

The Marantz M-CR610 is a network CD receiver with AM/FM radio that lets you enjoy not only music from CDs and your smartphone or tablet device but also Internet radio stations from around the world and streamed high-resolution music, all in exquisite sound quality. This receiver can be connected to a network either wirelessly via Wi-Fi or wired via an Ethernet cable, and it includes a Wi-Fi diversity antenna system and Wi-Fi Multi Media certification for improved communication quality. The M-CR610 also features AirPlay, allowing users to stream their iTunes music whether from Mac or PC, as well as music stored on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.* If you choose to cable connect your iPhone or iPod touch to one of the USB ports on the front or rear of the M-CR610, you can listen to music while the device’s battery is being recharged. 

The M-CR610 is equipped with a 4-channel digital amplifier that delivers 60 watts of power per channel in stereo. Compatible with bi-amp capable speakers, the separate amps for the high and low ranges in each stereo channel provide improved sound quality, and the M-CR610 also supports simultaneous drive for two separate pairs of speakers if desired (at 30 watts per channel). You can use the supplied remote controller to operate the M-CR610, or you can download the Marantz Remote App and operate it from an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. 

The M-CR610 has been designed to enhance your listening space with Marantz tradition and distinction, and it is equipped with a luxurious black front-panel design that features a wide-angle, easy-to-read organic light-emitting diode (OLED) multi-line display.

Marantz M-CR510 (MSRP: $599)

 

The Marantz M-CR510 is a network receiver in a slender, compact design that lets you tune in to Internet radio from around the world as well as Spotify, Pandora, and other music-streaming services in a clean, robust sound. This receiver also features AirPlay, allowing users to stream their iTunes music whether from Mac or PC, as well as music stored on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.* Connection to the network can be achieved wirelessly or via a wired local-area network (LAN), using an Ethernet cable. 

Because the M-CR510 also supports high-resolution music streaming in 192kHz/24-bit WAV/FLAC format, you can listen to high-quality sound that surpasses the quality of CD. With the receiver’s optical digital input jack, you can even enjoy high-quality sound from your TV or other digital audio sources. You can use the supplied remote controller to operate the M-CR510, or you can download the Marantz Remote App and operate it from your mobile device. 

The M-CR510 with its slim body and lustrous deep-black cosmetics has been designed to grace your listening space with Marantz tradition and sophistication.

Integra releases HDBaseT Receiver and Processors

From Integrahometheater.com

 Integra, the leading brand of audio-video components specifically engineered for custom installation, has introduced its new mid-range THX Certified AV preamp processor and A/V receiver, the DHC-60.5 and DTR-60.5. Both are the first Integra products to support HDBaseT technology, which allows HD audio/video signals to be transmitted over much longer distances and uses cables that are much more commonly available, less expensive, and easier to field terminate and install in customized lengths than HDMI.

Integra DHC 60.5, features new HDBaseT technology

By incorporating HDBaseT technology, the DHC-60.5 and DTR-60.5 are optimized for whole-home distribution and can connect to compatible entertainment devices through a single CAT5e/6 cable. HDBaseT is the only technology that enables long-reach wired connectivity up to 328 feet (100 meters) for uncompressed full HD multimedia content including 3D and 2K/4K Ultra HD making it ideal for the custom integration specialists. The HDBaseT port can be assigned for use in either the main zone or a second zone, while the HDMI output is used exclusively for the main zone.

“The addition of HDBaseT in these two new models help address an issue many in the custom installation market deal with; providing HD quality over long distances,” said Keith Haas, Director of Sales. “Implementing technologies like HDBaseT allows us to continue to provide products people have come to expect from the market leader. With this addition along with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, unparalleled streaming service options, THX Certified sound quality, ISF Certified Calibration Control, and ongoing support upgrades, our customers get new value added on a regular basis.”

The new DHC-60.5 7.2 channel network A/V preamp processor is THX Ultra2 Plus Certified and the ideal companion to the DTA-70.1 THX Ultra2 certified amplifier. The DHC-60.5 also includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and full support for the new 4K Ultra HD video displays using either the 4K pass-through feature or up-scaling for conventional SD and HD video sources via a Marvel QDEO processor. There are connections for nine HDMI inputs and one output, plus HDBaseT, along with 7.2 multichannel balanced XLR pre-outs (with front-channel bi-amp capability) and two-channel balanced XLR audio inputs.

Integra DHC 60.5, features new HDBaseT technology

Meanwhile, the DTR-60.5 is a 9.2 channel, THX Select2 Plus network A/V receiver that boasts 135 watts per channel of power.

The DTR-60.5 supports an abundant package of connectivity options including 9-in/1-out HDMI, the aforementioned HDBaseT port, and 11.2 multichannel pre-outs to support full DTS Neo:X™ up-mixing for surround-sound playback. If preferred, the unit can be configured to assign four of the nine available channels to drive audio in Zone 2 and Zone 3 simultaneously. There is a full package of surround processing including Dolby Pro-Logic IIz and Audyssey DSX, plus Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room set-up processing. Amplification comes courtesy of proprietary WRAT (Wide Range Amplifier Technology) and discrete Three-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry, a combination that preserves a distinctively musical sound even at high volumes.

Both models provide management of the main and multi-zone entertainment via the Integra Remote app for Apple and Android devices, which encompass the selection of online streaming services, internet radio channels, and network audio files. The network connection provides Internet radio and streaming music services include the new addition of TuneIn Radio along with the bevy of services offered in previous generation models such as Spotify, Pandora®, SlackerTM, Rhapsody®, SIRIUS XM Internet Radio®, AUPEO!, and Last.fm.

They also support the playback of high definition music files in FLAC, DSD, ALAC, HD 24/96 and HD 24/192 formats from HD music download services.

In addition to having the power to steer high-res movie soundtracks at theater-reference volumes, the receiver is loaded with high-end features to optimize two-channel performance. Pre-processing incorporates three 192kHz/24-bit TI Burr-Brown DACs (with one stereo DAC per front channel in Differential DAC mode). Audiophiles wishing to bi-amp their front speakers can find performance increases from the proprietary Digital Processing Crossover Network, which splits the audio signal very precisely into separate high- and low-frequency signals, feeding them to the appropriate speaker drivers. This all but eliminates frequency overlap at the crossover point for a more transparent stereo image.

The Integra DHC-60.5 AV preamp processor and the DTR-60.5 A/V receivers will be available in August with suggested retail prices of $2,000 and $2,300 respectively.