2.1 Processor and Power amps for Focal Scala v2

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I have a client who bought himself a pair of Focal Scala v2s, just because he liked the look of them (and he’d heard them somewhere else and liked them). He is asking my advice for a Processor / Power amp combo to go with them for a 2.1 setup ( he is a bass head). Sources will be digital. He has a JL sub that he wishes to use with them ??!! His budget is £15k. I will hold my hands up and admit that I am out of my comfort zone here so looking for advice. His living room is about 6m x 8m.
Currently he is looking at McIntosh power amps. That is as far as we have got. Open to any advice.
 
A quick google seems to suggest eiterh Bryston or macintosh.

If he likes his bling then the Mackintosh c2500 plus MC275 valve3 amps looks nice - the preamp has all of the digital inputs he will need.

What pre-amp with a mc275 IV & La Scala speakers?

58dac7c0c9db0_McSetup.jpg.132b7cd8a238c5e1d5c7ca27490e930a.jpg


These guys may be worth a call - McIntosh C2600


Edit - a bit from left field but may be the best way of getting the best out of the speakers is to look at the Lyngdorf integrated and an then bi amp with their power amp, this has room eq built in. EDIT - the Scala may not have bi amp inputs, looks like it has some funky eq jumpers on a single wire input, worth checking out.

The 3400 integrated and 2400 power amp only come to £7k but may be worth a listen as the room eq may be worth it.

Lyngdorf - AudioVisual Online - UK Home Cinema and Hifi Specialists

Also may be worth adding into the budget a Dirac system again to get the best out of his room.
 
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Given that he isn't prepared to forgo his sub I think that I would budget for DIRAC anyway. I discussed valve amps but as tolerant as his wife is, they maybe a step to far for her. She also wants to be able to use the hifi to stream from her Tidal account.
As I have said this level of HiFi is way outside of my comfort zone, but would at least like to be able to point him at some kit to listen to, hence my coming to the forums.
 
Looking on the Naim website their suggested speakers for their top of the range power amp (300 and 500) is the Focal Utopia.

NAP 300 DR

They do a networked preamp (NACN-272) that has Tidal support built in for around £3500 then add the NAP-300DR poweramp at £8k. This leaves plenty of budget for dirac.

https://www.naimaudio.com/sites/default/files/products/downloads/files/Streamer TIDAL Supplement Iss 1C .pdf

Based on the discussion in the link below it suggests the NAIM and SKALA v2 were developed together so you would hope there was a good integration between the two.

Focal Scala Utopia v2s have arrived

Or go the separate NAIM streamer and preamp route but this will blow the budget.

EDIT -

After anoth quick lunchtime search I found this that may also fit the bill -

Moon 390 streamer/preamp that has DSD and MQA plus Tidal support and has HDMI input and switching if they are using it for occasional TV watching £4.5k added to a Moon 760A power amp at £8k.

760A High End Power Amplifier | Sound Amplifier | MOON - Simaudio

390 Network Player / Preamplifier | High End Preamp | MOON - Simaudio

These guys are not far from you in Chester and stock Naim, Moon, Linn, Sugden and a few other high wend products, may be worth a visit to chat - https://www.adventuresinhifi.com/hi-fi/amplifiers/
 
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What do you mean by Processor? What will it be processing?

What do you mean when you say all his sources are digital? Digital but specifically what digital Sources - USB, Optical, Coaxial, technically CDs are a digital source, HDMI, other? Details matter.

If he simply needs common digital inputs, then he doesn't need a Processor, he simply needs a DAC (digital to analog conversion).

Few to know Stereos have HDMI inputs. Though most TVs, as an example, have Optical Audio Outputs, which can be used to listen to Movies and TV sound.

Are these by chance the speakers he has -

Focal Scala V2 Floorstanding Speakers

What other equipment does he currently have?

Is he determined to spend the entire £15,000 or does that represent the absolute Maximum he can spend?

To recommend equipment we need to know what he wants to do, that is, how he intends to use the system. The range of needs will determine the range of equipment.

Things to consider -

- Network Streaming from Local Storage and from the Internet - Yes or No?
- Tone Controls - Yes or Now?
- DAC - Yes or No? Probably yes, but how many inputs and of what type?
- Bass Management - Yes or No? If he has a Sub, then certainly he will need some type of Bass Management for both the Front and Sub. But to what extent and the specific choice for Bass Management has to be compatible with the equipment he has.
- To what extend to Movie and TV watching come into play with this system?
- Give us a list of all the Sound Sources he has, and of those he hopes to have? We have a budget but we need to know specifically what features and equipment are included in that budget.


That will give us a place to start with specific and productive recommendations.

Here is one of many options -

Parasound Halo P5 Pre-Amp with Bass Management and DAC - £1400 -

Parasound HALO P5 Pre Amplifier

Model Halo P5 « Parasound

Parasound Halo A21, 250w/ch Power Amp - £3200 -


Parasound HALO A21 2 Channel Power Amplifier

Model Halo A 21 « Parasound

Parasound Halo JC1, 1x400w Monoblock - £6000 (each or pair...not sure) -

Parasound HALO JC1

This (JC1) is not longer listed on the Parasound Website, but it has been replaced by the Halo JC5 which is a 400w/ch Stereo Power Amp, though I don't see it listed at Stone Audio -

Model Halo JC 5 « Parasound

This is simply an example -

Parasound Halo P5 + A21 - £4600 -
-250w/ch RMS to 8 ohms at 0.04% distortion
- Bass Management
- DAC - Optical, Coaxial, USB (1x each)
- Tone Controls


Then what ever other features we need to add to the system to bring up to meeting your friends needs. Depending on those other needs, that could add another £3000 to £5000 to the system.

He certainly has the money to do better than Parasound, but until we have a full list of his needs everything said is pure speculation.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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Hi Steve. Thankyou for your response and my bad English, too many late nights. What I should have said is he wants a preamp that can also manage his sub plus power amps. Source will mainly be Tidal from a Cambridge Audio 851N or FLAC files from USB. Yes the entire £15k is available. One caveat, no valves.

Yes those are his speakers except his are the cherry red metal flake.

Given that he won’t forgo his Sub, I guess he needs bass management.
 
How much power is he looking for? 100/ch & 120w/ch amps are very common and generally work well for most speakers. But we are talking £22,000/pr speakers here, so they need an above average amp. And it seems that he prefers a Pre-Amp/Power-Amp system.

For reference, there is the Specification Sheet on the Scala V2 -

https://www.focal.com/sites/www.foc...log/document/scala_v2-specification_sheet.pdf

Response down to 24hz at -6db and a Power Rating of 40w to 500w. That leaves quite a range of possible amps.

Does he already have Power Amps that he will be using, or does he need a new set of those?

The Parasound A21 at 250w/ch should do a pretty good job on most speakers.

You could even go to the Parasound JC1 400w Monoblock or Parasound JC5 400w/ch Stereo Power Amp.

Again with a considerable £15,000 budget and a need for, from what I can tell - Pre-Amp, Power-Amp, and a DAC, he should be able to get some very good equipment indeed. The drawback is the Bass Management. These are rare as stand alone devices. Some do exist, and they might be within the budget, but off the top of my head I can't think of any.

You can get PA Speaker Management Systems are a fairly reasonable price for Musician Supply sources. The drawback to these is that they convert everything to digital and apply the Bass Management in the Digital Domain, then convert everything back to analog. I'm not sure that is the best in a system worth roughly £35,000. But it is an option. Just make sure you look at Speaker Management Systems and no PA Crossover which are not as versatile.

https://www.studiospares.com/Headph...rack-PA2-Speaker-Management-System_379650.htm

https://www.studiospares.com/Headph...T-SMS226-Speaker-Management-System_326140.htm

Given the difficulty of finding Bass Management, he could combine the Parasound P5 with just about any power amps he wants - McIntosh, Pass, Bryston, SimAudio Moon, Meridian, and others.

Take a look at Bryston which is a Canadian company that is highly regarded but definitely NOT cheap.

http://bryston.co.uk/

http://www.bryston.com/products/power_amps/4B-3.html

http://www.bryston.com/products/pre_amps/BP6.html

http://www.bryston.com/products/pre_amps/BP17-3.html

http://www.bryston.com/products/pre_amps/BP26.html

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Lyngdord TDAI 3400?

Not sure what they cost but maybe worth dropping @Rob Sinden a message.

Room perfect should blend his sub/speakers seemlessly. Not sure if a set of whacking monoblocks will be required as well??
 
For 2.1 preamp with bass management you might want to consider Classe CP800 preamp and NAD M12 preamp too along with Parasound P5 pre & Halo integrated amp.
 

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