Best amp for Mission 751 speakers?

mightymolecule

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Hi, this is my first post but have been following the AV Forum for some time and have been impressed by how helpful everyone is around here ... I recently picked up a pair of Mission 751 speakers and wondered if anyone has any thoughts on the best amp to pair with these?

I have them hooked up to my iMac via a Yamaha A-320 amp. I'm very happy indeed with the speakers, but the amp is not in the best condition and the volume control crackles loudly when adjusted etc. It works, but doesn't feel like the best quality amp out there.

I've heard good things about the early Cyrus amps (the one and two) and wondered what gains I could realistically expect from changing the amp. I guess my immediate budget would be around £150 for something second hand, but could put more towards it if necessary.

Any advice would be most welcome!

** Not sure if this is the right category for this post. It's a question about amps but relates to my choice of speaker, so might be better suited here. I posted on the amp forum, but didn't get any replies.
 
Well I have mine hooked up to an Audiolab 8000LX amp and they sound great.
 
That's good to know, I've hears they're great speakers so looking forward to hearing them at their full potential. I discovered a possible reason why the sound might be dull/flat ... The amp is rated 8ohms and the speakers are rated 6 ohms. Not sure is this makes a difference, but I read somewhere that the amp should be paired with 8ohm speakers or above?
 
They are great speakers. Make sure you site them on good stands around a foot from the rear wall and they sing!

Are you using a DAC from the Mac mini going to the amp?
 
I haven't got stands yet but have them on a solid surface. I'm not using a DAC either at the moment, which might be part of the problem.

I am booked in at Richer Sounds tomorrow to test them with a Onkyo 9010 amp (ONKYO A9010Black Stereo Amplifier) and a Marantz PM5005 (MARANTZ PM5005Black Stereo Amplifier)

No idea how these will compare to the old Yamaha A320, but hoping it will make a difference or at least help me to eliminate the problem.

Out of interest, do you think I need a DAC? I'm plugged in directly to the phono port of a 27" iMac, and heard they have fairly decent DACs built in, although probably not as good as an external one.
 
I would say definitely you do need a DAC USB preferably. I'm sure you'll be blown away at the demo tomorrow.
 
Thanks Richie, it's my first 'audition' so really looking forward to it. I noticed that sell DACs for around £40 at Richer Sounds ... Does it make any difference how expensive the DAC is? Cheers
 
It obviously will. As with everything, you pays your money and makes your choice. Good DACs to look out for will usually start in the price range of £100 upwards, keep an eye on the usual auction sites for used gear, that's the best way to go if you're on a tight budget.

Good DACs to start with will come from the likes of Cambridge Audio, Beresford, Arcam, Musical Fidelity. If you want USB only, see if you can get something like the HRT MusicStreamer 2. They pop up on eBay frequently.
 
Hi Richie, thanks for the advice about the DAC. I just picked up a Yamaha A-S301 amp, which sounds great with my Mission 751 speakers. Then tried it with an ARCAM r-Blink DAC and it made a massive difference. Thanks again for the good advice!
 
You're welcome, glad everything went well at the demo.
 
Big fan of the 75 series. Currently using 751's as front and rears on my 5.1 system but have used them paired with a Technics SU-A900 MK2 and a Marantz PM7200 KI Signature and without fail they have sounded fantastic.

Recently decided to do a direct A-B test of them against my Monitor Audio BX2's. The 751's won hands down so the BX2'S are now gone.

Hope you enjoy them with your new amp for many years to come.
 

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