Good Stereo amp with 2 channels output

handyroberts

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Hi - I want to know are there any realistic alternatives to my current set-up/ room constraints without having to spend a lot more money.

I have iRdac into Nad 356Bee amp with BW 685 S2 and 686 S2 speakers.
My Nad has 2 speaker outputs. sometimes I use both together for background music/Tv and other times I just use the one pair for listing to music/TV. I want to keep this two channel output set-up.

My budget is theoretical at this moment but I think it's going to be around £1500 for amplification and then later more funds for better channel A speakers. Was thinking of kef R300s.

The thing is, most rated amps I am seeing in reviews/on forums don't have a speaker A and B output and also I should add it needs to have both A and B control on the remote. Unless I am looking at the Rotel 1592 which is nearly £2K.

I have already posted about the fact that, for now, I am stuck with book shelf speakers and I am looking into making small stands. Additionally the room is not optimal for bass and as you can see I can't get too far back off the walls.. So with these constraints is there a viable alternative? I assume a good £1500 1 channel stereo amp with a sub out which I connected a power amp to would not work as a make shift zone 2? And a Av amp would not better my current set up for sound quality?

Picture of my set up attached.

Any help appreciated as always

Andy
 

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With the existing system, I would suggest moving the Left speaker to the Left Side of the TV, especially if the system is being used for Movies/TV as well as music. That is going to put the TV between the speakers, which should help for Movies.

At this point, I would have to ask to what extent the TV comes into play in the use of this system? Is there any chance that the TV can be placed above the Fireplace? That is less than ideal because the TV is up a bit high. But it would allow more symmetrical placement of speakers and with a bit of a shift in the cabinets, you could put a floorstanding speaker on each side of the fireplace. (or bookshelf)

If not, then the cabinet on the right should probably go. Get something smaller or shift it on to the wall on the right, that leaves more open space to place a speaker, and the speakers could be at closer to the same height.

The Rotel RA-1590 is an incredibly powerful amp running close to £1900. Though your choice, but as a generalization it is going to take some speakers in roughly the £4000/pr range to justify that amp.

As to Sub Out vs Pre-Out, Pre-Out will work fine on the assumption that your Subwoofer actually has Stereo RCA inputs. I would suggest Bookshelf speakers with a Sub. It is hard to integrated a Sub with even modest Floorstanding without some type of electronic bass management.

However, there is an option here. The Parasound Halo A23 Power Amp plus the Parasound P5 Pre-amp have Electronic Bass Management for both the front and Sub speakers. Though the price is a bit steep

Parasound P5 Pre-Amp, DAC, Bass Management - £1050 to £1150 -

Parasound HALO P5 Preamplifier

Model Halo P5 « Parasound

Parasound A23, 125w/ch Power Amp - £1199 -


Parasound HALO A23

Model Halo A 23 « Parasound

If you intend to have a Subwoofer, this Pre-Amp allows perfect integration with any speaker large or small.

There is one other option that is considerably more money, but it has upgraded DACs, also with DAC, and with Bass Managment.

Parasound Halo Integrated Amp, 160w/ch, DAC, Bass Management - £2699 -

Parasound Halo Integrated 2.1 Channel Integrated Amplifier

Model Halo Integrated « Parasound

The Rotal RA-1590 does not have Network Streaming even though it has a Network Connection. That I can tell, the Network Connection of for Remote Control from a Smart Tablet/Pad or a Smart Phone. But is has a high quality DAC, and a massive 200w/ch.

If Network Streaming of Audio from the Internet or from Local Storage has any appeal to you, you might want to consider stepping down to the Rotel RA-1570 (120w/ch) - £1195 -

Rotel RA-1570 | RA1570 | integrated amplifier Hifi Gear

...and getting a separate streaming device. Probably the Streaming Device with the best value would be the BlueSound NODE-2 for £499 -

Bluesound NODE 2 Hi-Res Wireless Music Streamer

NODE 2 : Bluesound

An alternative at a similar price is the Pioneer N50A Network Player -£499 -

Pioneer N-50A Network Player available from Hifi Gear

Just a few alternatives.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Hi Steve,

Thanks again for taking the time to offer your advice . Unfortunately, moving furniture or the TV is a no go for the time being.
The parasounds look great amps but I think out of my price range at the moment. I think I worded my question badly as one key element I want to keep is the ability to power two sets of speakers at the same time (on occasions). To do this, I am guessing, I'd need two power amps connected to the pre-amp, right? The Rotel 1590 looked attractive because it seemed to be a major step-up from my Nad but and could also power two sets of speakers.

But Re the rotel 1570 is more in my realistic price range. I had not considered this as i had assumed it might not offer much over my Nad 356BEE and I am happy with the iRdac so a built in DAC isn't a priority. I think I'll go and demo the 1570.

Thanks

PS, just out of interest, I am running a chromecast audio into the Arcam iRdac. I figured there wouldn’t be much difference in sound between this set up and a BlueNode or Streamer like the Pioneer. I have not heard alternatives so I can’t be sure of this.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

Andy
 
If you have all 8 ohm speakers, most quality amps will have no problem running two pair, this is especially true if you only occasionally use two pair.

Of course duration and volume come into play, but with any reasonable person in any reasonable room at any a reasonable volume, FOUR 8 ohms speakers is not a problem.

In my case, I have a pair of 6 ohms speakers and a pair of 8 ohm speakers. That's not impossible on a standard amp but it heats up quickly. As it happens I bought a new amp (RA-1570) but I still have my old amp laying around (Yamaha RX-797 100w/ch Stereo), so I pre-amped the Rotel to the Yamaha, and found the Yamaha Volume Setting where the speakers were balanced, and I was set, I could use both amp and both speakers as if they were one amp and one set of speakers. Works well, and no additional cost. Though it does consume space.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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Thanks Steve. That sounds like the kind of set up I could accomodate to give me the extra set of speakers.
 
Arcam's A39 is another contender in that price bracket with remote switching of two speaker pairs.

Have you considered wall brackets to both get the speakers off the cabinets & balanced?
 
Thanks. I'll look again at the A39, I had a quick initial look at this sometime back and thought it only supported bi-amping and not two sets of speakers so ruled it out. I didn't go down the wall brackets road as was hopefull I could get floorstanders in the future. Plus as the 685s are quite big I didn't see that many wall stands. Might think again on this option. Thanks, much appreciated.
 
The A39 did look ideal on closer inspection until I realised that my new TV/Hifi cabinet is actually too small, in fact it's too small for any of the more powerful amps I was considering (not enough depth). Annoying as only bought it last month. Having reflected on my listening habits, the reality is that I am now mostly listening to premium spotify for the convenience (over higher quality CDs/Flac/vinyl) at present i am rarely getting the time to just sit back and listen to music on the amp, I am often using the amp for TV or having it on at a low level in the background. When just listing to music this is often through headphones due to it being late at night. So I am calling off my amp search and concluding that my Nad 356bee is adequate for my circumstances and choices.
I will now focus on beefing up the low end of my speakers either with a sub (but appreciating that this isn't ideal given the lack of bass management on my amp) or replacing my current main speakers, B&W 685 S2 with a more meatier speaker. I have just ruled out the Ls50s having done a side by side demo using my amp with the 6852 in my local hifi store, I didn’t find enough of a difference to my ears without turning up the volume but I did notice the low end missing. I have read that Ls50s require considerably more power than my Nad 356bee to get their full potential so I am also accepting that these are not for me right now.

So in the under £1K bookshelf speaker market, bearing in mind I am replacing 685s2, is there much more choice? The Key R300s are on my list to audition as they are supposed to have some of the Ls50 but with more low end. So for someone like me listing to electro, rock, pop and RnB more than classical and jazz they should be a better match.

PS I appreciate what I really need is floor standers but these are not possible at present :(
 
So in the under £1K bookshelf speaker market, bearing in mind I am replacing 685s2, is there much more choice? ....

PS I appreciate what I really need is floor standers but these are not possible at present :(

Yep, these..
99.25 FLR £750

and if you were looking for floorstanders, i would offer up these..

XTZ 99.36 FLR. £1300
 

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