lubumbax
Novice Member
My old amplifier blew up and now I am looking for not just a replacement but more of a "renovation".
I am looking to acquiring an amplifier and new speakers.
Until now I have been mostly listening to music from CDs with the following setup:
I moved to a newer house a couple of years ago, where the living room (stereo equipment is here) is bigger (details below). I can say that still, the KEFs are doing an excellent job for what they are. But I always missed a bit more of depth in the bass region. Specially now, probably due to the bigger size of the room, I have to play them at slightly higher volumes, usually adding a bit of bass from the amp. That would compromise their transparency a little bit, specially more with some music styles (details below). So I think that this is the time to think on newer speakers along with the new amplifier.
Due to budget (and in part to the fact of having a wife), my plan is doing it gradually, ie. starting with the amplifier, then the speakers.
I agree on the idea that one would better build a setup around a good pair of speakers. In my case I would like to choose an amplifier in advance of the speakers that will come soon afterwards, but using the KEF Q1s in the meantime.
I want to choose an amplifier that is purely an stereo amplifier, so no DAC, HDMI, etc.. I may be completely wrong, but I am assuming that generally, the more I get rid of those features in an amplifier, the less will "pure 2.0 audio" quality be compromised. So I want to focus on listening to CD music with the highest quality for the euro/pound.
In the future I will think on combining other sources like the TV, network streaming, .. so I will want to add an AV receiver or something like that into the scene. But that has lower priority at the moment. Just to remark that the amplifier must have some kind of "pre-amp pass-through" functionality so that I can hook a possible AV receiver and use the stereo speakers as front speakers.
I like most kinds of music, me being a flamenco guitar player and also an electric guitar player (blues, rock, metal,...).
But for some reason, when it comes to listening in my living room, I seem to enjoy more the classical music (piano, symphonic orchestra, opera, organ), electronic/ambient/acoustic/acoustic + electronic/ethnical/pop/blues/soul/what-not (eg Jean Michel Jarre, Hedningarna, Dead can Dance, Lisa Gerrard, Dire Straits, ..), etc.
I am not a fan of hard rock in my living room (which I very often enjoy listenting with my headphones while I am working..).
The dimensions of my living room (4,60 x 6,30 m => 29 m2; ceiling at 2,60 m => 75 m3):
Now this is what I have been looking at:
Some questions, on top of any open advise that I will appreciate:
Thanks in advance!
I am looking to acquiring an amplifier and new speakers.
Until now I have been mostly listening to music from CDs with the following setup:
- Marantz CD7300
- Marantz PM7200 (defunct): 2 x 95 W at 8 ohms.
- KEF Q1: KEF Q1 - Hi-Fi Database Mobile - Bookshelf and Standmount Speakers
I moved to a newer house a couple of years ago, where the living room (stereo equipment is here) is bigger (details below). I can say that still, the KEFs are doing an excellent job for what they are. But I always missed a bit more of depth in the bass region. Specially now, probably due to the bigger size of the room, I have to play them at slightly higher volumes, usually adding a bit of bass from the amp. That would compromise their transparency a little bit, specially more with some music styles (details below). So I think that this is the time to think on newer speakers along with the new amplifier.
Due to budget (and in part to the fact of having a wife), my plan is doing it gradually, ie. starting with the amplifier, then the speakers.
I agree on the idea that one would better build a setup around a good pair of speakers. In my case I would like to choose an amplifier in advance of the speakers that will come soon afterwards, but using the KEF Q1s in the meantime.
I want to choose an amplifier that is purely an stereo amplifier, so no DAC, HDMI, etc.. I may be completely wrong, but I am assuming that generally, the more I get rid of those features in an amplifier, the less will "pure 2.0 audio" quality be compromised. So I want to focus on listening to CD music with the highest quality for the euro/pound.
In the future I will think on combining other sources like the TV, network streaming, .. so I will want to add an AV receiver or something like that into the scene. But that has lower priority at the moment. Just to remark that the amplifier must have some kind of "pre-amp pass-through" functionality so that I can hook a possible AV receiver and use the stereo speakers as front speakers.
I like most kinds of music, me being a flamenco guitar player and also an electric guitar player (blues, rock, metal,...).
But for some reason, when it comes to listening in my living room, I seem to enjoy more the classical music (piano, symphonic orchestra, opera, organ), electronic/ambient/acoustic/acoustic + electronic/ethnical/pop/blues/soul/what-not (eg Jean Michel Jarre, Hedningarna, Dead can Dance, Lisa Gerrard, Dire Straits, ..), etc.
I am not a fan of hard rock in my living room (which I very often enjoy listenting with my headphones while I am working..).
The dimensions of my living room (4,60 x 6,30 m => 29 m2; ceiling at 2,60 m => 75 m3):
- 4,60 m: one side is all glass door and window; the other side is 2,60 wall and 2 fully open (the kitchen starts there).
- 6,30 m: one side, with the 65' TV at the center flanked by the speakers (Q1's on stands); the other side supports the sofa (listening position)
Now this is what I have been looking at:
- Amplifier: Marantz PM8006 (2 x 70 W at 8 ohms)
- Speakers: Dali Oberon 7, KEF Q950 (I read in this forum some complains about clarity?), KEF R900 (probably off the budget).
Some questions, on top of any open advise that I will appreciate:
- Would the PM8006 not be enough power for the KEF Q950? Maybe the Dali's couple better with them?
- Does the price difference between the Dali Oberon 7 and the KEF Q950 justify the difference in sound, if there is any?
- Are the KEF R900 that much better over the KEF Q950?
- What about other amplifiers, maybe cheaper, that would still be a good match for this kind of speakers? (some Denon's?)
- Is it too bad spending the same, even more, on the amplifier than on the speakers (in the case of the Dali's)?
Thanks in advance!