Integrated amp for Dynaudio Emit M30

[Aloy]

Hi guys,


I bought a new pair of Dynaudio M30s a couple of days back as my second system. I chose the m30s over the Dynaudio emit m20s, the Q Acoustics 3050 and the B&W 683 S2 floorstanders.

I'm really confused about the choice of amp to drive my new m30s and I'm hoping for some expert advice so that I at least know I'm not threading down the wrong path with my initial choice of amps.


The Q Acoustics 3050 and the 683 S2 towers were driven by a MF m6i which is way beyond what I'd be willing to spend and this was in a different audio store so I really didn't get to listen to the m30s at the end of the m6i. The m30s were driven by a Marantz SR5008 AVR and the combination was really nice though the bass wasn’t really prominent and punchy like with the Q acoustics and m6i but I really liked the sound that was coming from the m30s – sounded nice and open and the highs for example were way better than with the Q acoustics and the B&Ws.

I always had Dynaudio speakers at the back of my mind having auditioned the DMs and focus I think more than a year back. I had auditioned the Dali, B&W, KEF and PMCs at the time. I currently also own a pair of KEF R300s (that replaced KEF Q300s) that sit on custom design stands at the end of a Marantz PM8005 integrated amp. This is one of the reasons I'm looking for other brands and not a Marantz again and then this setup isn’t currently here with me so I can't even check the emit's with the Marantz for now. I may end up swapping the amps just for a change as and when I feel like it in the future.


I've so far narrowed down to the following amps (based on a demo and the usual reviews):


Rega Elicit-R - this is a stunning amp (driving a pair of RS3) and anytime better than the Brio-R so I quickly eliminated the Brio-R after listening to the Elicit-R. The Elex-R wasn't available for demo but I'm hoping I can demo this one too and see if I can spot a noticeable difference - hope to get a chance to demo the Elex-R sooner or later)

Exposure 3010s2 / 3010s2D - should get to demo this in the next 2 weeks or so cause it isn't available with the dealer for now

Hegel H80 - heard this driving harbeth speakers, C7 i think. This combo was the best I've heard so far. The dealer says this isn't made in China like the Arcam which wasn't available for demo anyway but is it really? I think the Hegel amp is possibly designed in Norway and maybe assembled in Norway (or China?) or maybe some of it's components are sourced from China and other parts of the globe.

I know I should be doing the listening with the amps driving the m30s but then driving around with these floorstanders and carrying them in and out of audio stores isn't going to be an easy affair. I may do that or I may just take a chance and hope it all works well in the end.

I think the emit's are fairly easy to drive and I know that wattage isn’t everything but I"m still hoping to buy a high current amp for these 4 ohm (m30s) speakers cause I think having more power reserves will contribute to better control over the drivers (like having a car engine with more horse power and more torque) and consequently better sound. The stated resistance is not always constant - it varies like from 3 to 8 ohms or so. An integrated amp in the same price range as the ones I've listed above is what I"m looking for and those that are known to pair well with the Dynaudio DM/Emit range. Basically amps that are tried and tested and known to have good synergy with the Dyns though I wouldn't obviously go with these recommendations blindly.

I know it may look silly to some that I’m trying to buy an amp costing more than the price of the speakers but I'm hoping I can use it with my KEF300s as well - basically like I said swap the amps as and when I feel like and then having a nice powerful amp is always a good thing anyway. It'll help bring out the best from my current speakers and may be good to have for future speaker upgrades, if any.


I'm currently in India where a home demo is not an option and where choice of audio equipment can be somewhat limited while prices can be high to exorbitantly high compared to some of the other parts of the globe.

 

[muljao]

I'd add the new Cyrus one also. I won't lie, I haven't heard it, but it's modern, gets great reviews and has some technology that helps it set up correctly for any type speakers (or so it claims). Most things about this amp are positive

 

[Aloy]

I'd add the new Cyrus one also. I won't lie, I haven't heard it, but it's modern, gets great reviews and has some technology that helps it set up correctly for any type speakers (or so it claims). Most things about this amp are positive

I did read up on the Cyrus 8 int amp but that only shows the rated power for a 6 ohm load while the Dyns are 4 ohms and so I didn't quite think about the Cyrus too much. I did find some positive reviews on the Cyrus amps but then I don't know if they work well with Dyns specifically the dm/emit series and I then I may not get a chance to demo them with the emit's.

 

[GW43]

I had Dynaudio Excite X12 driven by an Arcam A85, but didn't think the amp drove them well enough.

Switched the amp for an Audiolab 8200DQ/8200P Dac/preamp and power amp combination. Sounded perfect to me.

Swapped the speakers for Dynaudio Focus 160 and still sounds very good. Plenty of grunt available for the speakers.

Take a look at the integrated amp - 8300 Series | Audiolab | World Class Hi-Fi, DACs, CD Players and Amplifiers 115w into 4 ohms.

 

[PiperCub]

Hi Aloy,
I think you are onto the right lines with the amps you've listed. I heard exposure amps at the Bristol show with some Larsen speakers and thought they were good amps. Also the rega amps driving spendor were very good too, I think the brios. The elicit r has had fantastic reviews and rega is a great brand that sometimes gets it very right, and I think that's the case with this amp based on what reviews and others have said. Good power too and would do what you say having control over drivers.
I doubt you'd find much better than the types youve stated at the prices. I don't think the cyrus one would be good as the elicit r but not surprising when the elicit r is in a different price bracket and the cyrus one a bit more of a an all in one amp box with Bluetooth etc. The elicit more of a traditional amp. The one does have the impedance matching as carried over from the design of the cyrus stereo 200 power amp, but I think a technological consideration is nothing just to getting an amp that sounds good and trust ears first. I don't know if cyrus works with dynaudio (i own signature cyrus stuff) but from what you are describing it seems they like punch and excitement and hard hitting power, which might suit a brand like Roksan too, maybe the kandy type amps. You could try naim amps around £1500-1600 which have good bass and punch and dynamics, but lots of amps like audiolab too I totally agree are good.
Having more expensive amps and in a different quality bracket is not silly and it really depends on whether the speakers get more eeked out of them by amp upgrades. A type that doesn't it's clearly not worth it. I've found that with my pmc's but my amps are 2.5 times my speakers price and still worth it. I suppose if you are trialling amps always just see if you can get the dealer to bung on a cheaper amp to see how much better the amps you are trying sound, and you immediately will get a gauge as to how well the speakers benefit from better amps.
Depends where you are always based to what you can try so sorry if recommending makes you can't access.
Cheers pipercub