Wharfdale E70 the power and the glory Advice please.

Loosehounds

Novice Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
26
Age
67
Location
Wales
hi I have a great pair of Wharfdale E70's and could do with some advice re which power amp to get. I have heard that valve amps are much better for them. Please cvan you recommend a good amp so I can really enjoy these mothers again Thank you. Rich
 
Wow! Impressive Old School speakers -

Wharfedale E70

Next ... How much MONEY do you have to spend on an amp?

Does the amp need to have any specific features - DAC, Tone Controls, Network Streaming, etc...?

There is not much we can recommend unless we have your budget.

Just a couple of suggestions in high value amps -

Yamaha AS501 amp with DAC, 85w/ch (£199) -

Yamaha AS501 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

Plenty of power, nice compliment of features. The above is extremely high value.

The next is a Network Receiver that has DAC, and Network Streaming of Audio -

Yamaha RN500 Network Receiver, 80w/ch, DAC, Streaming (£309) -


Yamaha RN500 Networked Receiver - Superfi

Next is the most up-to-date version of the Network Receiver. This included Bluetooth and DSD, as well as DAC and Network Streaming -

Yamaha RN602 Network Receiver, 80w/ch, DAC w/ DSD, Streaming, Bluetooth (£449) -

Yamaha RN602 Networked Stereo Receiver - Superfi

If the Network Streaming doesn't have any appeal to you, but having more power does, then this amp would be worth considering -

Yamaha AS701 Amp with DAC, 100w/ch (£399) -

Yamaha AS701 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

Of course there are other options, but, we need a budget and some sense of the features you are looking for.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Thanks for the reply, I like the look of the AS501. budget about right too!¬ All the best!
 
Wow! Impressive Old School speakers -

Wharfedale E70

Thanks for posting link.

"In the wrong system with a forward solid-state amplifier though, you’ll be putting your pair on eBay as a matter of priority; that hard upper midband will remain etched on your cranium forever more!"

Wonder what exactly is meant by "forward solid-state amplifier".
"etched on your cranium forever more!" sounds like an affliction you want to avoid.

I know nothing about tube amps but you could try demoing with an inexpensive fatman and see how that sounds in comparison to the AS501. The fatman would be unlikely to be as feature rich but likely will have a very different sonic character and might give you a feel for the differences between tubes and solid state mentioned in the article.
 
For the average person Tube Amps are impractical. They tend to be expensive and low powered relative to the price.

I also dispute the "...forward solid-state amplifier...". Solid State amplifiers can have any sound the designer desires. They can be warm, neutral, or bright. But generally, all amps are made work with all speakers. Do keep in mind that a very vast majority of amps sold are solid-state by a very wide majority.

Yamaha, at least in Stereo, are not noted for being bright amps.

And sometimes the bargain simply rules the day. For £199 I can't think of anything even remotely close to the Yamaha AS501 for a blend of Power, general Quality, and Features.

If about £200 is your desired budget, I can't see anything else for that money. However if you can go to a higher budget. Then perhaps one of the Network Receivers (RN500 or RN602).

As an example, the Marantz PM6005 might be a bit better sounding amp, but it is 45w/ch though it does have a DAC with Optical and Coaxial, and it carries a price tag of £299 which represents a savings of £80 over the Retail Price.

However, for £10 more you can get the Yamaha RN500 Network Receiver with 80w/ch, DAC, and Network Streaming.

At some point you have to find your personal sweet spot where Price, Power, Quality, and Features merge to give you exactly the blend you want.

But at £199, there is really nothing the equal of the Yamaha AS501 ... in my opinion.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Fantastic responses thanks , my options are here , think i will tough it out and go for the NR500 network . Will do a little digging tho and thanks for your help guys
 
Hi all, mine's a similar question- although I need a modern amp to power a pair of e70s as well as a pair of Realistic Mach Ones.... Part of my dad's 80s system of which the amp did long ago. They haven't been tested in 15 years, and the foam is gone on the mach woofers. I'm a compete novice, but really want to resurrect them from my fond memories (please no judging on their sound quality, I've read plenty of Marmite comments, so I know they're prob not the best, but I hate to throw things out if I think they can be saved!). I'm willing to try replacing caps and the foam, but not really a clue where to start. As an aside, the only Amp I have is a Cambridge Audio A1 that I use on my small system, but with my basic understanding I've no idea if I could use this to test the speakers 1 pair at a time, or if I risk damaging my amp. Any help much appreciated!
 
Provided the speaker impedance is equal or greater than the value quoted on the amplifier , you will not damage either. So if the speakers are 8 ohm Nominal, then you are set to go... Whether you hear anything worthwhile comes down to the size of your room, the efficiency of the speakers ,and the distance you are away from the cones.
The good news is that most listening is down at power levels of say 5 watts, and that it only at crescendo that more power is needed...
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom