Beginners Guide to Hifi - Part 7 Choosing an amplifier

What is the role of an amplifier? Class AB vs Class D amplifiers. How much power do you really need? How do get the synergy between your speakers and amplifier right? Questions answered!
The Fiio Taishan D03K DAC mentioned in this video only has coaxial and optical digital inputs. The mini usb input is for power purposes only. If you need a usb input, you should choose another DAC. Sorry, I didn’t mean to mislead anybody.

[@stephenmartin3268]

I wanted a near field set-up. Having a studio flat I wanted the best quality sound I could afford but didn't need the power. I went on your recommendation of the AXA 35 Cambridge amp. Then I went all out on source and got the Cambridge CXN V2. Connecting it to the AXA via a Chord crearway RCA. Then finally after a lot of thought went with the KEF Q150 speakers. I got everything on sale and it came to £1280 in total all brand new. For me it is absolutely heaven! I listen to so many different genres so being able to EQ is essential for me. I never need to tweek by more than one each way. And everything sounds truly outstanding. Thank you so much for all your input in helping my decisions👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Stephen. Thank you for sharing 😊👍

[@williamzame3708]

I didn't mean to be picky but your videos are usually so precise ... Thanks very much for all of them. (I also like the way you do equipment reviews which is very informative.)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

No problem William 😉

[@henrymichaels1033]

Fantastically helpful for audiophile wannabes like me. Great series. Lots of good reviewers out there but yours are the most helpful and insightful IMO. Thank you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is very kind and much appreciated 😊👍

[@paulryan7289]

I've actually learned something so thank you I found you yesterday and still being on lockdown I'm working my way through your channel many thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Paul. Thank you. I hope you are enjoying the content😉👍

[@noelsmall6690]

Brilliant video, great explanation of wattage required for normal listening

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Noel. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@robvandendolder3157]

Thanks again Tarun. Very educational and great perspective 😎👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Rob 😊👍

[@williamzame3708]

I have learned a lot from these videos. Thank you!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you William 😉

[@AverageNiceGuy]

Nicely done 😎👍... Once again 🙏

[@curtbradley549]

Excellent !! Learned alot , keep up the good work !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Curt 😊👍

[@homebrewinstrumentals7700]

Thankyou, I definitely learned something here!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and your kind words of support 😊👍

[@ibrahimmehkri]

thankyou soo much for making these videos :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are most welcome Ibrahim. Thank you for watching and your kind words of support 😊🙏

[@rossbeake5779]

Really informative, cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Ross 😉👍

[@garden_hooligan]

Very informative, thanks for sharing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you GH 😊👍

[@silviopimentel7247]

This kind of explains a lot. Thank you

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and commenting 😊👍

[@neilstern7108]

Finally heard your stereo. Watching all your post.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Neil 😊

[@k-doggy1762]

Kiwanuka not Kiwanaku 😉 Adore that song! Good work with videos, very informative 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thanks K - Doggy

[@jpmcgarrell9592]

Doggie not Doggy. ;-)

[@JustMe-xy3pd]

First time listener here, and i liked it. My amp is Hegel H80 and use only TIDAL hi-res, streamed from Bluesound 2i Speakers are JBL Arena 130, but i need something better than that. The amp is in my wiev more than good for me. But thank you for a good video. I subskribed already.

[@bigjay1970]

Next step should be the jbl studio 5 series that go on sale a lot when they are not sold out that is!🙄😬🤗😇

[@cunningtim]

I also have the Fiio Taishan D03K DAC and think it sounds great. The one caveat is that will not decode Dolby Digital signals, only PCM for stereo signals, so if you need a DAC for a home theatre setup you will need something else (there appear to be other solutions on Amazon).

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thanks Tim

[@joanpauli2002]

Really enjoy your informative reviews. I am looking for a new amplifier to drive my Dali Rubicon 8 (90 dB sensitivity 4 Ohm) in my living room (36 m2 with a high ceiling). So far my research has led to the Hegel H190 and H390. Do you know how these Hegel compare to the current line of Exposure 3010 and 5010? Are the new line of Exposure as good as the old ones? I always dreamed to have separates one day, but seems like in today's market, it doesn't make as much sense as it used to. These amplifiers seem to double in watts and price every time you go up one line, but what about the sound quality? How much amplifier do you think is "enough", compared to my application? What I want is to get a quality amplifier, that I can enjoy for many years, without using an unreasonable amount of money. Would really appreciate to get your take on this.

[@MechAdv]

I recently acquired waaaay nicer speakers than my budget would normally allow(Jamo Concert 11), and while they sounded great being fed by my 250$ class D amplifier, I suspected that the bass/midbass were being underfed. Bought an AXR100 from Cambridge audio, and the speakers sound SO much warmer and fuller now. The top end is still sparkly and detailed up top, but the sound is much more balanced. The amplifiers are roughly rated the same on power, but it’s a big difference in the sound pressure you can feel. Sometimes I wonder if it would be worth stepping into the 1000-1500$ range, but that’ll have to wait until student loans are paid off.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@Justwantahover]

I bought a 200 w per ch amp and for the first week or so I cranked it a bit but it never really sounded that loud it was so clear. But when I went to bed my ears were ringing like crazy! So I took it easy since then. That was 8 years ago (about) still got the amp and it runs nearly 24/7 I love music. And I build speakers as an obsession. My ears aren't ringing now, though.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing 😊

[@NosTubes58]

Tarun........, first off Happier New Year to you and your loved ones. As I just found your channel and have subscribed, as I enjoy your take on audio, and look forward to which direction it takes you in. As a Mini-Monitor lover since 1979, and having gone through 23 different makes, including 3 variants of ProAc Tablette’s, ending with a pair of Response One SCs ( Birdseye Maple ) in which I’ve also gone through my share of British made integrated amps as well, currently enjoying a Naim Nait 5SI. I merely wanted to point out, you owe it to yourself to try the Witch Hat Audio n2, or Phantom Speaker Cables, which are made in England and are among some of the best sounding cables I’ve heard or owned to date. Other then that, here’s wishing you all the best in the years to come.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi NosTubes58, happy new year to you and your loved ones too. Wow, 23 different makes of Mini-monitors! I would love to hear about some of your experiences. How did the Proac Tablette’s measure up with the 1SC’s and other Mini-monitors you have owned? Naim and Proac have always been natural bedfellows and I bet your system sounds great! The midrange on the Proac 1SC’s is sublime, over the years I have only heard a handful of speaker that have been able to complete with the naturalness of it midrange and they were all many times more expensive. I am not familiar with the cable brands you mention but will check them out. I use Chord Company and Van Den Hul interconnects along with Linn speaker cables. Thank you for watching, taking the time to comment and for subscribing to the channel. Your support and kind words are greatly appreciated.

[@marcfoss7687]

Hi NosTubes58, can I ask about your experience with the ProAc Tablettes? I have a small listeing room (11ft x 12.5 ft) and am considering the Tablette 10 Signatures (which are sealed and can be placed close to the side/back wall which is my case). I am also looking at the Response DB1's which also have a 5 inch woofer which might be better for my small room given potential boomy bass issues. The front ported Response D2's might also be a contender but I am not sure. If you had any advice, many thanks.

[@paulbrezgel7722]

I'm loving your videos!!! 😃👍 Thanks for putting these up. I've got some learning to do. Newb Question... I just read an old but fantastic write-up about the AV Receiver/Controller I have had since new (Denon AVR-4802) and the author indicated it worked way more awesome as a pre-amp. Since I'm clueless about all of this pre-amp stuff (hence me watching your vids haha) and since I soooo want to see if I can keep using my Denon AVR-4802 for both Movies AND some new hifi music bliss, is it as simple as purchasing a separate amp and then running it inline with the Denon... and then things still get "controlled" by the Denon... but would be powered by the separate amp? Is what I'm asking/babbling about coming from the correct thought process about how this all works? Maybe my system can't be set up for both theater (movies)+hifi? Forgive me if I'm not making sense.... I'm so new to hifi and trying to wrap my head around how I can bring it into the mix of what I've already got- if possible. Referenced Write-Up: hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_1/denon-avr-4802-receiver-1-2002.html

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Paul. Great to have you here. Your Denon AVR has Pre Outs for the front channels. You can connect them to an external power amp to improve the sound. Whether it will or not will depend on the rest of the system and how well it is setup in your room. A good goal is to have all components in your system of a similar quality 😊👍

[@alvaromartinezbelmonte]

Wow, this video helped me a lot. I recently purchased a day+amp rotel a14 and I’m having trouble when pairing it with my Sennheisers hd660s with some hiss. Not loud but definitely annoying.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@austintrashboat]

Did you fix it?

[@alvaromartinezbelmonte]

@@austintrashboat nah. I’ve learned some components aren’t supposed to work together. I sold the amp last month.

[@stuarths33]

Help, 3 years ago I purchased an Audiolab M-DAC+ with MPWR power amplifer and B&W 683S2 and I am now looking at upgrading my amplifier. Under the current conditions I have been doing a lot of on line research so much so my head has gone into a flat spin and would greatly appreciate some expert guidance, my contenders are, Audiolab 8300mb, Emotiva XPA-1 Gen2, Rotel RB-1590 Stereo Power Amplifier. With the thought of upgrading my speakers in another couple of year’s time. Fantastic channel keep up the great work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Stuarths33, if you like the sonic character of your system, I would stick with the Audiolab 8300mb. You could also consider the Audiolab 8300XP which is a dual mono power amp, quite a bit cheaper than the mbs, with a little less power but essentially two monoblocks in one chassis.

[@stuarths33]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi Tarun, if i wanted a warmer sound than what the Audiolab gives at present, which is excellent with acoustics but can be slightly harsh with opera after a couple of hours which is not unpleasant but it doesn't sound right, also i seem to lose certain clarity when playing at lower levels which i presume is do to the lack of power my MPWR is not providing. So would swapping over to a Rotel Power amp sort this slight murmur?

[@maurom7143]

Hi Tarun, I've recently came across to your great channel and finally getting some understanding of hi-fi. More impressively, you seem to really go through the comments and reply so here is me hoping for a little advice. I've recently upgraded to Dali Spektor 2 speakers which I'm pleased with. Currently I have them linked to a mini system Denon Ceol N8 (2012 I believe). I'm thinking of upgrading to Audiolab 6000A but as per one of your earlier videos, I wonder if it makes sense having £200 speakers linked to a £600 amp? Thanks in advance.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi MauroM, welcome and thank you for watching and commenting. If you wish to choose an amplifier that gets the best out of the Spektor 2s, then the Audiolab 6000A would be a good choice. I also think the Iota VX SA3 at £400 would work well. However, is suspect the 6000A will be a little better, especially the internal DAC. You will notice a significant difference over £200 amplifiers. Thank again 😊👍

[@jcaff6963]

Also, thx for the tip about the Fiiotishan.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

It is great value 😊

[@jcaff6963]

Like the part about how wattage changes dependent on resistance during dynamic passages. Double the watts when going from 8 to 4 ohms.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you JC 😊

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

Some speakers are very hard to drive and you can't just look at sensitivity specification because that is just for certain frequencies. Especially when playing much bass content many speakers draw far more power than what is expected from the efficiency specifications of a speaker. If you have larger speakers or very inefficient monitor speakers more watts will make a difference. A significant difference also at low listening levels.

[@Justwantahover]

It's exponential. One more db requires ten times the intensity and our brains compress it like hell. This explains why one watt can be surprisingly loud and to get much louder it sucks the watts like crazy.

[@drat6627]

Thanks for this very informative video (like all your others) I’ve had a massive audiophile journey during lockdown. I have an bought an allodigione/rpi feeding a chord mojo using either my old Nad 350C or a Cambridge Audio 840a. Speakers are Q acoustics 3050i. I was struck by your mention of using the volume control in streaming software and just using a power amp, so as to avoid unnecessary signal clutter from a preamp. I am now looking at various power amps as my next step. I am a bit lost at the moment because there are such a lot of possibilities. Chinese valve amps, Rega io or Brio - the choice is bewildering. I don’t expect you will spot this, but I think it might make a good video or strand of videos, because I think a lot of people are getting into quality streaming services. All the best and continued success with your excellent work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Andrew. I appreciate you watching and your support. Nad do a power amp, C 268. May be worth checking out. The only problem is that the mojo is not the most user friendly DAC to use as a preamp, no remote and can only connect one source at a time. I would keep it for sound quality reasons and get an integrated in your case. Any reason why you want to change your CA 840A? I would have thought it to be a good match with the 3050i’s.

[@drat6627]

A British Audiophile Thank you for your reply Yes I am delighted with my Mojo I don’t really mind the inconvenience of the Mojo because I have it permanently connected and am using Tidal or Spotify. I use Volumio but can control volume from my iPad or phone I tried the direct input on the Nad and it improved about 10 percent, but still not as good as the Cambridge Audio I have an excellent placement in the soundstage with good separation but not very much depth or holographic imaging So for 1 example with a cliche track. Take 5 drums are nicely separated and cymbals wonderful with clean audible sustained tails But they are placed at the front and a bit quiet compared to the Sax and Piano I am currently trying speaker positioning and letting my brain catch up with my ears! I’m not Bass obsessed so I was wondering if a tube amp might be a way to go When the lockdown eases I will get my friend to bring round his Quad I have just been watching your latest video Another excellent one. Thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Andrew, you are on the right track. Speaker positioning is the most important thing to get good soundstage and imaging. However, I don’t think the amp change will make as much difference as upgrading your speakers when it comes to improved sound quality, soundstage or imaging. Just my opinion. Thank you for watching and your support 😊👍

[@drat6627]

Thanks Tarun for taking the time to message I have done as you suggested and pointed speakers slightly down Makes a difference Best wishes

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great Andrew. Thank you for letting me know 😉

[@MrChillywilly7]

Good video man! Very good information! I'm looking for a good integrated amplifier, now my current set up is a marantz sr6008 receiver paired with Boston acoustics m 350. Although the receiver in 2 channel listening is pretty good. I think getting an integrated amplifier would definitely improve the sound. I'm considering the marantz pm7000n or cxa81 from Cambridge audio.. Or maybe ki pearl, hegel... Anyways some advice would be super appreciated! Keep up the good work)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi MrChillywilly7, thank youfor watching and commenting. I have had a look at your speakers and receiver and on paper they seem to form a balanced system. I can’t give you a definite solution as I there are too many unknown variables. However, I can point you in the right direction with a little more information. 1. What is your general overall impression of the tonality and dynamic capabilities of your system? 2. What are the dimensions of your room and where are your speakers positioned? 3. What do you feel you are missing from your system? 4. What do you want to achieve by upgrading? If you can answer theses questions are specifically as you can, I may be able to offer you some assistance.

[@MrChillywilly7]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hey, a bit late reaction wise, was going true some stuff, but i never forgot that you took the time to look give me a respons and took a look at my set up! Now im fully back in hifi, still a noob though) i have tested many amplifiers with my bookshelfs Boston acoustics m25... Naim was awesome but very expensive the xs3, tested the Musical fidelity M5si and got a great deal for a used one M6i so I'm very happy with that! My speakers are on the slightly warm side of neutral, but very capable i was blown away with what my speakers where capable of! So much clarity and air and bigger soundstage very well layerd) I have a medium size room, so my Musical fidelity m6i is hooked up to my marantz sr6008 in ht bypass mode. But I'm lacking a good streamer/ dac( because now I play music via the PlayStation 4 Spotify which sounds ok, but no where near the full bodied presentation of the demo I've had.. sorry for the long post by the way.. so I'm looking for some advice for a good streamer.. should I get for example a Cambridge audio 851n? Or something like a Bluesound node 2i with external dac like the Ares denafrips? And what would be the best way to hook it up on my Musical fidelity m6i for the best sound quality?.. By the way thanks for all your great content! I'm spreading the word to everybody interested in hifi go check out the British audiophile) keep up the good work! Cheers from Holland🇳🇱

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@MrChillywilly7 Hi my friend. Thank you for the update. Both the Bluesound and the Cambridge Audio 851N are good streamers at their price points. I would choose the one with the interface that you prefer. They have reasonable internal DACs to get you going. Ultimately, I would then get an external DAC like the Denafrips Ares II to upgrade the sound. Don’t rush the process through. Live with the streamer, get used to how it sounds and then you will be much better at evaluating how much extra performance the external DAC brings. Good luck 😊👍

[@anmic3590]

Hi! Thank you so much for all your videos and details and advices. I just purchased a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 200 (6g) and I’m not still convinced what amp will be a perfect pair. Unfortunately I cannot get any demos. I have a long living room (approx 60sqm), but I’m not looking for loud auditions. More on the normal to low volume. May I kindly ask for your advice? I’m also using a bluesound node 2i (ethernet) and a Rega Planar P1. I heard a lot of good things about Rega Elex-R, but is there any other similar alternative when it comes to sound quality, but on a lower budget? I’m not sure when and if I will get the Elex-R. Thank you so much! Andrei

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Andrei. Getting the speaker/amp synergy right is key. Lost of good options depending on taste and requirements. The Roksan amps would be a good place to start IMHO. They are build by the same people who build tour MA speakers and have good synergy 😊👍

[@blastfromtheeast]

Thank you for such an educational video. Regarding separates, I was under the impression that voltage amplifier is part of the pre-amp and current amplifier is the power amp section. Am I right in generalizing this?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and your support. You will have some voltage gain in most preamps unless they are passive. The most gain 25-30dB happens in a power amp 😊👍

[@aussie8114]

Have you ever listened to and have any opinion on the Cyrus amps? We have a Cyrus 8 with updated DAC and the psxr power supply. I know it’s not up to audiophile standards, maybe stereophile. I like it and it is extremely versatile with all the inputs and functionality. It’s a very clean sound and I think great for acoustic and vocals. Maybe I’m a bad judge but out of about 10 amps I auditioned the Cyrus won. It looks cute too.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Lazy Dog, I know the Cyrus 8 and it is definitely a very good audiophile amp. One of the best at the time within it’s price point. Improved even further with the off board power supply. Definitely on the clean and analytical side in terms of tonal balance. With speakers that balance the sound out it can make the heart of a very good system. I hope you continue to enjoy it 😉

[@Kruptosman]

Fantastic video as always. I really need advice choosing between the Arcam SA 20 or the Yamaha A S801 to drive a pair of monitor audio Gold 50 (5g) speakers. Would really appreciate your advice on this.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi John, I have heard either properly but hey are two very different sounding amplifiers. I expect the Arcam will be warmer and bit more refined sounding whilst the Yamaha will have more muscle and authority. Sorry, I couldn’t be more help.

[@Kruptosman]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 if that's the case I will go for the Arcam. I need something that is great in detail has good low end and works well as part of a home theater setup, this will be used to power only my front monitor audio gold speakers with the rest powered by a yamaha Avr 870 amp, so that way I can get the best sound for both music and movies. Thanks a million for your advice

[@nellyt2807]

I do like your water feature on top of your gear

[@arnewoodman]

Surely its a rock crystal light?

[@quinnlareau1216]

Hello! Just found your channel after hours of searching around online I appreciate the thoroughness of your explanation but as a newbie to this I’m still very confused! I just recently purchased a pair of Klipsch R-51M passive bookshelf speakers, along with an R-100SW Subwoofer (also from Klipsch) to use with my atlp120xusb turntable and I was wondering if you could give me some advice on purchasing an amplifier? I would prefer one with Bluetooth capability :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching. Check out my review of the NAD C338. Very good allrounder😊👍

[@BunnyslippersEUC]

Current is also important to drive speakers. My vintage Luxman receiver is only 40 watt a channel and high current. But it can drive my Magnepan speakers with ease. Volume at 40% for a small livingroom, distance 3 meters. That is the reason old people would say amps from the 70s 80s have "real" watts or more power per watt. Valve/tube amps are high voltage. I think only electrostatic speakers really benefit from the high voltage.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Bunnyslippers, thank you for sharing. Video on amplifier power due out soon.

[@silvershadow4965]

Nice video series and overall nice content. This is a naive question. You say that you listen at 75 dB. Is that a guesstimate or have you used a meter to test at favorite listening position? Keep up the good content.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Simple app downloaded on my phone. Not perfectly calibrated, I grant you but does the job well enough 👍

[@silvershadow4965]

Thank you.

[@curtisvalle5141]

Very nice. I'm thinking the DAC (if playing CD, DVD, BR, TV) is the weak link in the signal chain. You alluded to this. Not sure what DAC specs to look for in, outboard output devices. Not sure if mfgs. provide these specs consistently. Has DAC tech gotten radically better over the years? Is a high end 15 yr. old standalone DAC still considered high-end today? Nice desc. of power myths. Just a couple thoughts, logarithmic scale, and explanation of the 1 watt at 1 meter sensitivity comment. Many times expressed at 1000 Hz too.....so folks need to pay attention to that.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Digital audio including DAC have significantly improved over the last 15 years 😊

[@COLDMKULTRA]

Rega Brio and a Topping E30 ... Pure Audiophile performance at a fraction of the cost of stupidly expensive alternatives. The Brio sounds fantastic at very low listening volumes ... Totally agree with you ... wattage has nothing to do with quality !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences Ralf 😊

[@joshua029ll7]

Great video, very informative. I don't suppose you'd have any recommendations on an integrated amplifier and DAC combination for a pair of Dali Menuets. I am looking to upgrade my Marantz PM6005. Cheers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Joshua 029 ll, what is your budget and musical tastes?

[@joshua029ll7]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I wouldn't like to spend more than 600. I love the sound signature of the marantz I've got now so I have been looking at a HD AMP1 by marantz. It will mainly be for use with tidal. Thanks for your response.

[@joshua029ll7]

The music I listen to is very varied but primarily female vocalists. Agnes Obel, Natalie merchant, Feist, Melanie de biasio things like that.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Joshua 029 ll. if you are UK based the Audiolab 6000A or Rega Brio would be on my shortlist.

[@joshua029ll7]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Cheers for your response again. It came down to the Rega Brio Vs the Marantz HD AMP1 but I managed to snag a good deal on the marantz. Felt it would be better to play it safe as I already love the warm marantz paired with Dali. I will see how it fairs and keep an eye out for the Brio. Once again, cheers.

[@goodsound4756]

Is there an advanced version/follow up for this? Going into damping factor and slew rates or phase shifting on different loads? Explaining the „circle“ of inductance, resistance and capacity from amp/cable/speaker and the impact on sound when each of this traits change? How to identify a good match by reading specs?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@countvespasian1659]

Just discovered your channel, its fantastic! I have an amp question, I have an Arcam Alpha 9 Integrated amp, I have bi-wired Monitor Audio Gold Bookshelf speakers, (old models!) speakers which are bi-wired using both sets of speaker outputs. Is it worth me getting an Acram ALpha 9 Power amp to drive by bi-wired speakers? Also I have an Arcam DV78 DVD player for CD's. Is this a good option , should I get a separate CD player, if so what would be compatible with my amp and speakers> Would a DAC attached to the DV78 be a good option to upgrade? MAny thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hiya, I know the Alpha 9 well and I would get the matching power amp to bi amp. It will give you more punch and tighten up the bass on the MA Golds. I also own an Arcam DV DVD Player (I forget the model number) it has a very good output stage and decent built in DAC. It would be a good choice to use with your amps and speakers and you won’t need an external DAC. Thank you for watching 😉👍

[@countvespasian1659]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for your advice I will check out an Arcam Power amp on Ebay cheers!!!

[@countvespasian1659]

I'm thinking of getting some new speakers , perhaps Bowers and Wilkins 607, would these be a good choice, the. MA'S are still working but could use as a second pair? New CD players 'better' than my arcam dv78? Any advice ? Cheers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi @@countvespasian1659 , Arcam and B&W traditionally work well together to provide a balanced sound. You will need to spend £500+ on a CD player to bette the Arcam 😉

[@nirajmathur6009]

Nice and clear. Additionally the power rating say 80watts by itself is not the key. You need to also look at the THD total harmonic distortion. Rated power at say 10 % distortion is useless for serious listeners. Look for THD at the rated power of around 0.08% especially if you have a discerning ear. Finally listen at low and high volumes… your ear will guide you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Niraj 😊

[@waynemartable]

Hi there, what mid level integrades or seperates would you recommend for imf super compacts? Cheers mate

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I am not familiar with those speakers. Happy to give you a steer. What did you plan to spend? Are you in the U.K.? If not what is really available where you live?

[@mamox87]

Can u suggest any good amplifier to pair with pmc fb1+... Appreciated ur kind suggestion

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Depends on many factors but Hegel is a good starting point 😊

[@androwerks6665]

thanks for that wattage output tip! Based on that, I should probably not take the croft GR-i to drive 87db dynaudio focus 340s that need a lot of power @4 ohms... even if they are in my office and per definition will ONLY play very gently. So a Hegel would be better possibly?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Sounds like you need more power than what the Croft can deliver 😊

[@androwerks6665]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I went for a DIY Purifi Eval1 Eigentakt and considering a Schiit Freya valve preamp to make the lows warmer and more outspoken, curious to your opinion? May also add a vacuum buffer as in the VTV build...but all this is new to me and mostly copy paste from some forums :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@androwerks6665 thank you for the suggestion Andro 👍

[@zaoria123]

@A British Audiophile - Thanks so much for the informative video. Do you happen to know which integrated amplifier brands match best with Bowers and Wilkins speakers, say the 704 S2s? I recently upgraded my source to a Marantz SA-KI Ruby SACD player and plan to upgrade my amplifier in the future. My current amp is the Yamaha A-S801. It measures 105 W into 8 ohms and 185 into 4 ohms. I find it to be fairly neutral and an incredible bargain, but I suspect that there are definitely better amps out there that can offer more dynamics, resolution and imaging. I tried a Yamaha A-S2200 recently and found the sound to be much too colored for me. My budget is up to $6,000 USD. Any thoughts appreciated! Thanks.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy. Back in the day, Arcam amps were a classic match for B&W speakers. That may have changed as Arcam is now part of Harman and the sound may have changed. B&W use Hegel amps regularly to demo their speakers at shows. They seem to work well together 😊👍

[@zaoria123]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks again! Hegel is on my shortlist. Since I am reasonably happy with what I have, I am skeptical how much improvement a Hegel amp will offer, relative to their high price.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@zaoria123 I understand. If you get to try one, please let me know how you get on 😊👍

[@zaoria123]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Will do! I just called around and none of the shops in my area (within a few hours driving) carry my speakers and the two Hegels I would want to compare, the 190 and the 390. Still, I feel its best to compare in my own space, so I could just buy one and see how it works out. I can always return it, though I'll have to pay shipping both ways, so it would be a loss. Decisions!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@zaoria123 it might be worth taking the speakers down to the dealer to audition the amps before the outlay. A decent dealer will have no problem with that 😊👍

[@chrisclose7793]

When I bought naim kit I made a big mistake by listening to my dad's friends naim system with pmc speakers and soon as I got my naim kit I found it aggrivated my b&ws brightness. But unfortunately the naim kit suffered power supply failure. But I did find the 50 watt naim did struggle a little bit with my b&ws but soon as I got my yamaha it seems my b&ws gained more oomph

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Naim with B&Ws can be quite bright sounding. Thank you for watching and sharing 😊

[@toffe2ventil]

Very good man. Learning alot. It would be nice with higher resolution though.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Working on it 😉

[@toffe2ventil]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I am considering buying the new B&W 705 Signature. What amplifier would you choose if you were to buy an amplifier for that set of speakers? I am considering an Hegel H90 or H120. Br:Kris

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

It is a difficult one to answer because it all comes down to personal taste. I am sure the Hegel will be fine as it has very little character of its own allowing the flavour of the speakers to shine through. Arcam and Musical Fidelity have always worked well with B&Ws as they have a full and rich sound which balance the slightly bright and lean nature of the B&Ws rather well.

[@toffe2ventil]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you! :-) I will also look into these brands and give them a listen.

[@mattgiunt]

New to channel and you have excellent content presentation. I have a yamaha 2080 receiver with 140 watts.My speakers are 86db sensitivity polk LSIM 707 and 706C. I have a 5.1.2 system .Im in a room with L. 21.5 W 11.5 H 10(all in feet).I sit 10 ft from speakers. Like yourself I listen at volumes from 65 to 75 db for movies and a bit lower for 2 channel music as I live in a Condo.Not sure if I need bother with an amp to power my front three channels. Everything sounds fine but I always wonder if using an amp will better my sound quality rather than just make it louder which I do not need.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi matt, you have a well balanced system with the Yamaha 2080 and Polk 707s. If you are happy with the sound, I wouldn’t change anything. Better amplification and better speakers will give you a better sound in terms of resolution but will also change the tonal balance in a direction you may be less satisfied with. To get any noticeable improvement in sound, my rule of thumb is to spend 3x the money. If you have a £3k system you will need to spend £9k - £10k to get an appreciable difference. Even then, a well balance and well set up £3k system will outperform a poor balanced and poorly set up £10k system. DON’T upgrade in bite sizes (you will waste a lot of more money that way), enjoy what you have until you are ready to go to the next level. Thanks for watching.

[@mattgiunt]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you

[@bigjay1970]

@@mattgiunt Supposedly from what have seen here on youtube, those Polk really wake up with more power? Many videos on here regarding that specific senerio.

[@mattgiunt]

@@bigjay1970 Since Im always tinkering with my system Im sure the next sale I will jump on an Outlaw 5000 just to hear what external amps are all about.

[@silviopimentel7247]

Hey hope all is well across the pond. Im looking to get a integrated for around 2000 cnd. To top opticon 2's. Would love ur suggestion? Class A-B /no Class D. thank u brother 🙏

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Lots of great choices over there. I like the look of the Rogue and Outlaw stuff. Not sure you can get it over here but I would love to check them out 😊

[@milan4108]

Thank you for this chanel Tarun. So many good advise here. Your speakers selection from warm to neutral to bright sound side is the best advise for choosing a speaker. I lost couple of years listening MA bright speaker and had so many trouble with that becouse i dont like bright sound, but 15 years ago you was not on youtube :-), and that was my first hi fi system. I dont had any expirience, and trying all bright speakers MA, BW, Mission, etc, so I was thining that something was wrong with my room, my amp, cable etc, and I almoust quit hifi. Can you do that selection for amps also? Lets say how warm or bright are generaly Nad, Marantz, Exposure, Naim, Primare? Thank you one more time.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching Milan and your kind words of support. That is a good suggestion about the amplifiers 😉👍

[@TheWidowMaker.]

I need help, the more I look for an amp the more confused I get. I have kef r700's and a marantz 6013 avr, I listen to rock and rap/hiphop mostly but blues and soul too for easier listening. Could you recommend an amp for me? Even better if you can make a generic comment/stereo type on each brand and who'd they suit if that makes sense, eg: get hegel if you listen to x or like x amount of Bass, Yamaha for more authority, good for x genre etc. I know it's not law but it helps people decide what brands to explore and ignore. If there was a shop that could let you a/b them all I'd be there in a heart beat. Amps I've considered were: Yamaha as-1100 Rega elicit R Hegel Cambridge Parasound Arcam

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi TheWidowMaker, it is difficult to make specific recommendations without knowing your musical tastes, set up, room acoustics, etc.. What I can say is that Kef speakers typically tend to be a little on the bright side of neutral. If you like this characteristic I would go for a Hegel which is a very neutral sounding amplifier so will let the sonic characteristics of the Kef’s come through. If you want to balance the brightness of the Kef’s, the Arcam amps have a warmer balance. Kef use these two brands to demo their equipment at shows and press events. They obviously feel there is a natural synergy with their speakers. Thank you for watching and good luck 😉

[@shazadirani]

Thanks Tarun. I enjoy watching your videos, keep it up. It's very much appreciated to have all this experience laid out on a plate. This might sound silly, but can I pair my existing avr (Yamaha Rx v683) with a good power amplifier, thus using the avr as a preamplifier And still borrowing the sound signature (colouration) from the power amp ? I'm not including a DAC here to keep things fairly uncomplicated. TIA, Shaz. Cheerio

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Shazad, thank you for the kind words and for supporting the channel. I had a quick look at your Yamaha RXV683 and it doesn’t appear to have “pre outs” for the left and right channel. This is what you would require to connect an external power amplifier. The RXV683 only seems to have preamplifier outputs for subwoofers. As these are normally filtered to only allow low frequencies to pass through they can not be used with full range front speakers. If you answer 3 questions for me, I can hopefully steer you in a direction that you will be happy with... 1. What speakers are you using? 2. What do you feel is lacking from your system as it is currently? 3. What do you hope to achieve by upgrading?

[@shazadirani]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Tarun A British Audiophile wowzy!!!! That was prompt. 1. I'm using a pair of towers(Telome Speakers-popular range of speakers,ST-800). telomeaudio.com/stereo-speakers/ 2. When I demoed the speakers, Telome used their own in-house amps ( 200 watts per channel). They sounded phenomenal, clear, good imaging, musical, very tight base. Since I didn't like their amp (aesthetics) I went with the Yamaha avr. 3. I believe a good amp with high current/enough wattage will bring out the best from my towers. Room engulfing musical sound, what I hear during the telome speaker demo. Thanks in advance. Shaz 🍻🍻

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Shaz, I looked up your Telome ST800s and they are large 3 way floorstanders with 91db sensitivity and 8 ohm nominal impedance. I don’t know the speakers but if you are sure they are capable of sounding a lot better, I suspect you are right that the Yamaha RXV683 is struggling to drive them properly. Do you need the surround channel capabilities? The reason I ask is that you should be wary of modern 11.2 channel receivers as they may also struggle to drive them. It isn’t about watts (unless you want to play them really loud), it is about the robustness of the power supply. A decent two channel integrated amplifier will serve you better. Not sure what is available in Mumbai. If you let me know what you are considering, I am happy to offer an opinion. In any case, I think you need to upgrade your amplifier.

[@shazadirani]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 absolutely. I'm glad I'm on the same page. I'm thinking of may be going with the telome pre-power combo, cause it's tried and tested Or The kinki studio/Hegel/crown integrated. I will need to add a media streamer to the chain, cause the avr will be gone eventually.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Shaz, getting the synergy right between amp and speakers is a hard thing to achieve. The amp needs to have enough drive (notice I didn’t say power/watts) to control the speakers and the tonal balance needs to be to your taste. Focus on these two aspects of the amplifiers performance and you won’t go wrong. I would expect the Telome amps to have a natural synergy with your speakers (assuming Telome know what they are doing) and use this as a benchmark to judge everything else. Don’t get caught up in all the branding/marketing BS and pick the right amp for you! Good luck!

[@hubert-williams3379]

I have Two sets of Bozak speakers.. What amplifer would you recommend for these speakers

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Hubert, I am not familiar with those speakers.

[@reinhartfrais8549]

Hello Tarun Heed obelisk amps are supposed to sound very good tube like have you listen to one? Regards Reinhart

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t I am afraid.

[@toot-hg7op]

Hi! Is there a budget amplifier you would recommend for elac debut b5.2 speakers?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

The Iota Vx SA3 is a good place to start 😉

[@Justwantahover]

The best amp I had was a 60s little tube amp and the tubes cost $4 each. About the best I heard and it was so simple. How would something like that be if they made them now? Everyone would buy one and if the tubes were so cheap how much would the rest cost? Transformers maybe are expensive but that's all. Crazy world we live in!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊

[@anamits]

I am used to 8 Ohm speakers but a friend has a pair of Yamaha NS1000X speakers rated at 90dB and 6 Ohms..if I want to suggest an amplifier to him, what are specs I should look at so that the chosen amp and the Yamahas match each other?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

There is no straightforward answer to this as it is a matter of taste. 6 ohms is not a difficult load and any modern amplifier will drive this. What you might want to check is that the minimum impedance doesn’t drop much below 4 ohms. If it does you need an amplifier with a stiff power supply (you will note I didn’t say Watts). What does a stiff power supply mean? An amplifier that is capable of delivering high current peaks during those low impedance speaker dips. If you are looking at traditional class AB designs, these tend to cost some money as you need a large transformer with plenty of filter capacitance. However, good class D amplifiers can be had for a few hundred £ and these are inherently good at driving low impedance loads. If you want a quick and easy solution. It is reasonable to assume that Yamaha amps at a similar price to the NS1000X will be a good match.

[@sainaveenbali]

Can I use h adphone dac and hook amplifier to use loud speakers or I need stero recover for 2 channel speakers ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Nareen, it depends on the headphone DAC and what connections it has. Thank you for watching 😉

[@zander-john3709]

Very helpful video, thanks. I'm new to this and I'm so confused about what to buy and the more I research the more confusing it gets. There are so may self proclaimed experts out there. I've finally decided to check out the Cambridge CXA81 + Cambridge MM Phono PreAmp Solo + Kef LS50 Speakers + Marantz 6007 CD Player (Dropped the Cambridge CXC as the negative reviews scared me off). Wondered if this is a balanced system? Is there anyone that could give me some pointers please? Thanks again., John

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi John, there are some things you need to focus on that will help you choose the right speaker. Once you have selected the speaker put together a system that gets the most out of them. Ask yourself the following questions. 1. How big is the room? 2. Is it acoustically lively (lots of reflected surfaces) or dead (lots of soft furnishings)? 3. How close to the walls will the speakers be placed? 4. How far apart from each other will the speakers be placed and how far from you? 5. What overall tonal balance are you looking for (warm, neutral, cool)? Once you have answered those and done your homework you are more likely to pick a speaker that suits your room, setup and taste. If you wish to answer those question and let me know your overall budget I can steer you in the right direction.

[@zander-john3709]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you for your reply, appreciate you taking the time. Please see details below. 1. Room size: 3.2 x 5.1m 2. Wood flooring & mostly hard surfaces. 3. Approx. 150mm from the wall 4. Approx. 2m apart and 2m back from the mid point between the speakers. 5. ? I would like a quality sound to listen at a lower volume level. Budget approx €3500. Would like to be able to connect the TV to the speakers, use my Mac to play music and use headphones. Most likely will buy from Richer Sounds in Belfast. Thanks John

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@zander-john3709 in you medium sized room, with close to wall placement and need for good low listening level performance, I don’t think you can do better than active speakers. You room is also likely to be acoustically lively due to the amount of reflective surfaces. There are two systems that I would suggest. 1. Acoustic Energy AE1 @ £1,000 2. Elac Navis ARB51 @ £1,800 The Elacs will play a little louder and give you a better sense of scale but both perform really well. You will need a good DAC/preamp to connect to them (assuming you don’t need analogue connections). I would go for something with balanced connections as you may need to run interconnects a few meters to them and this will eliminate potential noise issues. Something like the the Audiolab M-DAC+ @ £800. All available at Richer Sounds, I just checked. Spend the rest on adding a decent subwoofer or even two. Two small ones are better than one big one. Helps to even out the bass response in the room. Good luck 😉

[@zander-john3709]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you for your reply and recommendations, will check it out.

[@anandshah71]

I have tons of amps monoblocks class ab class a Class d like tpa3255 and Allo volt + to ice and Hypex nCore I am in love with all class d except ICE modules that’s available on parts express

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Anand, looks like you are into this hobby, deep. I am always switching components, moving speakers, tinkering, just to get a little improvement. I can sometimes be frustrating but mostly it is very satisfying. I love this hobby!

[@anandshah71]

Tarun Hi yes in this since last 1 year an 48 years old saying that cause I think correct sense of sound one developes around 40-50. Reviews and internet is confusing so I said let’s get all and try then only judgement comes. For many years was always enjoying music in car but now since am free want to get great reference level system in diy No brands. Will make my own system

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Sounds like a good plan.

[@Distorted-Vision]

Something I've always wonder about. Do speakers deteriorate with age and usage?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

They can. Most,often it is the woofer surround, spider and electrolytic cap (if they have them) that can deteriorate 😊

[@JohnBarrow1961]

So, the coaxial connections are usually colored yellow?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Not sure John.

[@baratvinayakan4910]

Great review, thanks. Following the tips here, I have shortlisted the Lyngdorf tdai 1120, for my Dali opticon 6 speakers. Is this a good synergistic pairing?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Bharat. I haven’t tried that combo 😊

[@dr.feelgood6645]

Is there a amp you would recommend for a evo 4.2 speaker?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

The Audiolab 6000A is from the same stable. I have heard the pairing and it sounded great to my ears. Ultimately, it is a matter of personal taste though 😉

[@borlach321]

This is a bit of a side question. Do you know what happened to Linn? They used to make everything...Amps, preamps, CD players, universal players, speakers, Turntables etc. Now, they only seem to make amps, speakers and digital servers. In North America they closed many dealers. Really shocking. has to the same thing happened in the UK?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

They still make conventional products such as turntables, amplifiers and speakers but have shifted their of focus to network streamers and one box solutions of late. I think this is a deliberate move to move away from traditional hifi and an anticipation on their part of the direction in which hifi is going in the future.

[@Andersljungberg]

it is no better to transfer the digital audio with HDMI cable. especially from a blu-ray player toslink does not have support for DTS master

[@marck1726]

Lots of turntable have a built in preamp too .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Marc 😊

[@silviopimentel7247]

Wondering if u know anything about the NAIM 5si ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Very good amplifier for the money. Typical Naim sound. Good bass control and little forward in the midrange 😊

[@williamzame3708]

Tarun - As I wrote earlier, I have learned a lot from these videos. And I have learned something from other videos as well. Aren't speaker efficiencies specified at 1 meter from the speaker? You are certainly not listening at 1 meter from the speaker so your comments about power are a little misleading. I believe sound falls off by 6db when distance doubles, and every 3db doubles the power needed. So if you are listening at 2 meters a peak of 85 db at your ears is 91 db at 1 meter and so requires 4 watts, not 1. That is still very little. But someone listening at 88db would need 8 watts etc.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi William, it is my understanding that the 6dB drop off is in an anechoic chamber. I would estimate a 3dB drop off as the distance doubles in a home listening environment. Thank you for watching and your feedback 😉

[@photoipster]

I am really enjoying your videos! Am sure you are aware, but your proacs produce 85db, but at 1 meter. Back off to 3 meters, and you need 89.5db...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jim 😊👍

[@fts81]

Dear Tarun, your videos are so accessible and informative, just great. I know you get a lot of these questions, but I have a question that won't go, no matter how much I read and think about it. I am trying to reorganize my system, which has some good pieces and others not so much. I have monitor audio speakers which I love. Hooked up to a marantz pm5005, a very basic amp, which I want to part ways with. I also have a schiit saga + pre-amp with a nice tube that I bought afterwards. My question would be: better keep the pre-amp and get a great power amp, or just swap it all for a decent integrated? can't make up my mind. I've been looking into Vincent, Parasound, Hegel, NAD, I like the Hegels that you've shown as well... I am just really confused regarding the amp choice. My room is not big... I like detail. Vincent looks amazing, but is class A... Sorry to bother! Thanks in advance!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Felipe, I am pretty clear on this one what I would do. I would go for a power amp to work with your Saga and MA speakers. There are lots of choices and what you should go for depends on your taste. The obvious power amp to add to your shortlist would be a Roksan K3. It is from the same stable as Monitor Audio and the likelihood is that your speakers will have been voiced using a Roksan amp. There is no point going for an integrated unless you want to ditch your Saga pre amp. If you like it then this doesn’t make sense. For the same money as an integrated you can get a much better power amp as you are not paying for features you do not need. I hope this helps. Good luck 👍😉

[@fts81]

A British Audiophile hi Tarun, thanks once again for the answer. It took me some time to reply because I’ve been doing my research (I’m a lab rat as well :D). What you said makes a lot of sense. But I never thought Roksan would be so hard to get in the US, I’m impressed. Anyway, if it gets hard to get a Roksan, Any alternatives? And which integrated would you suggest? I’m still looking into it, and will be making contacts with distributors on Monday. Your channel is getting better each and every day as well. Thanks so much for all this great info. Seriously. What about a video series in vinyl like the one you have on CDs? Cheers Felipe

[@zithulelemcunu8393]

I'm looking for that we longer have a music shop in South Africa

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊

[@JamesDavis-pt7ju]

I've always been in the mindset you need at least 100w for head room. Perhaps in need to rethink my position because as of now I'm look to buy an integrated amplifier. 40 to 50w seems inadequate. Look at nad and Cambridge in those watt ranges..

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Most people don’t need anywhere as many watts as they envisage. The current capability of the amp is very important as well as some other specs. Manufacturer’s have found various ways to manipulate the specs.

[@JamesDavis-pt7ju]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for the tip!

[@JamesDavis-pt7ju]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I purchased the NAD C328. I heard a demo of the Cambridge ax61, NAD C328 and Emotiva T100 using the same NAD cd player with the same sample songs and could hear the C328 resolve the music cleaner on those samples. The Cambridge and Emotiva made those samples sound rattlely and buzzy. The C328 played them cleanly... Received it late last UPS can't wait to replace it in my system... Thanks again!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@JamesDavis-pt7ju thanks James. Please let me know how you get on with it 😊

[@JamesDavis-pt7ju]

End up with the NAD 328 50wpc Class D preamp. Jamo 809 towers, Linn Mimik CD player. The Linn is now my transport as the NAD 328 only allows a CD play to be connected digitally. My Mimik has a strange data stream output port. Had to get a custom cable to go BNC out from the Mimik to coaxial into the NAD. Vinyl wise a Audio-Technica Lp120 USB direct drive turntable. Oh also purchased Hifiman HE-400i 2020 edition planar headphones 🎧 I'm really loving them...

[@Andersljungberg]

bass usually require liters more watts. especially if speakers with 8 or 10 inch elements and the amplifier should not be strained because then it will be Distortion

[@ericnortan9012]

I disagree with his power needs explanation. The more power available, especially with real speakers with actual bass producing woofers, the better. The speakers don't work as hard, even at low volume it makes a difference. I believe the more power available the better the all around sound top to bottom at 1db or 100db. Good video though, I could be wrong, my only measuring instrument is my ears and my clip indicators.

[@kokokloa2282]

agree.base on my experience.

[@richardsinger01]

eric nortan Could you explain how that works? How does having huge amounts of unused available power help and how does having lots of power in reserve make your speakers work less hard?

[@MrDunk66]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 👍👍👍😊😊😊👍👍👍

[@williamzame3708]

Isn't the sensitivity of 85db measured at 1 meter from the speaker? Surely you are sitting further away than that.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

You are right the sensitivity is 85dB @ 1m. I listen about 2 to 2.5m away.

[@gdevelek]

Your speakers produce 85dB AT ONE METER distance, not at your listening position.

[@jeremydubois9843]

Plosives in the dialog are killing my sub with wind noise. Please use a high pass filter on your Lav. The preamp is also distorting badly. Please lower input gain on your mic & use a compressor in your DAW or edit program.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Sorry Jeremy, hopefully the newer videos don’t have that problem.

[@Justwantahover]

I had the impression that separates were all about spreading them away from each other on the floor so they won't interfere with each other (by induction). lol

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

It would make a great obstacle course 😂

[@carmelovillena6174]

is that a proac d2r?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

ProAc 1SC 😊

[@carmelovillena6174]

very clean sound@@abritishaudiophile7314

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

actually today there are some inexpensive class a headphone amps like the headamp gilmore lite,rebel or aune x7s that can be used as preamps as well with rca outs if you can live without a remote and care about the best sound quality. tube gear like the ifi itube or woo audio headphone amps are also great value. if you aim at beginners please show a proper entry level desktop dac ,till they build the moho since the mojo is on one hand far too good for a mobile source and in ear headphones,too big when things like the cobalt exist,can't do mqa and totally impractical for desktop use. the qutest is 2k that's not qute at all....

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Yaniv, thanks for sharing 😉

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 i would love it if you can explain why adding a tube buffer or preamp in the chain can melt the harshness that you get when you use the pc as a source even with a proper dac. things like the itube can improve any desktop setup for really cheap. it's also a great piece for beginner audiophiles since it has a nos tube,can be used as a preamp or buffer and can't be beat for it's price.

[@edstud1]

What is a DAC?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Digital to analogue converter 😊

[@Distorted-Vision]

Has there been technical progress in amplifiers in the past 20 years? Wondering if I should buy new or used?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Not as much as you may think. It all come down to the individual setup 😊

[@Distorted-Vision]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Wondering if you'd consider making a video on this theme. For example, testing a brand new amp costing £500 currently on the market vs a second hand one from say 20 years ago that costs £500 on eBay.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Distorted-Vision that would be cool 😎

[@carmelovillena6174]

thats what i want snappy snare drums clear highs and mid but non fatiguing aaaaaawww

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@rotaxtwin]

I look at Watts like Horsepower - it's the easiest thing to toss around when you're selling.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Very good analogy 😉

[@aussie8114]

Choose an amplifier with tone controls. That is the number one thing I have learned from my experience.

[@colinvannbohemen11]

Yep, that's the lazy dog attitude.. wins every time. forget the audiophile approach though :)

[@aussie8114]

Colinvann Bohemen The audiophile approach would be to achieve tone through cable choice. I did that but it only gets you so far, and then what to do with the different album tone recordings. Do you throw away your favourite albums simply because they’re recorded too bright or too warm. No, you tweak the tone controls so you can enjoy them.

[@Peter-ii4xq]

"musical taste" what is that? Asking several musicians to do not play?

[@glyndavis3439]

Just another Blogger jumping on a bandwagon

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Glyn, you are absolutely right, I like bands and wagons. Being an audiophile and ex motor trade, I suppose it is part of the course.

[@jockojockoson9995]

All class Tarun. I bet Glyn is a morbidly obese virgin who lives with his parents.

[@GastonBulbous]

That thumbnail. First spend hundreds on devices to condition your power and shield your components. Then set a cheap lamp and light bulb right on top of your amp. 🤣

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cheap or expensive, makes no difference to me. I love that salt lamp 😊

[@jasonking5350]

yes it was at 405 min i was thinking his off speaking ufo shit every one went home lost use great thanks unsub

[@esteves1967]

How is it possible to review an audio amplifier without connect it and listen to it? Shame on you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I am a bit confused by your comment Miguel. Of course, you need to listen to an amplifier. I explained that in the video. I was explaining a process of narrowing down the field to audition.