Great integrated amp for around $500.00?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Gary, Dec 11, 2013.

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  1. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Thanks, Blakep!
     
    Gary, Dec 12, 2013
    #26
  2. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    john greenwood, Dec 13, 2013
    #27
  3. Paul K

    Paul K Senior Member

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Got me there!
    Btw I managed to fix your Lloyd's so you can come grab it anytime!
     
    Paul K, Dec 13, 2013
    #28
    Gary likes this.
  4. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    This whole idea started with my discontentment with the NAD receiver C 720 BEE (with a CDP), which I got used from a guy who upgraded to surround sound. Sure, I can crank it but it didn't hold a candle compared to anything else I owned, including my NAD 2140 amp (I don't have a preamp), Denon AVR886, Dynaco PAT4 and ST 120 and - obviously - my McIntosh tubes.

    I've always had problems with the Denon (bought at the Denon warehouse sale) in 5.1 mode so I have replaced it. But I think it's fine in 2.0 mode and has lots of options for speakers (A, B, zone 2) and has 90 watts per channel so there's no problem with power. I'm going to this and see if it improves the sound quality enough for my tastes.
     
    Gary, Dec 13, 2013
    #29
  5. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    So my repair guy does lots of McIntosh service for my local hi-fi shop. I had my AMC CVT3030 in several times with him, and he always told me it had sound similar to McIntosh at low to med volumes. It is a Peter Bath design (he worked for NAD). Mosfet pre with solid state bass and two EL34s per channel for mids and highs.

    The company is alive and producing replacement boards and parts again. YMMV

    It is reviewed and measured by Stereophile. Lots of reviews.
     
    jupiterboy, Dec 13, 2013
    #30
  6. bradleyc

    bradleyc Forum Resident

    Location:
    Midwest
    Music Direct is selling new A-stock Marantz PM6004 for $399 with free FedEx shipping, just placed a phone order several minutes ago. Hoping it'll be a good integrated for 2-channel HDTV setup with Klipsch RB-81 speakers.
     
    bradleyc, Dec 13, 2013
    #31
  7. Erik Tracy

    Erik Tracy Meet me at the Green Dragon for an ale

    Location:
    San Diego, CA, USA
    "scroe"! :winkgrin:
     
    Erik Tracy, Dec 13, 2013
    #32
  8. everton

    everton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Gary...Can I ask what you impression is with the 720 BEE? What don't you like about it? I have it, and I find that it does one or two things well (e.g., guitar sound). But the overall sound is just too warm for me to the point of being muddy.
     
    everton, Dec 13, 2013
    #33
  9. Roland Stone

    Roland Stone Offending Member

    Location:
    South of Southern Maryland
    Without reading glasses, I read the thread title as "Great integrated amp for around $500,000?"
     
    Roland Stone, Dec 13, 2013
    #34
    Gary likes this.
  10. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    I'd merely get an accessory for the amp. A house. :D
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 13, 2013
    Gary, Dec 13, 2013
    #35
  11. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    I bought it on an impulse when he said he had something buried up in his loft and when I discovered it was NAD, I snapped it up. I got the receiver and a NAD CDP. The price was right!

    I have my vintage Paradigm speakers hooked up to the receiver. I think they are the smallest they had, perhaps the Atom? Fit nicely next to the TV. Terrible sound quality, just dull and un-involving. Little bass. Sounded like a cheap radio playing. Sorry, I did not do much of an analysis, I ended up playing the local jazz station and over compressed CDs on it.

    I hooked up a much better pair of speakers at one point but it still sounded like crap. Sound quality was not much different than the Paradigm speakers. And I know they sound great! :(

    Finally (this week :D ) I decided to do something about it. Started this thread but I eventually realized I needed to do more research and think it through to which direction I should go. DAC? Internet capable receiver? Wireless, Apple Airport, music server? Sonos? Who knows? I've been mulling this over for a while now.

    So now I have the Denon AVR886 in place. The Paradigms sound much better! I have some 3 way floor standers as "B" speakers. Sounds wonderful.

    Audiophile quality? Ummm, no, but a marked improvement! Good for a secondary system!

    I still might poke about for that NAD integrated or a NAD digital amp. Most review say the NAD digital amp is on their desk by their computer. Or they use their headphones with it. Not my cup of tea! :)
     
    Gary, Dec 13, 2013
    #36
  12. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Sorry, one last thing. When I took the 720 BEE out, I didn't realize that I could hook up a separate amp to it and just use it as a preamp. Now I wonder what would happen if I had used my NAD 2140 as an amp..... ????
     
    Gary, Dec 13, 2013
    #37
  13. everton

    everton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Thanks, Gary. It may just be because of our preference. As far as I know, the 720 BEE has a similar amp section to that in the highly-praised 320 BEE integrated amp. I once read on a forum that several people could not distinguish between the sound of the two. For me, I just don't like warm sound. I know that many people like the NAD/Marantz kind of sound. But I prefer open, brighter sound.
     
    everton, Dec 13, 2013
    #38
    Gary likes this.
  14. vinyl anachronist

    vinyl anachronist Senior Member

    Location:
    Lakeside, Oregon
    I've only heard it at shows, where it sounded amazing for the money. Have you read the rave review in this month's Stereophile?
     
    vinyl anachronist, Dec 13, 2013
    #39
  15. avbuff

    avbuff Forum Resident

    Location:
    Central NY
    Wow, I thought AMC crashed and burned many moons ago!
    I purchased an AMC Pro7 outboard Dolby surround processor from Audio Advisor which I still have boxed up under the bed. Not many hours on that baby. It garnered some decent press back in the day, but it was pretty much outdated not long after I purchased it. (Money not well spent!).
    AMC manufactured a tubed component at that time that was pretty well received.
    I can't remember what in particular that component was... Power Amp, maybe?
     
    avbuff, Dec 13, 2013
    #40
    jupiterboy likes this.
  16. jupiterboy

    jupiterboy Forum Residue

    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Probably the CVT3030—an integrated. They sell them now for 1,500 or so (not worth it), but if you could pick one up gone over by a shop for $500 or even a used for less with the knowledge you could get new boards, well, maybe an option. 30-watts, Class A, EL 34s—not the most detailed sound, but nice to drive some vintage speakers.
     
    jupiterboy, Dec 14, 2013
    #41
  17. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    I have.

    Most of the reviews I've read emphasize the convenience and footprint and they seem to be part of a computer set up on a desk top. But at least there is a 2 channel input and 30W is probably adequate. I'd prefer 24/192 and the D 3020 is 24/96. Maybe the next generation...
     
    Gary, Dec 15, 2013
    #42
  18. eelkiller

    eelkiller One of the great unwashed

    Location:
    Northern Ontario
    Then we might have different people posting in the thread. :)
     
    eelkiller, Dec 15, 2013
    #43
  19. Gary

    Gary Nauga Gort! Staff Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    So you think I'd get more responses if I changed the thread title? :winkgrin:
     
    Gary, Dec 15, 2013
    #44
  20. vinyl anachronist

    vinyl anachronist Senior Member

    Location:
    Lakeside, Oregon
    I think the $500 limit may be a factor in finding something that does 24/192 well. I'm sure there are plenty of products out there that can, but are they reliable? Do they sound good?

    We just started carrying an Italian line that features plenty of these types of products, but they only do 24/96. But for every person who has said they're holding out for 24/192, there's two who just buy the product and enjoy it because it really sounds nice.
     
    vinyl anachronist, Dec 16, 2013
    #45
  21. mdm08033

    mdm08033 Senior Member

    Location:
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Really, Paradigm Atoms that sounded bad? Micros, maybe? The Micro's had a cheaper woofer and tweeter not made my Paradigm, but Atoms are Stereophile quality cheap gear. I sold a ton of these bad in the day and have Atom v.2 based 5.1 rig in my living room.

    I'm not trying to start a war, but I'd just hate to see decent cheap gear get a bad reputation around here.
     
    mdm08033, Dec 16, 2013
    #46
  22. beowulf

    beowulf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chula Vista, CA
    You could probably have a few more choices if you considered used. I've seen Rega Brio-R's come in under $600 used. The Rega is only a half width component and could fit in a tight space, etc.
     
    beowulf, Dec 16, 2013
    #47
  23. bluesky

    bluesky Senior Member

    Location:
    south florida, usa
    1987 Sansui AU-X901 'Vintage'. 130W RMS.
     
    bluesky, Dec 16, 2013
    #48
  24. Combination

    Combination Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Orleans
    To me, one of the most underrated pieces of gear is the Audio Refinement integrated amp - it's not made anymore, but it can be found for $450 or so with patience. It's probably the best buy I ever had in any area of home audio. Vinyl lovers will have to get a phono stage to go with it.
     
    Combination, Dec 16, 2013
    #49
  25. woody

    woody Forum Resident

    Location:
    charleston, sc
    woody, Dec 16, 2013
    #50
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