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Integrated Amp Recommendations?

delfam

delfam

Active Member
Right now I'm using an H/K 630 receiver to power my KEF C80's but at only 35WPC I'm not getting full use out of my speakers.

I'm looking for an integrated amp for around $150-200 with about 60-80WPC so I can better use my speakers. Mainly using this for vinyl and I've searched on here but there's so many choices I couldn't decide.
 
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My first suggestion would be a Sansui AU 9500, or an AU 9900....
Those will double the wattage you have now, and both are great performers.

Upon re-reading your post I see a $ issue.....you may find a 9500 in the price range, but the 9900 is unlikely.
 
Can you let us know what you expect from "better use" of your speakers? What specifically is lacking in the 35-watt HK receiver that you want to remedy with a 60-watt unit? That'll help us make better recommendations.

A 10-watt amp could drive those speakers, so I think it would be helpful to know what you're not happy with.
 
well I'm new to vintage audio, but I bought the speakers from an AK member(toasted almond) and he said that 35WPC was fine but to get max potential from the speakers I'd need more power. Is this not true?
 
35 watts should be just fine to power those speakers. A higher powered amp might give you some cleaner headroom at high volume listening, but upgrading for the sake of upgrading, without fully understanding *why* you're upgrading and what the benefits are, is not the best way to get the most out of your system.

Understanding your system's deficiencies and problems (if any) would be a better place to begin.

Just my opinion...
 
benricci said:
35 watts should be just fine to power those speakers. A higher powered amp might give you some cleaner headroom at high volume listening, but upgrading for the sake of upgrading, without fully understanding *why* you're upgrading and what the benefits are, is not the best way to get the most out of your system.

Understanding your system's deficiencies and problems (if any) would be a better place to begin.

Just my opinion...
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how do I go about that? My system is in my signature, I guess my turntable is my weakest link, is that a better place to upgrade?
 
delfam said:
how do I go about that? My system is in my signature, I guess my turntable is my weakest link, is that a better place to upgrade?
Click to expand...

Let's start with the basics - is there anything you dislike about the sound of your system? Your current receiver should be plenty loud for almost all situations.

I seem to remember those old Pioneer PL series tables being pretty rock solid, and that HK receiver is pretty good, too. The *30 line from HK are all great, in my opinion. I've used phono inputs on the 430, 630 and 730 - all with fantastic results.

When it comes to vinyl playback, I always recommend starting at the source. So let's assume your vinyl is clean, your cartridge is properly aligned and your tone arm is setup properly.

Next, let's look at your stylus (which we'll also assume is cleaned regularly). If your playback isn't good from the start, no amount of amp or speaker upgrades are going to turn improper vinyl reproduction into audio gold.

How old/worn is your stylus? That might be a good place to start, as it's the first point of contact (literally) for your system. A cartridge upgrade can do wonders for soundstage, surface noise reduction, more balanced sound, frequency response, etc. when it comes to vinyl playback.

So when you DO eventually upgrade an amp or speaker, you'll truly be able to hear the benefits that they have to offer, as you're feeding them a good source to begin with.
 
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A jump to 60-80 watts will not give much more volume. The KEF's are 89db sensitive, which means 1 watt produces 89 db. The power required to get louder is a logarithmic scale. Twice the power you now have will get you 3 db more max volume, which is noticeable but won't chase the cat out of the room.
How loud do you listen now and do you want it louder? Are you always turning it up and wishing for more impact?
 
The Marantz 1250 is 125 wpc, gives you a nice step up in power, and you'll love the great Marantz sound!
 
What is it that you feel that you're missing? Adding watts isn't always the best solution to fill a void, and the 630 is a nice sounding vintage unit.
 
When I started with this forum I had an HK330C and a PL-112D - both bought new in 1976. I loved the HK330 sound up until it died this year. The HK630 is suppose to sound even better.

When I upgraded to a Pioneer PL-610 semi-auto the increase in sound quality was significant. I heard things in my 30+ yr old LPs that never heard before. I got the PL-610 for around $110 on the bay. There are a lot of other TT options in your price range. Maybe that is the place to start.

By the way, be careful. I started here with my old equipment but look at my sig to see where I have wound up. Upgrading can become addictive.
 
To me, you get some useful features stepping up to a mid powered integrated in your price range when playing vinyl. Adjustable phono loading, or even some basics like a subsonic filter (does the HK have a switch for that?) If you are playing vinyl I'd rather have that on the pre-amp than the extra watts at the output - 35W is enuf for most purposes.

Suggest something like a Yamaha CA-810, or maybe Pioneer SA-8800. Probably won't sound as warm as that HK, though.
 
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