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Is a $2k amp logical for a 700sq.ft. Apartment?

parksung

parksung

New Member
Here's my setup thus far:
  • Rega RP1 turntable (no plan on upgrading unless there's some amazing deal)
  • B&W 602 S3 speakers which I love and don't plan on upgrading
  • Mission CD player (90s era, love it, sounds great, will have it til it dies)
  • Harmon Kardon 990 amp (weighs 50lbs, capacity is far beyond what I need, pain to program, cannot even carry it out of the house alone it's such a monster)
Here's my situation:
  • I live in a 700sq.ft. Open concept one bedroom
  • I had a Rotel 75wpc amp from the 90s and compared to the HK990, there wasn't a mind blowing difference in sound. It was noticeable but the HK didn't blow me away
The real questions:
  • Is spending $2k+ on a Peachtree Nova125 or similar quality insane to spend considering the size of my apartment? I won't live here forever and will move into a 2 bedroom but not a house.
  • Should I just buy a new amp that is cheaper but with enough power for my B&Ws?
I've used my friend's Cyrus 3i power amp/amp and it sounded more detailed than my HK. Cyrus stuff is even more than Peachtree (for the 2 piece setup he lent me) so I can't afford that route. Period.

What should I be looking at for my B&Ws, and rest of the system which is all British?
 
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parksung said:
  • Should I just buy a new amp that is cheaper but with enough power for my B&Ws?
Click to expand...

This. I'd look for an amp that compliments your B&W's and leaves you with some money to put toward an eventual move into a more congenial music friendly environment.

Mark Gosdin
 
Since when did the size of the room relate to the price of any gear to be used in it? My advice is to buy the best gear you like and can afford.
 
I'd say to go ahead if you think it would make a big difference and it's not going to ding you financially. Maybe try a few different amps before jumping on the Peachtree. I have a few different Yamaha amps and they match well with my B&W gear.

I'll admit that trying to build a system for an apartment is difficult. It's always a balancing act of good sound, space to put the good sound and not annoying the neighbors. I am actually running my DMs rather than the larger 804s just because they don't put out quite as much bass and seem to be much more forgiving set up in a smaller, not nearly symmetrical, room than the Matrix speakers. That and the left speaker is in the walking path on the way to my kitchen. When I had the 804s set up I almost elbowed the tweeter off the top of the thing every time I walked by at night. Luckily my sleepy brain remembered that there are speakers there and I never made contact but eventually I probably would have so into the spare bedroom they went.
 
Those speakers have 90db sens, so 125W through them at about 6.5 feet away at max rms power would be 105db. Thats between a Snowblower and a Helicopter in loudness. Loud enough? You must be the judge.
That wattage is low for 2k(only my opinion) but I see that Nova amp is integrated and does fancy things as well. Its a Class D amp, which people either seem to love or hate, so be sure what side of that wall you stand on.

Otherwise, buying a quality piece of gear is never really a bad idea, no matter what it is, as long as you can afford it. It may last you the rest of your life, and maybe some of the next owners. Amortizing that cost over that long, and you'll never lose.
 
90 db 1 watt= 84 db 2 meters, 100 watts = 104 db, which is concert level, but with no peak reserve. I wouldn't be worrying about amps, I would be worrying about speakers. You need something with 96 db sensitivity.

But as always you have to know your listening style.. If you are into types of music with a lot of processing during the recording I wouldn't be concerned to much about power required. If you are into the types of music with great dynamic range you could be in real trouble fast. Are you having issues with long term listening fatigue, does your significant other frown when you up the volume just a bit? Does the tonal balance really shift with volume change, are your speakers becoming edgy on the high end and loosing bass on the bottom. If so, its time to go shopping.
 
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To me, it's almost as if the more "intimate" the setting , the more that higher quality is necessary....being close to properly set up speakers will more often than not allow one to ascertain the quality of gear at lower volume levels than in bigger spaces.

The Peachtree is a very good amplifier, easily better than the Rotel, and with its' USB input, 24/192 Sabre DAC capability (another upgrade from 1990's CD technology if your Mission has a digital output), and the addition of the tube makes the Nova, in my opinion, a better device than the HK....the Nova will also probably be better for the B&W's metal tweeter as it is not a harsh sounding amplifier, and has the ability to use the tube in the circuit giving an even smoother, high quality tube sound...and yes, tube rolling can prove enlightening on Peachtree units...I'm working with a customer's Peachtree Grand integrated (yes, a discontinued unit) but it was easily a better sounding unit than a Krell KAV300i, not just to me but to anyone who participated in the comparison, that was connected up to either a set of KEF's or a set of Golden Ear Tritons....

USB connectivity is also a huge deal for me....I have hundreds upon hundreds of CD's ripped into WAV format, along with hundreds of high-res files that I've either downloaded or recorded from LPs using either a PS Audio NuWave Phonoconverter or another external 24/192 ADC that are stored on hard drives in a dedicated computer for audio and video...being without a USB interface and having to go back to using a CD player is just, well, wrong...even through the same external DAC (the Chord Qute), the computer using JRiver as a media manager and player delivers sound that is just a step better than any of the CD players or transports I have tried, especially when using JRiver's upsampling or SACD functions...plus, Netflix really pounds when watching dynamic stuff like Daredevil or Jessica Jones on my 50" plasma through this setup.

The new Peachtree 150 that is available for pre-order now from dealers also has a built in MM phono stage, so using your Rega won't cause you to have to find an external phono stage...and, it only lists for $1499 here in the states....it does not have a tube integrated into the unit, but it seems as if every generation of Peachtree amplifiers builds upon and exceeds the previous units.And, if you are one of the Apple Kool-Aid drinkers, there is a direct iOS input for you

The Nova 220SE is a seriously good integrated, has the tube circuitry built in, but you would have to budget for an external phono stage. It lists for $1599.

But, if you aren't here in the US, then I would not know about anywhere else in the world as far as pricing goes, that is...

Apparently another good thing is the weight of the Peachtree vs. the HK, about half the weight....
 
PS:
Having the DAC and phono stage in one package along with the integrated helps with space limitations in a smaller space....
 
Peach tree makes very nice integrated amps. I had a 65 for a bit with BW 603s too. And my room was was about 700 sf. The 125 will do a good job w/ those speakers and you should be able to get one under $1k. I did see a member list a Mac MA6100 on BT for even less. Lots of nice choices to experiment with to find your sweet spot.
 
You are happy with your speakers and do not wish to change, so that question is settled. I think you,like the more esoteric equipment. The rogue Sphinx is a nice unit or the Peachtree, your choice. For excellent bang for the buck, I like Yamaha AS 501, 801. I also use a few Grace Digital FM/internet wi/fi tuners. have fun!
 
I'm not a B&W fan (not my cuppa tea), but I know they can be very revealing of the source being used. I would not skimp on an amp with speakers of this caliber. By "amp" I'm assuming you are talking about an integrated amp? You could possibly get into some nice tubed integrated amps and get some really nice results. No need to stick with all-British components either--if you find a combination that works for you, then roll with it! It's all about enjoying the sound you're getting out of your system. :) I tend to buy things used--I let someone else take the drop in value from new. It allows me to buy more for the dollar.
 
I'd do some low'ish cost experiments. I'd buy a late model used Sony TA xxxx ES of eBay and try it out. It's similar to the Peachtree in the amplification section. The front end is different of course. But, if it sounds good with the speakers, you have made proof of concept.

You could either keep the Sony as a spare, or re-sell it and go the Peachtree. I'm nervous about just dropping the coin w/o finding if the speakers are happy with that style of amplification ... The Sony will have plenty of power to show you what the upside is for that style of amplification.
 
The Peachtree makes sense to me, and they tend to look great while also sounding that way. If that's in your budget, and you love it then pull the trigger 'cause love usually ain't logical anyway.
 
$/sf is more of an architectural metric. In the $2000 range you have lots of options, both low power and high power.

In situations where I'm determined to spend some money, I tend to go for something exotic or special in some way. Some people just enjoy the flipping routine and trade up (or more often, trade sideways) every few months. I'm not like that.

A few years ago I spent around $1800 on a tube amp. At 6 watts/channel, it has some limitations but I adore the amp and play it 24x7.
 
I would look at your needs from a different perspective, as what constitutes a better sounding amp in an apartment is an amp that does well with micro-dynamics.......meaning it sounds great at lower levels. I found that low level listening does at times require some loudness compensation if your gear isn't good at giving full range up easily.
 
I have B&W DM603 S3s and totally get why you don't plan on replacing your speakers. They're amazing. In fact, in 2005, Stereophile gave the 603 S3s their budget product of the year.

That said, if you don't need (notice I said, "need," not "want") to replace your amp, you probably have all you need in an amp. As much as I love my B&Ws, I think spending a lot of money on amps might be money spent on things you don't realize a benefit from.
 
parksung said:
What should I be looking at for my B&Ws, and rest of the system which is all British?
Click to expand...

My take on this is: look for a high quality class A amplifier, and don't think too much about the rated power. For example, a Musical Fidelity A120 or A1-X integrated amps.
 
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