So, first post from a relative newbie here.
I just inherited a pair of old KEF 101 SP1122s from my dad. They need the usual work for KEFs of this age (recapping/crossover rebuild) but assuming that can be done, I would really like to use them. The question is what receiver or amp I need to make them really sing.
My current rig has an NAD 7220PE receiver driving a set of Boston Acoustic Micro 90 speakers and a Micro 80 subwoofer. This works pretty well for me in my small (11x12) basement media room, mostly listening to classical, jazz, or folk rock. However, I wonder if I need more power for the 101s. I had them running briefly with this rig and they sounded great right up until the protection kicked in, confirming the problems with the speaker crossover circuitry. But from what I've read, I'm not sure if the 7220PE is really up to driving the 101s properly.
If I do need to upgrade the receiver (or integrated amp -- radio is not necessary), there is one major complicating factor: I have a fairly tiny space to set my components in, unless I rebuild my record cabinet. The space is currently just 8 inches high, which is enough for the 7220 and a CD Player with some room for airflow. Anything taller than the 7220 (~3.25 inches) is going to be tight. The rebuild isn't terribly hard but I'd like to avoid if possible.
Budget isn't huge either -- say $400-500 at the top and ideally less. I've really liked my current NAD, which I've used off and on since the 1990s, and considered just going to a larger model from the same era (a 7240PE, for example), which I could do for under $300.
Another option would be to swipe the rest of my dad's rig, but it seems like massive overkill: an NAD 1300 preamp and ADCOM GFA-545 power amp (currently driving a pair of Magnepan MG-1s that I absolutely do not have room for). And it would eat up a ton of space, because none of that gear is exactly compact.
Any comments or suggestions?
I just inherited a pair of old KEF 101 SP1122s from my dad. They need the usual work for KEFs of this age (recapping/crossover rebuild) but assuming that can be done, I would really like to use them. The question is what receiver or amp I need to make them really sing.
My current rig has an NAD 7220PE receiver driving a set of Boston Acoustic Micro 90 speakers and a Micro 80 subwoofer. This works pretty well for me in my small (11x12) basement media room, mostly listening to classical, jazz, or folk rock. However, I wonder if I need more power for the 101s. I had them running briefly with this rig and they sounded great right up until the protection kicked in, confirming the problems with the speaker crossover circuitry. But from what I've read, I'm not sure if the 7220PE is really up to driving the 101s properly.
If I do need to upgrade the receiver (or integrated amp -- radio is not necessary), there is one major complicating factor: I have a fairly tiny space to set my components in, unless I rebuild my record cabinet. The space is currently just 8 inches high, which is enough for the 7220 and a CD Player with some room for airflow. Anything taller than the 7220 (~3.25 inches) is going to be tight. The rebuild isn't terribly hard but I'd like to avoid if possible.
Budget isn't huge either -- say $400-500 at the top and ideally less. I've really liked my current NAD, which I've used off and on since the 1990s, and considered just going to a larger model from the same era (a 7240PE, for example), which I could do for under $300.
Another option would be to swipe the rest of my dad's rig, but it seems like massive overkill: an NAD 1300 preamp and ADCOM GFA-545 power amp (currently driving a pair of Magnepan MG-1s that I absolutely do not have room for). And it would eat up a ton of space, because none of that gear is exactly compact.
Any comments or suggestions?
