retseldrib
pfm Member
The K2s are set at 3 O'Clock each and drive the bass and modrange on a nov 1992 pair of Isobariks. I have Avondale monoblocks driving the treble
B&W CM1, a powerful amp modest costing
- Thread starter nico
- Start date
The K2s are set at 3 O'Clock each and drive the bass and modrange on a nov 1992 pair of Isobariks. I have Avondale monoblocks driving the treble
alechodgson
New Member
I've only purchased 2 amps new, against 10 or so second hand. The most expensive new amp I purchased broke, not something i've ever experienced with second hand kit.
It's the best budget amp around. And it works really well with those speakers.
Power? More than sufficient at 58W, but the quality is what counts. You'd have to spend three times the price to match the quality of the Nait 5i.
Easily powerful enough when I tried the combination.
The 58W figure comes from a technical test. Accords with my findings, because the 5i sounds a lot more powerful than its rated output suggests. My speakers have the same sensitivity as the B&Ws and are fine. The only problem I ever had was the neighbour banging on the wall late one night.
djftw
Heterodox Member
I would agree with Avole, I've heard various Naim/B&W combos - indeed I have a NAP150 driving 603 s3s at the minute* - and not once have I heard this fabled "lack of power/inability to drive". I have long since come to the conclusion that it is just a myth perpetuated on the Naim Forum, and less frequently here. I suspect that the issues some report have more to do with the suitability of the speakers for the room.
*In a pretty sizeable room I might add ~14' x 24'
*In a pretty sizeable room I might add ~14' x 24'
Robert
Tapehead
I know the Naim and Cambridge but not the Denon.
Both the Naim and CA would sound fine with minimal if any difference into your CM1s.
The Denon also looks like a very nice amp though and if the price is right - go for it. There is no reason for it to sound worse than the others and it would drive the B&Ws without problem.
kuma
Duchess of The Hustle
Which speakers?
Powerful to me isn't just a volume issue. It's a control of driver issues, too. An amp might go loud but then can't control the drivers quick enough.
There is a subjective opinion on an amp driving speakers and driving speakers WELL.
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
I heard the much bigger CM9's powered by the new Creek Destiny 2, and it had total effortless control. The combination was both transparent and, when the music demanded, surprisingly lush. Ok, the Destiny 2 is over budget, but I think that its a good bit better than a Nait 5i or a Cambridge 840i (or a Nait XS). I think it doesn't get appreciated on forums, perhaps because they use to have the tag of being the poor person's Naim, and they are now made in China. The outgoing model won't be quite as good but available cheaper now. I would stress that if I was blindfolded and I'd been told the Destiny 2 was a £3k pre/power combination I wouldn't have been surprised.
kuma
Duchess of The Hustle
James
Lord of the Erg\o/s
I'm sure a pair of 105dB/w horns will make the NAIT2 sound exceedingly powerful.
Elephantears
Trunkated Aesthete
No one has mentioned the recent Exposure integrateds. The 3010s2 is very powerful and its a Tony Brady design so should be excellent.
Personally although I think a Nait 5i is good I would prefer a second hand Onix 21 unless a remote was essential. The same goes for any sub-£1000 integrateds I've heard unless you need a lot of power.
Personally although I think a Nait 5i is good I would prefer a second hand Onix 21 unless a remote was essential. The same goes for any sub-£1000 integrateds I've heard unless you need a lot of power.
Happily the Nait is particularly nimble in that regard, and drives speakers WELL. Went down from a 120W amp to the Nait because a) it sounded better, B) it controlled the speakers better, and C) dynamics were a revelation.
Brand of speakers doesn't matter, since your hypothesis should work with any speaker having the same impedance.
How do valve amps fit in with the theory?
kuma
Duchess of The Hustle
I don't think that's my hypothesis at all to be honest.
Beats me. Speaker matching is paramount to get the best out of some of them. But even then, some amps just don't have enough mojo.
3 Grand to do better.
Really?
How about the NaitXS?
Leema's integrated offerings?
Exposure's mighty fine efforts?
And dozens more. It's all very well this excessive hyperbole, but you may influence what a fellow spends his hard earned on, so some rational appraisal may be more appropriate.