advertisement


I need an amp with punch and clarity

Navyblue said:
Anyone heard the Cambridge Audio CXA81? Some review says they are punchy and forward while some say they sound warm and vintage. I don't know what to make of it.

On the new market currently these models stood out for me:
- Cambridge Audio CXA81
- Audiolab 8300MB (250W into 8Ω monoblocks, I've never had amps with this kind of wattage)
- Topping LA90D (some described it as a little forward, which is a good thing in my book)
Click to expand...
yes i have seen that about the cambridge . shows the importance of listening for yourself , one mans bright is another mans lovely sound !!! bit like cars really
 
@Navyblue
I will be listing my GamuT D200 mk2 in the classified soon if that's of interest?
Only reason for imminent sale is a major change in direction. I'm going from beefy amp & 'wall of sound' ML Summits, to a Puresound A30 valve integrated and higher efficiency box speakers (currently Kef 104ab).
 
Dynavector HX-75, HX-1.2 or HX-100. Actually, any of these if you can find one. They are rare as hen's teeth, but superbly powerful, punchy and groovy-sounding.
 
I don’t recognise the OP’s description of the Roksan Blak, so can’t really make any recommendations. Either we have very different frames of reference, or there was something wrong when auditioned. I suspect the former.
 
Sue Pertwee-Tyr said:
I don’t recognise the OP’s description of the Roksan Blak, so can’t really make any recommendations. Either we have very different frames of reference, or there was something wrong when auditioned. I suspect the former.
Click to expand...

I think that it depends on what you're used to, also testing at home with one's system is very different from trying on retailers with different speakers.
I think that @Navyblue needs to do a home trial or to take his speakers to the store.
I suspect that he would be happier with different speakers.
 
If it's punch separation and clarity you're after the Naim Supernait 2 or 3 would be good to have a listen to. I had a SN2 and really liked it. I have a Hegel H390 now and this is another league. More grunt than I'll ever need, will drive pretty much any speaker, has a great dac and streamer. Highly recommended.
 
Chefren said:
I've had mine for over 12 years now and I do love them. With a suitable amplifier, they can indeed do some decent dynamics, but they are not of course near the top league for this even when well partnered.

I have been wondering myself if the next step could be the Graham Audio ls5/9 - it's apparently more lively and punchy than the C7 but still keeps to the BBC family sound in the midrange. However there is a problem - sales to Finland happen from Denmark and the only retailer for the Danish company does not actually carry any Graham Audio products, so while I can probably order one domestically, I can't get a demo without travelling abroad..
Click to expand...

Having listened to all P3ESR, C7ES3, M30.1 and M30.2, owned the SHL5/SHL5+ for a decade and currently have the Graham LS5/9, in my view the Graham is a more revealing speaker with slightly higher levels of clarity than the Harbeth which gives greater insight into the music. The Harbeth has a nice, smooth and pleasing tone but it imposes quite a bit to the sound, masking the fine detail as if there's a thin layer of blanket covering the speakers. Sorry but that's what I feel. A close friend who once owned the SHL5+ also shares the same impression and now owns the Graham LS8/1. He recently bought the M30.2 40th Anniversary to compare with the LS8/1 and similarly reached the same conclusion, the Graham being more accurate and natural, the Harbeth more coloured.

If there are people who are not a Harbeth owner yet and are exploring the models, I would highly recommend that you seriously look at the Graham as an alternative. The LS5/9, LS8/1 or larger models. Both Harbeth and Graham are good but sound slightly different. There will be fans who adore either one. Nonetheless, if you wish to seek better clarity and detail and hear deeper into the music, the Graham will be a better choice.
 
To the OP, as mentioned earlier by several members on this thread, instead of looking at amps to bring clarity and punch to the Harbeth C7ES3, it may be worthwhile to explore other speakers that are able to give you that while not deviating a lot from the Harbeth sound. The Graham is a strong contender and perhaps Dynaudio too as suggested by someone here.
 
I hope I don't have to say this on every page. I'm not trying to turn a Harbeth into a Klipsch, or even a Dynaudio, which I find somewhat too sharp at least with certain amp btw. I listen to mostly vocals, most often with acoustic instrument. I do not major in rock music or mainstream music. If you are imagining a rock guy finding it hard to rock with Harbeth, that guy doesn't exist. :D

I bought this speaker about a year ago and slowly saving up for the other components. So I am still missing an amp at the moment. In the meanwhile I got to know the speaker with stuffs I have lying around, and identify the prefered direction to nudge the system to. I also don't want my different systems to sound alike. If they sound too alike then one of them has to go. Like I said ealier, if I buy an entry model Naim, it will probably end up in my other system.

The only Graham I heard is the LS3/5a, which I might still buy someday. Even if I am buying a big Graham today, something tells me a $200 SMSL is sub optimal.
 
johnhunt said:
Class d
Click to expand...

I chose AMB Lab Alpha 20 as my preamp build partly because I can use it to drive Purifi modules (or other class D modules) directly, thus eliminating stock or third party buffer. Class D, or other "hifi" sounding class AB, pretty much guarantees clarity. But they are also never aggressive sounding. If there is no better option I will probably default to this path. It's also Topping LA90D is on my short list. It's not class D, but I expect them to sound alike. Not as much power as Purifi, but better measurement.

IMO, the "superpower" of Harbeth's Radial 2 drivers is that they can take aggressive and dry sounding electronics and they will never sound dry or get too aggressive. So I would like to fully take advantage of this in building a system for it. Hence I am looking out for punchy and clear amps that might sound overly aggressive or dry with "normal" speakers.
 
Lurch said:
@Navyblue
I will be listing my GamuT D200 mk2 in the classified soon if that's of interest?
Only reason for imminent sale is a major change in direction. I'm going from beefy amp & 'wall of sound' ML Summits, to a Puresound A30 valve integrated and higher efficiency box speakers (currently Kef 104ab).
Click to expand...
fab amp , rare now
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top