$3000 budget for amp to drive Vandersteen 3A signatures, Local store recommends NAD M3

[spdif-usb]

I have to disagree with you on that one. I could'nt imagine not taking the speakers sonic signature into account. When you are putting together a system and matching components, you need to consider the sonic signature of all the components. How else will you get them to sound good together? As far as frequency response goes, you should definately take it into consideration. For me, at least, I need more than that. In addition to FR, I look at many other factors that I believe are relavent.

Essentially, you're right if you want to tweak the sound signature of the speakers but personally, I, prefer not to. I just couldn't live with my system if it wasn't perfectly linear so I went for the Emo because it's entirely flat and, therefore, it doesn't mess with the linear signature of my Cantons as that's what makes a piano sound like a piano, if you get what I mean.

[4est]

Essentially, you're right if you want to tweak the sound signature of the speakers but personally, I, prefer not to. I just couldn't live with my system if it wasn't perfectly linear so I went for the Emo because it's entirely flat and, therefore, it doesn't mess with the linear signature of my Cantons as that's what makes a piano sound like a piano, if you get what I mean.

 

Hmm. You do realize that most modern electronic equipment is very "flat" concerning frequency response; that sonic signature has a different meaning; and that all equipment has a "signature" of some sort.

[xyz]

spdif-usb, 4est

 

I know one thing for certain. You are clearly very happy with your system. However you are going about picking your components, its working. Very few people get to where you are. Also, 4est brings up a point that I believe is true, as well. When you say "what makes a piano sound like a piano", I would call that timbre. For me, an example of sonic signature would be how a Jeff Rowland amp has a very easy going laid back sound (The older, tradidional designs; I haven't heard enough of the new class d amps to form an opinion one way or another). To compare, I would say that a Krell has a very different, more upfront and direct sound. Neither one is wrong; its just a matter of what you prefer. Personally, I don't like doing things this way (something tells me spdif dosen't, as well), but very often somone will buy something like a Jeff Rowland in an attempt to balance, or flatten out, say, a bright pair of speakers. In theory, it sounds like a good idea but is very difficult in practice.

[Kimo]

Thanks Kimo, I meant to mention Odyssey but forgot.

 

Drove the 3s with no problem.

 

I could offer up the ultimate speaker cable for the Vandys as well, and it is cheap, if you ever care to give it a try. Requires a little work, but not that much.

[wdomeika]

For approx $3K you can get a mint McIntosh MC252...a classic SS amp.

 

Do you buy brand new cars off the lot?

[realhifi]

very often somone will buy something like a Jeff Rowland in an attempt to balance, or flatten out, say, a bright pair of speakers. In theory, it sounds like a good idea but is very difficult in practice.

 

Very. I agree.

[Jud]

I dislike system balancing as a goal because it is as elementary as "two wrongs don't make a right." Any component with such an overt sound of its own that you can hear it is too bright or dark is doing something very wrong. To then combine two such defective components and hope by doing so to get good realistic sound is not just hard, it's impossible. Build a system in which each component at least does nothing obviously wrong if you want good sound overall.

[mayhem13]

I dislike system balancing as a goal because it is as elementary as "two wrongs don't make a right." Any component with such an overt sound of its own that you can hear it is too bright or dark is doing something very wrong. To then combine two such defective components and hope by doing so to get good realistic sound is not just hard, it's impossible. Build a system in which each component at least does nothing obviously wrong if you want good sound overall.

 

At last!........we agree on something......WoooHoooo!

[spdif-usb]

I dislike system balancing as a goal because it is as elementary as "two wrongs don't make a right." Any component with such an overt sound of its own that you can hear it is too bright or dark is doing something very wrong. To then combine two such defective components and hope by doing so to get good realistic sound is not just hard, it's impossible. Build a system in which each component at least does nothing obviously wrong if you want good sound overall.

I cannot agree more. When I was putting my system together, there were only a few things I struggled with. For example, lifting the amp up from the floor. lol Also, pulling the tube out of the DAC (Bill O'Connell posted you have to gently wiggle it but when I did that it still didn't want to budge, so it took me about 15 minutes to figure out by myself I was supposed to wiggle it in circular movements).

Writing the volume control script for foobar2000 was actually the most fun. Anyway, though... my point is the speaker placement and room treatments were the easiest part. Alot of people seem to prefer bright, but not too bright, so they buy speakers that are too bright for them and then they start looking for a slightly dark amp or DAC and, when they've finally found that, they call it "synergy". However, to me, personally, brightness just means fake detail and that's just it.

[ipeverywhere]

This post caused me to create an account so "Hi" for the first time to everyone.

 

I've hand the 3a Sigs since 2005 and _love_ them. Been driving them with a Rotel RMB-1095 and am now in a new house, with a new room, and ready for a significant upgrade. Local shop is recommending Classe (>$3000 each channel) monoblocks because I think it's the only thing that comes close to my price range in their store. A friend of mine thinks I'm crazy and is recommending used Bryston which would be in the $3000 range but he's basing that on his experience with Bryston not Bryston w/Vandersteen.

 

I also found this quote buried on the Vandersteen website "THE AESTHETIX IS A AMP WE OFTEN USE AT THE SHOW." Of course the Aesthetix is north of the $3000 budget as well.

 

I'm in the process of fixing some room acoustics and then will be bringing home some gear for a good listen. Keep the suggestions flowing. Thanks

[babybear]

This post caused me to create an account so "Hi" for the first time to everyone.

 

I've hand the 3a Sigs since 2005 and _love_ them. Been driving them with a Rotel RMB-1095 and am now in a new house, with a new room, and ready for a significant upgrade. Local shop is recommending Classe (>$3000 each channel) monoblocks because I think it's the only thing that comes close to my price range in their store. A friend of mine thinks I'm crazy and is recommending used Bryston which would be in the $3000 range but he's basing that on his experience with Bryston not Bryston w/Vandersteen.

 

Hi lpeverywhere,

 

The original poster of this thread has also posted the same question on Audiogon and has gotten the basic same set of answers. A McCormack amp, the Theta Dreadnaught and the Ayre V-5XE. All of these are very good suggestions. Having owned the Vandy 3A's and (still do for a second system) and then having owned the Vandy 5A's for 4 years I have used the McCormack DNA-1 and the Theta Dreadnaught 2 with the Vandy speakers and can confirm that either of these (especially the Dreadnaught) will be a very significant upgrade for you from the Rotel that you are using now. In my opinion, the Dreadnaught is the better sounding amp with the Vandy speakers compared to the McCormack. The Ayre V-5XE would also be an excellent choice and again a significant step up from the Rotel.

 

I have listened to Vandy speakers at various shows and at several dealer as well. Vandersteen typically shows his speakers with amps from 3 companies - ARC, Aesthetix and Ayre. With ARC, in the past he has used the ARC Ref 110 or Ref 210 amps and now the newer Ref 150 or Ref 250. I have also used the Ref 210's with my Vandy 5A's and can tell you that it is a wonderful match and I preferred that combo better than the Theta Dreadnaught amp. The new Ref 150 and Ref 250 are supposed to be even better sounding than the Ref 110 or Ref 150. I have also heard the new 5A carbon speakers with the Aesthetix Atlas stereo amp and again this is a great match. I have heard the Vandy 7 speakers with the Ayre VX-R stereo amp and this is also a good match.

 

My point of all of this is that it would be best if you can audition one of these amps in your own system as they all sound different. If an audition is not possible than if you can find a used Dreadnaught or Ayre V5XE that is in your budget, you will be getting a significant upgrade in sound compared to your Rotel. I cannot comment on Bryston as I have never heard on of their amps.

[4est]

It only took 15 minutes to figure out how to remove the tube, and you did it all by yourself? Speaker placement and room treatments were the easiest parts, and writing some script was the most fun?

 

It all makes sense to me now!

[spdif-usb]

It only took 15 minutes to figure out how to remove the tube, and you did it all by yourself? Speaker placement and room treatments were the easiest parts, and writing some script was the most fun?

 

It all makes sense to me now!

I thought noone would ask. lol The DAC has a death grip on the tube. It is very hard to remove if you don't have the intuition it takes to figure out by yourself how to do it. I was only using this as an example of what can be hard about building a system. Compared to examples like this, speaker placement and room treatments can be, but IMO shouldn't be, alot harder because if people simply choose their components more wisely then they can typically very easily avoid such difficult problems.

The reason why I also mentioned that volume control script I wrote is because I think it's a fine example of how it can be both easy AND fun to come up with a solution that costs nothing and does the job better than what most other people would recommend instead (expensive preamps, which do nothing but consume power and degrade the quality of the sound). Again, that's just IMO.