$500 Amp Recommendations, KEF LS50

[Sal1950]

Well, I am also interested in trying out different DACs and want a separate amp for that purpose. And I don't want too much amp for the KEFs. I don't drive them too hard and we do listen in nearfield almost 90% of the time. The problem isn't lack of bass, there really isn't a problem per se, just looking to experiment and a modest improvement.

 

Just throwing out ideas for a upgrade path that would provide a significant upgrade in SQ while staying within yourbudget. We started with the approach in the $ bracket you had requested.

Any SQ change from the amp alone would be very subtle, the Sprout isn't chopped liver but is limited in power. You didn't mention what was handling your DAC duties currently but in any case going into a very budget DAC like a Dragonfly, any improvement at all would be debatable.

Staying in your $1-1.5K budget you could put together a miniDSP box handling DAC, crossover, and room EQ duties plus a reasonable subwoofer from say Hsu or SBS. This would give you a whole game changer world of upgrade to your rigs sound quality.

Cheers

[fritzg]

Just throwing out ideas for a upgrade path that would provide a significant upgrade in SQ while staying within yourbudget. We started with the approach in the $ bracket you had requested.

Any SQ change from the amp alone would be very subtle, the Sprout isn't chopped liver but is limited in power. You didn't mention what was handling your DAC duties currently but in any case going into a very budget DAC like a Dragonfly, any improvement at all would be debatable.

Staying in your $1-1.5K budget you could put together a miniDSP box handling DAC, crossover, and room EQ duties plus a reasonable subwoofer from say Hsu or SBS. This would give you a whole game changer world of upgrade to your rigs sound quality.

Cheers

 

I'm using the DAC in the Sprout currently. Considering the Schlit Bifrost Multibit to pair with a new amp for the KEFs.

[TubeLover]

I'm using the DAC in the Sprout currently. Considering the Schlit Bifrost Multibit to pair with a new amp for the KEFs.

 

You cannot possibly go wrong with the Schiit Bifrost Multibit given the cost. Add this great value integrated amp, and you are all set. Plenty of power for the L50's, and should be exceptional for the music you play.

 

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/solid-state-plinius-9100-stereo-integrated-amplifier-8435-2016-07-21-integrateds-80020-broomfield-co

 

JC

[sanvara]

Find yourself a nice clean Nelson Pass designed Adcom GFA 555II off ebay.

Build like a tank, wonderful sound, will probably deliver 25 more years of reliable service. There's half a dozen up there right now in exactly your $500 price range.

adcom gfa 555 | eBay

If later wanted Rick at BigSkyAudio can upgrade it with audiophile caps and resistors, etc.

Big Sky Audio, LLP - When You Are Serious About Sound™ ADCOM, Harman Kardon Citation 16, Parasound Stereo Amplifier Upgrades

 

I'll add that for under $800 you can add something like a

Marantz DAC1 $799 or

Emotiva Stealth DC-1 $499

Either DAC can serve as preamp driving the a power amp directly and adding remote volume and input switching. Both also include a great sounding headphone amp.

 

A pairing like this together with a set of great speakers will supply you with sound quality that would take 5X the dollars to surpass.

 

Well, I'm going to give the Emotiva DC-1 and ADCOM 555II a shot with LS50 speakers as you are recommending. Each component individually has a lot a positive comments. I hope they are are good match together. With some effort I got the DC-1 and 555II for around $750 for the pair and the LS50s for $950 so around $1700 total. Waiting for everything to arrive this weekend.

 

How would I hook up a powered subwoofer using this setup in addition to two stereo speakers. A Y cable will work won't it? But how does each connection get made exactly? Is there a diagram somewhere explaining this?

[Sal1950]

Well, I'm going to give the Emotiva DC-1 and ADCOM 555II a shot with LS50 speakers as you are recommending. Each component individually has a lot a positive comments. I hope they are are good match together. With some effort I got the DC-1 and 555II for around $750 for the pair and the LS50s for $950 so around $1700 total. Waiting for everything to arrive this weekend.

 

How would I hook up a powered subwoofer using this setup in addition to two stereo speakers. A Y cable will work won't it? But how does each connection get made exactly? Is there a diagram somewhere explaining this?

 

Good deal, I can't imagine you ever being disappointed in the sound quality.

 

As to a adding a sub, yes most simply you could just use a Y cord at the DC-1's outputs, hooking one end of the Y to the Adcom input and the other to the sub's input. If the sub happens to have balanced inputs you wouldn't even need the Y cord as you can use both the DC-1's balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time. Set the subs low pass setting around 80hz to start, and set the level either by ear or with a SPL mike and some test tones.

 

But that is really not the optimal way to do the sub. You would like to also be relieving the LS50's of the deep bass load with a high pass crossover between the DC and Adcom in some manner.

There are so many ways to do this it's too hard to generalize here. Maybe best you enjoy the system for a bit and then start looking around at subs and doing some homework. Be glad to assist you in any way I can.

Just as a pointer I've been using HSU Research subwoofers for 20+ years and can recommend them highly as offering great performance and bang for the buck. JMHO

[firedog]

I'd look at 995 dollar Nuprime Ida-8 dac/amp combo . Better than the Primaluna amp at 2,400 I had before it .

 

Nuprime also has some less expensive stuff that might be what you want. Integrated amps, or even integrateds with built in DAC. Several models at well under $1000, with lots of power for those KEFs.

[firedog]

Good deal, I can't imagine you ever being disappointed in the sound quality.

 

As to a adding a sub, yes most simply you could just use a Y cord at the DC-1's outputs, hooking one end of the Y to the Adcom input and the other to the sub's input. If the sub happens to have balanced inputs you wouldn't even need the Y cord as you can use both the DC-1's balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time. Set the subs low pass setting around 80hz to start, and set the level either by ear or with a SPL mike and some test tones.

 

But that is really not the optimal way to do the sub. You would like to also be relieving the LS50's of the deep bass load with a high pass crossover between the DC and Adcom in some manner.

There are so many ways to do this it's too hard to generalize here. Maybe best you enjoy the system for a bit and then start looking around at subs and doing some homework. Be glad to assist you in any way I can.

Just as a pointer I've been using HSU Research subwoofers for 20+ years and can recommend them highly as offering great performance and bang for the buck. JMHO

 

The inexpensive Emotiva subs just got a sterling review: https://www.cnet.com/news/emotiva-basx-s8-subwoofer-budget-priced-yet-high-performance/#ftag=rss.audiophiliac.ftag

[sanvara]

Good deal, I can't imagine you ever being disappointed in the sound quality.

 

As to a adding a sub, yes most simply you could just use a Y cord at the DC-1's outputs, hooking one end of the Y to the Adcom input and the other to the sub's input. If the sub happens to have balanced inputs you wouldn't even need the Y cord as you can use both the DC-1's balanced and unbalanced outputs at the same time. Set the subs low pass setting around 80hz to start, and set the level either by ear or with a SPL mike and some test tones.

 

But that is really not the optimal way to do the sub. You would like to also be relieving the LS50's of the deep bass load with a high pass crossover between the DC and Adcom in some manner.

 

Thanks. Doing some research and someone is recommending this component:

 

Parametric Crossovers

 

for using a sub with the DC-1. Looks like there are several purchasing options. I also have no idea how to hook it up to the DC-1 and the Adcom. Any thoughts?

[Lebouwsky]

Did you ever consider going the vintage amplifier route. Philips, Kenwood, Onkyo and Yamaha have made real good stuff in the seventees that can be bought for less than 150 euro/ dollar. It takes some time to investigate and some luck. My old Philips 22ah305 keeps surprising me and it looks cool too.

[Sal1950]

Thanks. Doing some research and someone is recommending this component:

Parametric Crossovers

for using a sub with the DC-1. Looks like there are several purchasing options. I also have no idea how to hook it up to the DC-1 and the Adcom. Any thoughts?

 

That sites a bit crude, and also I suspect the product.

But if I understand it correctly all you'd need is the hi-pass filter and it would just plug in between the DC-1 and the Adcom. All subs are going to have the needed low pass filters built in.

[R1200CL]

Has anyone tried Hypex NC500 ?

 

https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/

 

http://www.ati-amp.com/AT52XNC.php

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[sanvara]

That sites a bit crude, and also I suspect the product.

But if I understand it correctly all you'd need is the hi-pass filter and it would just plug in between the DC-1 and the Adcom. All subs are going to have the needed low pass filters built in.

Ok, I'll look at other options as well. Not in a rush to hook up the sub yet. The system will be in relatively small room and used almost exclusively for music so I might not even need to add a sub, but I'll probably want to try a sub to see what kind of difference it makes.

 

First component of the build arrived today, the DC-1. Played some digital music through it with output to a bottlehead crack headphone amp and Senn HD650s. Sounds really great! Looks like I will be selling my Schiit Modi Multibit.

[firedog]

Has anyone tried Hypex NC500 ?

 

https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/

 

http://www.ati-amp.com/AT52XNC.php

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

 

Thought about the Nord, but am going in a very different direction. But look up the professional and personal reviews - they've gotten praise as being very good amps in general, and great amps for the price.

[R1200CL]

Thought about the Nord, but am going in a very different direction. But look up the professional and personal reviews - they've gotten praise as being very good amps in general, and great amps for the price.

 

You still have Martin Logan Odyssey ? Or is an other Odyssey?

[firedog]

You still have Martin Logan Odyssey ? Or is an other Odyssey?

 

Odyssey Audio Power Amp

 

Odyssey Audio. Call us (317) 299 5578. IN, USA.

 

But I will soon have an entirely different system. I'll post about it after it arrives.

[Sal1950]

Ok, I'll look at other options as well. Not in a rush to hook up the sub yet. The system will be in relatively small room and used almost exclusively for music so I might not even need to add a sub, but I'll probably want to try a sub to see what kind of difference it makes.

I'll throw an idea out there for you, using a miniDSP 2x4 box to do the subwoofer crossover. This is a approach that could supply stellar, outstanding sound quality at very reasonably cost ($200 max). The downside is it would take some homework to learn the measurement software and do the tuning. But the final results will be as good as it gets with the speakers you chose. Think about it,

https://www.minidsp.com/applications/digital-crossovers/subwoofer-integration-with-minidsp

[harmonica2]

Happy to recommend the Job INT - no interconnects needed.

JOB Products

 

Don't get fooled by the low rent website.

It's a serious integrated amp + DAC package.

 

 

 

The Job INT was at the top of my list, and I even made some changes to my system in apprehension of owning it. However, after reading reviews of the Aurender A10 and Bluesound Node, I think that the future is a nice DAC/Streamer/Preamp combo that can render MQA. With that, one would need a nice power amp, not an integrated AMP + DAC.

[sanvara]

I'll throw an idea out there for you, using a miniDSP 2x4 box to do the subwoofer crossover. This is a approach that could supply stellar, outstanding sound quality at very reasonably cost ($200 max). The downside is it would take some homework to learn the measurement software and do the tuning. But the final results will be as good as it gets with the speakers you chose. Think about it,

https://www.minidsp.com/applications/digital-crossovers/subwoofer-integration-with-minidsp

 

Thanks, that's an ineresting option I'll think about. What about a Rel sub? Is that easier to hook up?

 

Question on the Adcom 555II....iI'm reading it doesn't have speaker protection. How do I prevent it from killing my LS50s if something goes wrong with the amp?

[sanvara]

I'll throw an idea out there for you, using a miniDSP 2x4 box to do the subwoofer crossover. This is a approach that could supply stellar, outstanding sound quality at very reasonably cost ($200 max). The downside is it would take some homework to learn the measurement software and do the tuning. But the final results will be as good as it gets with the speakers you chose. Think about it,

https://www.minidsp.com/applications/digital-crossovers/subwoofer-integration-with-minidsp

Thanks, that's an ineresting option I'll think about. What about a Rel sub? Is that easier to hook up?

Question on the Adcom 555II....I'm reading it doesn't have speaker protection. How do I prevent it from killing my LS50s if something goes wrong with the amp?

[Bullwinkle]

This thread has been extremely helpful to this newbie-- my thanks to all the posters.

[Sal1950]

On 3/18/2017 at 5:19 AM, sanvara said:

 

Thanks, that's an ineresting option I'll think about. What about a Rel sub? Is that easier to hook up?

 

Question on the Adcom 555II....iI'm reading it doesn't have speaker protection. How do I prevent it from killing my LS50s if something goes wrong with the amp?

Well the REL sub doesn't offer any high pass filtering either so it's connection is just about the same as we discussed using a Y cord, and has the same negative of running the LS's full range. IMO a undesirable path that doesn't relieve the monitors of the deep bass loads.

If you want something simple, HSU Research offers a line level high pass filter that they will configure the slope to your needs for $99. Just plug it in between the DC-1 and the amp.

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/high-pass-filter.html

Call Hsu and discuss your subwoofer needs + this inexpensive option, and I'm sure they'll help you to get everything set up. I've been doing business with Dr Hsu for well over 25 years and you couldn't ask for better customer service at very reasonable costs. Plus very high business ethics, trustworthy honest people in my experience.

On the subject of speaker protection the Adcom's do have rail fuses accessible from the back panel to protect not only the speakers but the amp too in case of shorted outputs or amp failure. If your very nervous you could always protect the speaker with a inline fuse, not the best solution from an audiophile point of view, but it does work none the less.

[sanvara]

15 hours ago, Sal1950 said:

Well the REL sub doesn't offer any high pass filtering either so it's connection is just about the same as we discussed using a Y cord, and has the same negative of running the LS's full range. IMO a undesirable path that doesn't relieve the monitors of the deep bass loads.

If you want something simple, HSU Research offers a line level high pass filter that they will configure the slope to your needs for $99. Just plug it in between the DC-1 and the amp.

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/high-pass-filter.html

Call Hsu and discuss your subwoofer needs + this inexpensive option, and I'm sure they'll help you to get everything set up. I've been doing business with Dr Hsu for well over 25 years and you couldn't ask for better customer service at very reasonable costs. Plus very high business ethics, trustworthy honest people in my experience.

On the subject of speaker protection the Adcom's do have rail fuses accessible from the back panel to protect not only the speakers but the amp too in case of shorted outputs or amp failure. If your very nervous you could always protect the speaker with a inline fuse, not the best solution from an audiophile point of view, but it does work none the less.

In terms of speaker protection a few people have me concerned by posting that it's only a matter of time before the Adcom 555 shoots DC to the speakers and that at some point this is going to happen. It might be 10 years from now or it might be a month from now. What in line protection is available? Is there device made for this? What about the QED Protech SP 150? I see someone selling some used ones. If the speakers were $300 I wouldn't be worried but at a price of $1200 I'm a bit concerned.

I wanted a budget subwoofer but still reasonable quality. I found a 10" Klipsch R110SW for $250 which seems like good bang for the buck. Any reason to pass on this one for something else around the same price?

Thanks for the info on the HSU device.

[Sal1950]

11 hours ago, sanvara said:

In terms of speaker protection a few people have me concerned by posting that it's only a matter of time before the Adcom 555 shoots DC to the speakers and that at some point this is going to happen. It might be 10 years from now or it might be a month from now. What in line protection is available? Is there device made for this? What about the QED Protech SP 150? I see someone selling some used ones. If the speakers were $300 I wouldn't be worried but at a price of $1200 I'm a bit concerned.

I wanted a budget subwoofer but still reasonable quality. I found a 10" Klipsch R110SW for $250 which seems like good bang for the buck. Any reason to pass on this one for something else around the same price?

Thanks for the info on the HSU device.

The same could be said for any amp, some day it "might" fail in a manner that puts high current on the output rails. Others "like Nelson Pass when he designed that amp" thought that the negative sonic impact of some protection devices wasn't worth including them? I'm not making any call on it, I'm no designer. Like I said earlier, if your that worried get some very inexpensive inline speaker fuses like this,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/181559261809?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true

Google "speaker inline fuses", you'll get a million different opinions on them.

I ran some many years ago with the Phase Linear 700B, now there was an amp prone to let the smoke out. LOL. Personally I've run Adcom GFA-5x5 amps for 25+ years and never considered additional protection required, I'm running 3 right not.  YMMV.  

 

For $250 that Klipsch will do as well as anything for that money.

 

 

[fritzg]

Great discussion since I started this topic a while back. I ended up spending a bit more money on a Rogue Sphinx 2 (wanted a tube stage) and an Emotiva DC-1 (based on Mr. Plisskin's recommendation in another thread).

[Sal1950]

2 minutes ago, fritzg said:

Great discussion since I started this topic a while back. I ended up spending a bit more money on a Rogue Sphinx 2 and an Emotiva DC-1 based on Mr. Plaskin's recommendation in another thread.

Sounds like you did well, the Rogue looks to be a great little integrated. Plus as a bonus it's Made In The USA, can't ask for more than that.    Enjoy your tunes!