Amp for Centre to match Levinson 27.5

**Jeff** · 20 January 2005, 21:27 Thursday

Jason, amps have different sounds. The best way you are going to match your Mark Levinsons is to purchased another one. Since you already have the Rotel 1080 amp (I have one as well) why not try that with your center speaker? No one on this or any web site can provide you a quality opinion as compared to you listening first hand in your living room.

Levenson is a first rate amp. Personally, I am not familar with the Levinson sound so I could not recommend another mfg who has a similar sound.

I agree, it's not your cables. I'm familiar with your cables (their my dream cables) as I have King Cobras and CV-6.

I have seen your system, it's very nice. :lol: Your room is prone to a lot of standing waves given the volume of hard surfaces. Although it's not helping you center speaker it's not hurting it. As you pointed out, your happy with the Levinson sound on your r/l channels.

Jeff

**Jason R** · 21 January 2005, 04:50 Friday

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the reply, i agree with the standing waves and have spent the last 3 weeks putting up some wooden blinds behind the thick curtains as well as moving my cd rack to the left which should sort out the first reflection points. For the rear corners i have put in some tall items to diffuse the sound from the corners and that has helped alot. I have also put down a thick carpet on the sooden floor just at the point where the centre would reflect so that has smoothed it out alot.

Quite amazing the results which can be achieved from room accoustic improvements, the mains have never sounded this good.

What i am going to do for now is to get another ma500 to use the pair to power the rears and move 1080 into biamped centre duty. Only worry is that i would then need another pikes peak and jaguar but it will still be less than another amp.

Thanks for the reply and mentioning the room effect as this was vitally important.

**Jeff** · 21 January 2005, 09:43 Friday

I am currently tweeking my room accoustics as well. I ordered a pair of 8 foot base traps to place in the corners behind my system. They arrived 2 days ago.

When two channel listening, the base traps perform a slight improvement as I do not have the volume that loud. However, during movies they are a bigger improvement as my subwoofer if a 15" Paradigm Reference Servo-15. It's excells at at LFE below 40hz which tend to get a little boomy when played at robust volumes.

You are fortunate enought to have a few amps on hand so seeing what combo works best. As said before, the Levinsons are a great amp. How does your 704's perform using the Rotel 1080 and your Levinson powering your center channel?

I have also sent you a pm

Jeff

**Jason R** · 21 January 2005, 14:09 Friday

Problem with the 1080 is it just does not have the bass extension that the levinson does , so i think the 1080 is gonna be good for the centre because it does not need bass extension, plus i don't want to lose the great 2 channel capability.

I am gonna do some experimentation with the 3 placement options i have and will report back.

Thanks

**audiophile7** · 14 August 2005, 13:53 Sunday

Originally posted by Jason R

hope i can get some help, i am currently using Levinson 27.5 to drive B&W 704, and marantz ma500 for B&W HTM7.

Problem is the levinson has such a different sound to the marantz that i find no matter how much i adjust the settings it is always either to loud or to soft. The sound is very bright from the centre and i think getting an amplifier which would match the levinson better will help to balance the front channels. All three speakers use audioquest pikes peak cable and jaguar interconnect, so it cannot be a cable problem. I have put a small mat in front of the stand the centre is on to help with the wooden flooring reflections and it has helped a bit.

Unfortunately i cannot ship stuff from the states over here because of voltage problems so i am bound by what the dealers have here in their second hand sections. Also don't want to spend a fortune so second hand is the best way to go, but i am pretty open to suggestions.

I have a rotel 1080 and was thinking of using that for the centre but don't know if it would be a good match, as the levinson is so smooth.

Hope i will be able to get some suggestions
Thanks in advance

I have been using a Proceed Amp-3 for my center and rears while using a Levinson 27.5 for the fronts. They're a beautiful match. Dynamic, wide and deep soundstage. What have you decided on?

**Jeff** · 17 August 2005, 21:56 Wednesday

Audiophile, I to have the Proceed amp 3. They currently running B&W 802's and HTM1 center speaker. I very much enjoy how smooth and clear the sound is. What can you share about the difference between both your amps?

I'm looking for an upgrade for 2 channel listening. Frankly, I'm interested in the Proceed HPA 2. You can pick them up on Audio Gone for about 1800 USD. I think there will be many similarities between your Levinson and the HPA series. Of course Levinson or Classe would be my first choice it the price was right

Thanks! Jeff

**audiophile7** · 18 August 2005, 22:33 Thursday

Originally posted by Jeff

Audiophile, I to have the Proceed amp 3. They currently running B&W 802's and HTM1 center speaker. I very much enjoy how smooth and clear the sound is. What can you share about the difference between both your amps?

I'm looking for an upgrade for 2 channel listening. Frankly, I'm interested in the Proceed HPA 2. You can pick them up on Audio Gone for about 1800 USD. I think there will be many similarities between your Levinson and the HPA series. Of course Levinson or Classe would be my first choice it the price was right

Thanks! Jeff

Jeff,

I actually have not done a direct comparison of these two amps. My intention from the beginning was to use the Levinson to drive the two fronts and the Proceed to drive the center and two rears, so I just set them up that way from the get go. However, while I was waiting the Levinson's arrival, I did utilize the Proceed to drive the front three channels while a Denon receiver took care of the rears. Even then, I was impressed with the larger soundstage width and depth, but not so much the rears. Because of different cables and pre-pros used, I would have to do a whole new comparison to hear the true differences in these two amps. Regardless, I'm very impressed with the Levinson/Proceed combination driving a pair of Alon II's up front, an Nola LCR Grand center, and a pair of Alon I's in the rear, all bi-wired. A Nola Thunderbolt II subwoofer completes the speaker package. I must say the use of fuller range speakers (-3 db at 39 Hz and dipole midrange) for the rears really improve the overall impact of surround sound movie tracks. There is abundant bass in the surround channels.

Bobby

**Lex** · 19 August 2005, 09:49 Friday

I use a Levinson 336/Proceed AMP5 combo. I also own an HPA-2, which at some point, I may control my center with. The proceeds are very transparent, and sharing some of the same output transistors, and other commonalities of the 33H amps that cost 17K new in the Levinson line at the time the Proceeds were produced, meant they are quite good quality wise, and do share much with the Levinson sound. I find the AMP5 channel for my center to be a very good match. I have just got to try it bi-amped with the HPA-2 driving it though! :G Project time.

I'll just have to be a little careful pushing that much power through my Sonus faber Solo though.

Lex

**Fife** · 26 August 2005, 15:05 Friday

hope i can get some help, i am currently using Levinson 27.5 to drive B&W 704, and marantz ma500 for B&W HTM7.

Look for a ML 29 and bi-amp it for your HTM7. That would be the perfect match or look for a Proceed Amp2 (or newer BPA2) which is easier to find.

Amp for Centre to match Levinson 27.5

Amp for Centre to match Levinson 27.5

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