Midpriced amp for 703

[dknightd]

I'm half way to getting the money I need to upgrade the amplification
for the 703 speakers. So the shopping and research begins.
I'm looking at "mid-priced" options.
Probably somewhere around $1000-$1500 US. I think something
with around 150-200 watts, and good available current should
suit my needs. I'm currently using an Adcom 535 (60 watts per channel)
The obvious choice is Rotel 1080. Other standard options might
include Adcom 5550, or maybe something from B&K or Parasound.

But I just ran across the Odyssey Stratos. Anybody have first hand experience
with this amp driving B&W's?

[alpina]

having looked at so many amps in the last 3 months, i think that if your after good perfomance/value for money its hard to go past rotel. 1080 sounds very sweet with the 703s and at one pt we were looking at the 1095 for 5ch listening.

good luck


julie

[dknightd]

So, nobody here has heard the Odyssey Stratos?

[jim777]

What do you have as pre-amp and source? Do you also want to upgrade your pre-amp eventually? What kind of sound do you want?? Soft but detailed, or so analytical that you can hear if a mix is harsh, bad, etc.???

I first listened to the 703's on a RC/RB 1070 combo and I didn't like the sound. It was harsh to my ears. Maybe it wasn't the gear, maybe it was the album's mix, but what was sure is that I wasn't enjoying my music.

I like an engaging and "sweet", yet detailed sound; something musical rather than something I would use to mix an album in a studio. I want a natural sounding system, but a sound that makes me forget about "audiophile" details. When I come back from a live show, I don't ask my friends if there was enough "air" around the instruments, I talk about what the music made me feel. If you also think that way, and you also want to change your pre-amp eventually, you might want to try a McIntosh integrated amplifier. This will more than double your budget for an amplifier alone (~3k$ for the MA6300), but it would also replace your pre-amp. Try one, and if you like it, save a bit and replace you amp and pre at the same time, and once and for all

[dknightd]

I thought I had responded to this before I left on vacation, but, I guess not. . .

My primary source is a computer (Mac) feeding a benchmark DAC1 via optical toslink.
Secondary sources are turntable (HK t60 w/ somiko blue point), CD player, radio.
I'm using a Yamaha rx777 receiver as my preamp, and an adcom gfa-535 as amplifier.

The benchmark DAC1 sounds better if I connect it directly to the adcom, but then I can't use my other sources.
I think I also need to upgrade my preamp, so an integrated solution is a definite possibility. I also like a smooth but detailed sound so it sounds like the McIntosh integrated is worth a listen (then I'd have a MacIntosh as my transport, and a McIntosh for amplification).

Another option that occurs to me is to keep using the yamaha as a preamp for now, and get a simple switch that would allow me to use either the DAC1 or preamp as input to the power amp. Has anybody tried one of the cheap radioshack type of switches? Does it effect the sound at all?

[Chris10]

I recently got the 703 with a "digital" Lyngdorf (former Tact) 2x200W integrated amp, which gives a very detailed sound - I do like the detailed "studio sound" hearing every detail, your preferences may differ. Lyngdorf also have an amplifier only box if you chose to keep a separate preamp.

The brand may be hard the get in your area, perhaps Nuforce has something similar, e.g. the IA7 integrated or their monoblocks, I'm not familiar with their products.

/Chris

[Lotus 78]

I actual use an Adcom 5500 with 703’s. I prefer it over the sound of the 1075 (the only direct comparison I have) the Adcom has a much warmer and less mechanical sound the Rotel.

[RobP]

Have you considered a a well cared for pre-owned Classe unit, possibly a CA101 or CA201? You could get more bang for your buck this way.

[dknightd]

I'd consider used equipment if I knew it was well cared for and worked properly. These days it is hard to know who to trust. I'm in no big rush so I'll be keeping my eyes and ears open. . .

[dknightd]

In case anybody is curious, I went with aparently lightly used components from ebay.
Adcom gfp555ii preamp ($160)
Adcom gfa5500 amp ($490)

(I've seen them both go for lower, and higher, but for some reason I trusted these two sellers, so I was happy enough with the price.) For $650 I figured this was a cheap experiment - Likely I can easily recoup most of my costs if I decide to go up the food chain. . . I'd classify these both as solid "mid-fi" components, and that is all I can afford right now, and it might be all I want or need.

I swapped out the preamp first, then a few songs later the amp arrived so I swapped it in as well.
Still too early to say how much difference it made. First impression is the preamp is "smoother" than my old yamaha - not sure if I like that or not yet. I'm not sure yet if I will bother doing repeated comparisons, it takes too long to switch the wires around. Instead I think I'll just listen for awhile - if I think I might be missing anything I might try going back and forth. I really don't think I'm missing anything except for perhaps an artificial sharpness the Yamaha had (or maybe the adcom preamp is somehow "dulled"). Even after limited listening I'm fairly sure the adcom preamp is more polite than the preamp section of the Yamaha. The adcom doesn't seem to have have the same punch the yamaha had - this could be good or bad - I haven't decided which yet.

I couldn't really tell the difference between the gfa-535 and gfa-5500 until I get to volumes where the 535 started clipping, and the 5500 has headroom left over. (I like that both amps have lights alerting me to potential clipping before it is easy to hear - I almost bought a used rotel 1080 but they don't have those lights, and I've read enough about 1080 fuse problems that don't think I'd buy one without a warrentee YMMV). If anything the 535 seemed to have better grip over the bass, but the 5500 is slightly smoother in the upper mids and trebble. But that could have been due to changing the preamp that I did not notice right away. Anyway I want to have an amp that I can turn up to obscene levels on occasion for when the wife and kids are not in the house. With my new speakers (703) I could easily clip the 535, but 5500 seems to deliver enough clean power that my ears and room clip first. . .

[lvhung]

nOT BAD WITH rOTEL 1067