Answered Which power amp upgrade would you pick

sparkie67

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Hi and thanks for the add to the forum. I have been thinking about upgrading my speakers and the ones I have viewed or spoken to people, I get various comments about how my current amp may not perform well enough. That then brought about the do I add a power amp.
My current amp is a Rotel RA12, and have thought about buying the RB1552mk2 power amp to go with it.
Whilst in the hifi shop, I saw a used Musical Fidelity A3cr pre/power for sale.
My dilemma is, do I keep my Current amp with the onboard fax and dig inputs and add the Rotel power amp. Do I go back about 15 years and buy the MF A3cr and then have to buy a separate DAC. Or just buy an older Roksan or Cyrus power amp and add them to my system.
I will be upgrading to some B&W floor standing 6 or 7 series at a later date.
1. Buy Rotel power amp
2. Buy old school MF A3cr
3. Buy older power amp add on

Many thanks
 
If you are looking for value, you can't really beat pro audio power amps. The two that work well in a home environment are the Behringer A500 and the Crown XLS range. They are both silent in operation (no fan noise) and have consumer friendly input and output connections.

I use both in my set-up with no issues.

Behringer A500, 120 watts into 8 ohms, stereo @ £164:

Behringer A500 amplifier for sale | Bax Music

Crown XLS 1002 215 watts into 8 ohms, stereo @ £295

Crown DriveCore XLS 1002 PA amplifier for sale | Bax Music
 
The Musical Fidelity A3CR Power Amp is 120w/ch.

The Rotel RB-1552-MK2 is 130w/ch Class-A/B -

RB-1552 MkII

http://rotel.com/sites/default/files/product/infosheets/RB1552MkII_InfoSheet.pdf

As a side note, the Rotel RB-15892-MK2 is 200w/ch Class A/B -

RB-1582 MkII

http://rotel.com/sites/default/files/product/infosheets/RB1582MkII_InfoSheet.pdf

Can you buy just the Musical Fidelity Power Amp only?

How much do they want for the Musical Fidelity Pre+Pro?


Based on a quick review I found on-line, the Musical Fidelity A3CR were about USD$1500 each when they were new. (US$1500 = ~£1100 at current exchange rates)

The Rotel RB-1552 (130w/ch) is currently £750 at HiFix.

https://www.hifix.co.uk/rotel-rb1552-mkii-power-amplifier-silver-open-box

As for reference, the Rotel RB-1582 (200w/ch) is £1200 from HiFix.

https://www.hifix.co.uk/rotel-rb1582-power-amplifier-mk2

As to the possibility of a Professional PA/Studio amp, they can be very economical -

Crown XLS 1002 Drivecore Power Amp (215w/ch@8 ohms) - £389 -


Crown XLS 1002 Drivecore Power Amp

Crown XLS 1502 Drivecore Power Amp (300w/ch@8 ohms) - $475 -

Crown XLS 1502 Drivecore Power Amp

These are very light weight Class-D amps. They can also be Bridged. So the XLS-1002 can combine the outputs for a single mono 700w amp. The XLS 1502 can be bridge to create a single mono 1050w amp.

The amps also have built in Crossovers.

Here is a video review of the Crown XLS-1502 -



The Behringer A500 (125w/ch@8 ohms, Class-A/B) - £175 -

Behringer A500 Amplifier



What you should do depends on the cost of the Musical Fidelity and whether you can split up the set.

Steve/bluewizard
 
I'd suggest that you buy the speakers first & then see if you actually have a problem rather than trying to second guess if there may be one. Bit of a difference between the 600 & 700 series...
 
Hi, thanks for the answers so far, giving me a few things to look at, and some makes i’ve never heard before.
My Rotel is currently 60W output. My current speakers are KEF iQ 5 rated at 130 W.
I was looking for a power amp in the region of 100 to 130 Watts. Maybe this might bring a little more out of my speakers.
The price for the Musical Fidelity is £800 and they won’t split the package.
A new Rotel power amp I can get for about £745.
If I bought a well known 2nd hand amp at about £250 to £350, it saves money towards new speakers.
If I bought the Behringer that leaves even more money for speakers later, but would that possibly become a weak point when coupled to them.
The reason to keep my current amp is the digital inputs and built in DAC.

A lot to think about.
 
I must add the MF A3cr has been in for a full service, so should be like new. Or buy the MF then try and sell the pre amp on its own but could be a bad move.
 
My current speakers are KEF iQ 5 rated at 130 W.
I was looking for a power amp in the region of 100 to 130 Watts. Maybe this might bring a little more out of my speakers.
Bear in mind that the speaker rating of 130W is simply the maximum they'll take, not a requirement of the amp. Also Rotel power ratings are generally on the conservative side & they'll often give a fair bit more.

But the question seems to be changing. It started off as what amp for new B&W speakers & now seems to be about your current Kef speakers?
 
I'd suggest that you buy the speakers first & then see if you actually have a problem rather than trying to second guess if there may be one. Bit of a difference between the 600 & 700 series...
If I can drag a little more out of my 10 year old KEFs I can prolong the agony of buying new. I know the price between the 6 and 7 series is big, but is the sound difference more noticeable.
Thsnks
 
Bear in mind that the speaker rating of 130W is simply the maximum they'll take, not a requirement of the amp. Also Rotel power ratings are generally on the conservative side & they'll often give a fair bit more.

But the question seems to be changing. It started off as what amp for new B&W speakers & now seems to be about your current Kef speakers?
Not changing, I am looking to change the speakers, and again speaking to different people, give you different routes. Some say add the amp first, if there is no improvement in your old speakers then buy the new ones and your new amp will be adequate to drive them.
Thanks.
 
...
The price for the Musical Fidelity is £800 and they won’t split the package.

A new Rotel power amp I can get for about £745.
...
A lot to think about.

You could buy the Musical Fidelity Pre+Pwr, keep the Power Amp and sell off the Pre-Amp for about £200 (or £250 or £300, it is worth about £1000) That makes the £1000 (best guess) Power Amp about £600 (or less). You get a good amp cheap, and someone else gets a bargain on a Pre-Amp.

Though for £750, I think I would just go for a NEW Rotel RB-1552-MKII. Though it is easy to spend money when you are just dreaming, I would give serious consideration to the Rotel RB-1585-MKII (200w/ch). Considerably more money, but considerably more amp. You already have a Rotel, so you know how they sound. If you are satisfied with the sound, then it makes sense to buy the Power Amp.

You might also consider selling off the Rotel RA12 (£799) and getting the Rotel RA-1572 Integrated (£1400, 120w/ch, DAC) which now has Network capability -

HFiGear - Rotel RA-1572 Integrated Amplifier

ROTEL - RA-1572 Integrated Amplifier

http://rotel.com/sites/default/files/product/infosheets/RA1572_InfoSheet.pdf

Just a thought.

Steve/bluewizard
 
One difference between the Musical Fidelity Pre-Amp and the RA12 or the Rotel Pre-Amp is that Musical Fidelity tend to be very minimalist - No Tone Controls or other extra features.

Still, you wouldn't really need the MF Pre-Amp part, you can just use your RA12 as a pre-amp.

Still, if you can sell off the Pre-Amp aspect, you could get the Power Amp for £600 or perhaps less ...if... you can sell off the Musical Fidelity Pre-Amp. The Pre-Amp would make a good interface for Studio Monitors or other Active Speakers.

Steve/bluewizard
 
You could buy the Musical Fidelity Pre+Pwr, keep the Power Amp and sell off the Pre-Amp for about £200 (or £250 or £300, it is worth about £1000) That makes the £1000 (best guess) Power Amp about £600 (or less). You get a good amp cheap, and someone else gets a bargain on a Pre-Amp.

Though for £750, I think I would just go for a NEW Rotel RB-1552-MKII. Though it is easy to spend money when you are just dreaming, I would give serious consideration to the Rotel RB-1585-MKII (200w/ch). Considerably more money, but considerably more amp. You already have a Rotel, so you know how they sound. If you are satisfied with the sound, then it makes sense to buy the Power Amp.

You might also consider selling off the Rotel RA12 (£799) and getting the Rotel RA-1572 Integrated (£1400, 120w/ch, DAC) which now has Network capability -

HFiGear - Rotel RA-1572 Integrated Amplifier

ROTEL - RA-1572 Integrated Amplifier

http://rotel.com/sites/default/files/product/infosheets/RA1572_InfoSheet.pdf

Just a thought.

Steve/bluewizard
Thanks for the extra info.

If I did go for the 1552 I see at as i’m getting an amp in a box built with no other complications so should sound better.
The hifi shop offered me £250 trade in for my ra12.
For the size of my room I don’t see a need for an amp above 130w output.
But then your first paragraph about selling the MF pre amp for that amount of money would be interesting.....it’s judt finding the buyer. If I sold it for £200 it would make the MF power amp £600, but would that be a better sound over a new Rotel. I have heard that the MF power amp is quite an all round performer for its time and can still hold its head up today.
 
I have Kef Q700's and a Musical Fidelity M3i integrated amp. On A/B listening tests at lower volumes, I cannot hear any tonal differences between using the power amps on the MF M3i or the Behringer A500 or the Crown XLS 1002.

You could get either of those amps brand new, with warranty for £165 or £300, and put the rest of the budget toward your speaker upgrade.
 
Thanks for the extra info.

If I did go for the 1552 I see at as i’m getting an amp in a box built with no other complications so should sound better....

I don't think you will regret that choice. Full dealer support and new warranty, and a very good powerful amp.

I have the Rotel RA-1570, no complaints for movies or for music. Very nice.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Morning, a quick update. I have borrowed a Roksan Kandy KMA 2/3 L3 with a view to buy if I like it. I should have it set up after work on Thursday. What are people thoughts on the Roksan.
Many thanks
Andy
 
Not changing, I am looking to change the speakers, and again speaking to different people, give you different routes. Some say add the amp first, if there is no improvement in your old speakers then buy the new ones and your new amp will be adequate to drive them.
Thanks.
Bear in mind that the possible sound differences/improvements between different speakers is much bigger that the differences between power amps.
 
Thanks for the input Ultrasonic. Not straight forward this picking and matching.
The lad I have got it off used to work in hifi, and did say that my present amp would be ok at driving my KEF’s. But the KEF’s were a hard speaker to drive but the Roksan should provide quite a clear difference.
 
Thanks for the input Ultrasonic. Not straight forward this picking and matching.
The lad I have got it off used to work in hifi, and did say that my present amp would be ok at driving my KEF’s. But the KEF’s were a hard speaker to drive but the Roksan should provide quite a clear difference.

Regarding the Roksan it's best to have a listen for yourself with an open mind rather than have other people tell you what to expect, since this may then influence what you think you hear. As is you're much more likely to think it's good if people post to say that it will be a big step up vs if they said it will be crap...
 
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If I can drag a little more out of my 10 year old KEFs I can prolong the agony of buying new. I know the price between the 6 and 7 series is big, but is the sound difference more noticeable.
Thsnks
I have 6 series for my rears. They were for the front but then I heard 8’s. Bought cm8 s2. Yes it’s worth it, it just is.
I power the fronts with a rotel 1552. Very good, but always searching for the next shiny thingie,the itch appears not to go away 🤣
 

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