www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/thomas-and-stereo-fundraiser-for-doctors-without-b/ No need to give a lot but if we can all chip in even $1, it will make a difference. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
When you said "I went and clear my bank account out, and brought like five power amps home"... My heart filled with fear just thinking about what my Wife would do to me, lol! She's been a real soldier through many purchases though!
That's a very good strategy. Important too in your line of evaluating and searching for the uniqueness in products. I'm an old timer and the only changing I will be doing is tubes.
As a long time supporter of Doctors Without Borders, I want to thank you for spreading the word. They work all over the world to help the weak and most vulnerable people in some of the most dire situations, in some cases at great risk to themselves, as witnessed recently in Afghanistan, when a maternity hospital run by them was attacked. 🙏😷🙂❤️
As an acoustician and audiologist I can tell you that the most important thing is the room acoustics Together with the speakers and placement. Greetings from Germany 😉
I'd like to give you a Philips Home theatre and JBL and make you create a sound better than a Bryston and JBL;) What Thomas said is true about Power Amps.
Although I don’t think you are going to read this, I want to say that I made this experience myself this week. I hooked up a XTZ Edge to my Marantz AVR to my Dynaudio x34 and the change in sound was staggering to say the least. I was really critical about it and did a lot of A/B Tests, but the improvement is so so obvious. More refined bass, more articulated bass, much much wider sound stage, much fuller bodied mid range and smoother voices. It’s crazy what a small change like an external Power Amp can do. Great Video by the way. Cheers
Nice, thanks for letting me know and taking the time to type up a long comment. Hopefully, this will help others to also consider this. Yup! The poweramp can make such a big difference! Sometimes, it feels like I have changed speakers!
My first amp [integrated amp] which I still own is a Luxman R-1120. To this day after all the other gear I've owned and heard the Luxman suits me the best. I've had 2 amps custom made and I still prefer the Luxman. I am currently having a pair of bookshelf speakers custom made to my size and drivers. Then after many listening hours I will then order from the same company subwoofers [if needed] and my journey is "over". ---------- A simple stereo setup suits me best ---------- ---------- After my long audio journey I've found simplicity rules ---------- Here is a thought -: I think we concentrate to much on our audio "stuff". When you have a setup just enjoy it and get on with living life. After awhile your setup will just be a part of your life and not controlling your thoughts. There are many more things in life that are a priority. Music and stuff are to enhance your life not control it. ---------- Do not go into debt for your hobby ---------- Material things are a fleeting pleasure.
Oh man… I love this. While back there is one person asked me: which is more important? Amps or speakers, I reply: it take 2 to tango. But then he told me that speakers it is ( it just because someone at Best Buy told him so) . I paid him no mind but I always believe in good power, good amps will play very critical in sound. Love your reviews as always.
If I had a limited budget and thought my system lacked punch and bass extension, I would be more inclined to get a decent subwoofer than a power amp. Subs (rather like tone controls) are often still frowned upon by many audiophiles, but in my experience, if you get the crossover right, they change the systems characteristics in a profound way.... not just the low end bass, but also in the lower/mid frequency range. It is way more cost effective than getting a power amp, imho. Interesting video as always. Thanks for sharing
Byron G You are correct and when done right subwoofers add dynamics to your system. Even if you have large full range speakers if done correctly they benefit from a subwoofer or two or more.
I could not agree more. Except for clearing my bank account on amps 😂 I’m on a budget and have a emotiva apx gen 1 power amp. It’s not great but like you say gets me 90 percent there and makes any bookshelf sound great 👍
This is literally, 1:1 the experience that I had. I just couldn't believe the amount if money I spent to get a sound that is not really that pleasing, and that 20$ headphones could beat without breaking a sweat. Time passed, and a lot of speakers came and gone through different rooms in my house. Later I understood that it's the electronics, that mattered the most. I regretted many times selling any one of them. Today, I'm actually happy with the system that I have. I know it won't be my last. I'm happy that I managed to get my expectations in check and enjoy the process, and appreciate the hobby. But I still think that I would have been content with my first pair of speakers if the price was justified to the value. I think that the amount of money involved in this industry, while is justified in terms of development, production, marketing and so on, is simply not worth it. When u r an audiophile, you really hear every little shortcoming, and the money u need to spend to get to that "Good enough" territory is simply too much, regardless of how much money u have in your back account. Because it is always relative and u always can push more. In many aspects, my headphones still sound better, and I came to accept it
I've recently discovered vintage amps. They are AMAZING! A smooth relaxed, MUSICAL sound that you don't get from most modern gear. Not unless its McIntosh.
Another reason to get separate power am and pre amp is the rapid development of new tech. Get a GOOD power amp and that will last a life time regardless of media source. 4K, atmos, dolby, THX, streaming, bluetooth, etc keep changing every few years. I can see upgrading my preamp every decade or so but get a nice power amp and a person is set for life. I wish I had started with a nice power amp instead of getting 4 to 5 pairs of speakers early on my journey. Really enjoying your last few videos.
I’m often surprised how many folks will gladly spend good sums of money on a nice set of floorstanders and then skimp on powering them properly. IMO try to buy the best amplifier you can afford. A lot of speakers need a fair amount of power to do what they do best......especially some that lean on the inefficient side of things in terms of their signal to noise ratio. And it’s not even just about having enough watts to achieve proper volumes without sounding strained.......a good amplifier plays a huge role in controlling the speaker as well, notably in the bass so it stays tight and defined as opposed to muddy and sloppy. Edit: Thomas’ story reminds me of my foray into higher end audio when I began to take it more seriously. My good friend has been into hi-end audio for a long time and that influenced me to go down the path to better audio. One of my first good speakers were a set of Energy Connoisseur C-6 (similar to the revered Energy 22.3) I always liked how Energy speakers sounded back in their heyday (before Klipsch took over and ruined the brand). At first I ran them off a Pioneer receiver that made around 110w/channel) They sounded ok but nothing great. Then a few months later I purchased a Bryston BP25 and 4BST combo. I can still recall the firs listening session after that switch and how struck I was at the improvement in sound.....it was like listening to a completely different set of speakers
TheHawk05 I knew many who went through the exact same thing. There source point was weak. Too often they used “receivers”. I was always humble when they said hey check out my system. They often had B&W or a high quality brand speakers but they were driving the system off of some Pioneer or Sony receiver. Sound was “ok” but I always said sounds great. The edge I had also was that I put together car stereo systems and I also had friends doing the same and the conclusion I came to was have a good clean power amp. The amplifier made the difference. So I always read reviews and envisioned what type of system I would get even before I bought my own home. I’m pretty sure I focused on the amp and preamp first. I never bothered getting a receiver first. I wanted good high quality stuff from the beginning. I think I have spent 10k in total for 2 systems. Most bought in the late 90’s. I still have both. 1 system is in the family room and the other in living room.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and journey. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to pick up a lavardin Technologies Model IT amp from an audiophile friend of mine. A few weeks ago I purchased a pair of Klipsch RP-600 and was using them on a Denon AVR-3803 receiver in another area of my house. The Klipsch sounded nice. I figured at the $450 sale price for the pair, it was an ok deal. I enjoyed the sound and was satisfied. I am waiting for a new pair of KEF LS50 (on promo @$899) and a REL T5i sub for my regular set up. In the meantime, we hooked up the Klipsch to the lavardin and WOW!! Spectacular!! Just using a bluesound NODE 2i (also from my friend) and am looking forward to getting my naim CD player fixed and hooked up. I am considering the Denafrips Ares II R2R DAC, but feel that I should proceed slowly and spend more time digesting my new found ears. I am not an audiophile, but I have a good friend that helps steer me. I think this might be the start of something fun. Thank you again for your channel and persona. I am a fan.
@@ThomasAndStereo Any suggestions for matching amps there Thomas? I'm considering a complete makeover after tiring of my Cyrus 2 (35 years no less), the soundstage seems to have disappeared and I'm over taking it in for yet another refurb! A temporary replacement of an old old Sony amp sounded refined by comparison, and way more exciting, it's over I'm afraid.
@@DC-js4gk It really depends on budget and speaker synergy. It is hard for me to recommend something blind. Best to do is simply look at reviews and look for the sound signature that is used to describe the amp.
A decade and I never comment. But in this case you have inspired me. That last one puts you over the top - doubling your goal. Thomas - thank you for the amazing insight into your journey. Just love the videos.
Hi, Thanks a lot of participating. That extra dollar you put in reminds me of someone tipping 15% + 1 cent. That 1 cent is a sign of extra appreciation. I was really touched and thanks for the comment.
The speaker is very important and in my eyes the most important thing in you chain, so I started just like you! I bought some Magnat floorstanding speaker and a cheap AV receiver from pioneer. I was happy for a few weeks but there was no bass. I bought some more expensive speakers and another one and another one but it did not really sound better. I decided to buy a new high end Marantz amp for 300€!!!!!!! Well it got better but not good enough. I thought I need a new speaker again, because I have now a high end map and it must sounds good. It was a Marantz!!!!!!! I had to learn, that a amp is not just an amp and a amp can sound different and over the years I have learn that, hifi or high end is very, very complicated. A good, cheap system sound good enough to hear music and it doesn't do any problems. A expensive system will be always complicated. But the most underrated and most important thing is........................ your room!!!!!!!!!!!!! A perfect system will sound bad in an untreated room! And let's be honest. Which married men can use basstraps or absorber in his living room. Me not!!!!!!! I use a DSP to get rid of some room modes but it's not easy! The most important question is ...................... Do you use your system to hear music or do you use music to hear your system. I personally use the music to hear the system. I you just like listen to music, you can achieve it for a few 100$ or €!
I am really glad you have discovered the importance of the front end of a music system. I have always said the equipment is more important than the speakers. Not to say speakers are not important BUT you have to understand the detail in the music, the control, the tonality and richness, the bass energy and detail, all comes from the equipment. Speakers can only reproduce what they are given so if you put a poor source and equipment in front of them even with the best speakers in the world they will sound very ordinary. Now take the other perspective and put more money into the equipment, first you are giving the speakers the best opportunity to sound there best. Second you will be shocked how good even modest speakers can sound with great equipment in front of them. Glad you discovered the importance of the power amp but the preamp makes a even bigger difference !! It really is the most important component in a high end audio system. So really everything matters but to often I see people think speakers are the most important part of a music system and spend most of there money on the speakers, and then thinking modest equipment will be good enough. Wrong ! The other challenge is finding the right amplifier for your speakers. That can only be evaluated IF you have proper speaker placement. And even that will change when you make a change in components. But you will be close and you will know if there are issues if its speaker placement issue, or room issue, or its just a poor match with the speakers. Understand everything in audio has a sonic signature, so its finding components that bring out the best performance and sound from the speakers you are trying to get tuned in. So do not underestimate ANY part of the system, source material, source, preamplifier ( most important component in a system in "my opinion" ) then amplifier, and cables.
Choosing a amplifier: It first should be able to drive the speakers properly electrically, and then complement the speakers sonically. Here is the one time specifications are helpful. You need to look at the speakers efficiency and then impedance. Efficiency determines how much power you need to reach a given sound pressure level and the impedance determines how good a amplifier you will need. If you have a high efficiency speaker say 95 db ( which is measured at 1 meter ) this means it it will play at 95db with 1 watt of power. Well that is nice because it means you will not need much power to get to high sound pressure levels. But for every 3db in output you need to double your amplifier power till you exceed the maximum output your hoping to achieve and how loud the speakers can actually play. So to get to 100db you only need about 4 watts. Now on the other side if you have a speaker which has a efficiency of 85 db. your looking at around 32 watts to get to that same 100db of output. It will require a lot more power to get to higher sound pressure levels. You also want to have more power than your maximum rating to handle the dynamic peaks of the music. Next you have impedance; this will determine how good a amplifier you will need. The more a speakers impedance varies the more stable a amplifier you will need. 8 ohm speakers is the easiest impedance for a amplifier to drive but all speakers impedance will vary depending on the frequency its having to reproduce. Some speakers more than others. As the impedance drops you need a amplifier that can deliver the current needed to drive lower impedance loads. The amplifiers specs tell you how much current it delivers as the impedance drops. The more power it can deliver into lower impedance loads the more stable and more current it can deliver. This is the first sign of a higher quality power amplifier. And lastly its finding a amplifier that complements the sound of the speakers. It should blend with the speakers to give the speakers a natural balance of sound. The only way to know is to try different amplifiers with your speakers. Most dealers will allow you to borrow equipment and take it home so you can see if its a good match with your speakers and system. But make sure if you do, to give the dealer your business and buy from him. Your local dealers play an important role in giving you the opportunity to hear equipment in your system and they are a wealth of information.
Ah, the preamp, that would make an interesting video. If you jump to the last min of the video, you will find my comment interesting. th-cam.com/video/nbQCfPwQop0/w-d-xo.html Thanks for the long comment, appreciate it and I read it twice.
Thomas, you probably won't see this but I wanted to thank you. Your channel helped me take my first steps towards 2 channel hifi with a used Macintosh 2100. Now I have grown a lot through the years and I can see your taste has evolved quite a bit too. Now I have Boulder separates in my setup. I can fully appreciate what you said about fluidity and control, both of which current gen Boulder is world class at. It's 100% a feeling, does it make me want to keep listening, am I being forced to notice hifi sounding detail or is it just effortless enjoyment, am I being pulled into the musical space. Looking forward to keep growing together, keep up the good work!
Thomas, I really enjoy these videos where you give advice on different topics or provide your opinions or experiences. They're just as entertaining and informative as a review and in some cases maybe more so. I'd like to see more videos like this in the future if it's something you are able to do. Thank You
Thomas is right that the speakers are certainly not 80% of the sound and it is a beginners mistake. I used to read Stereophile magazine 20 years ago when I was building my system and trying to get decent sound out of a CD player. The base philosophy they preached, I recall, was that a system is only as a good as its weakest link. That makes it difficult to build a system of course because it means all of your components have to be of good quality right off the bat, otherwise you are guessing which one is weakest, which we spend most of our time doing. But how I proceeded was to use my turntable and my tuner as the baselines. They were analog sources and they sounded a d-m sight better than any CD player. Anyway it helped a lot to have my turntable and vinyl records as references. As it turned out, in developing my digital front end, the transport ended up being the most critical component in the system. Mine was a Proceed PDT3 (now defunct I'm sorry to say) for a Dac, the modest MSB Link Dac but perfectly capable of producing excellent sound when fed with good signal. So it goes. Today disc spinning is quickly going the way of the dodo bird.
I believe fluidity has much to do an amp's power supply design, besides the amp's rated power output. Oversized transformer, the reservoir caps will provide more headroom for the demand at diff part of the music. I think that's the reason why some of those UK amps of the 80s n 90s sounded quite 'pleasant' despite being moderately rated at 30W.
Great video! You're right, u have to go through the learning pains in order to find out what's best for you. I started with kef LS50s and rega elex r amp because they had great reviews. But it wound up being an awful combination as it was incredibly bright and fatiguing. Now I have the Billie amp with the Bro 3s and they sound incredible together and I can listen for hours and hours. I had the iotavx sa3 with the Bros first, but I wanted a more refined sound, and more air and 'magic', so I upgraded to the Billie. And it made a world of difference. Everything just sounded more 'high end' and higher resolution. Unfortunately I'm getting the upgrade bug again, as I think I wanna upgrade to more expensive speakers like the Kef R7s or something in that price range. It never really ends!
I will tell you the weak link in your system is the built in poweramp. If you had tone control to boost the bass and a better poweramp, those triangle will level up significantly. The Billie amp preamp is incredible.
@@ThomasAndStereo And would you say that adding the XTZ Edge A2-300 as a power amp would level up those triangle significantly as oposed to the iotavx sa3 (not the stack, but only the integrated sa3 part)? I know it sounds like I am asking for equipment matching, but not exactly. All things being equal: preamp/integrated amp, power amp and loudspeakers are a good match: Is a great price/value power amp (for 500$) a good choice to upgrade the system with in comparison to also great price/value integrated amp (for same 500$)? The integrated amp would be used as preamplifier. So in other words: exchanging the built in power amp to a separate one. Should the power amp be a level (or 2) of higher price and of course more importantly sound quality wise higher too to avoid incremental upgrade steps?
Good video. The most important system synergism is between speakers & room. Get that combo right first. Experiment w/power amps afterwards to fine tune. Using different amps to fix bad room/speaker interaction is a band aid. In my case, I found speaker nirvana with Paradigm Studio 100 in 1999. Took me a couple years to find the right amp. NAD 218THX & McIntosh MC275 both sounded good. But the Adcom GFA5802 provided the overall best in tonal balance, soundstage, with bass that is powerful & taut. I still have this combo 20 years later.
In 2011 I had drifted into semi-retirement and was looking for something to do. I'd tweaked quite a few speakers over the years but had never built any, so I figured it was time. The MTM Dayton III's seemed simple enough, especially considering my lack of real woodworking skills. On completion, I hooked them up to a JVC receiver we had laying around. It was about 70 watts per channel. I was pretty much satisfied with my handiwork. Then the amplifier building bug bit. The search led me to Rod Elliottt's P101, a MOSFET putting out about 180 watts per channel. I immediately understood the word 'control' in relation to amplifiers. The P101 was literally SPANKING those speakers! Precision, detail, quickness. It was all there. Had I not built that amp I probably would've built more speakers in the hunt for something better. The Daytons were actually pretty nice speakers, they just hadn't met their match until the amp with the bull whip rode into town. :)
I remember when getting into music, i started with a receiver and bookshelf speakers but one i started using separates their is a real improvement in sound quality.
Good advice Thomas. From my personal experience a good amp will turn 'average' speakers into great speakers. 'Average' electronics will make great speakers sound horrible.
I agree since upgrading my front end I'm enjoying my 20yr old speakers all over again I haven't heard any speakers under 10k Within the last 4 years so I've been upgrading the front end and wow 20 years old Paradigms sounds so amazing.
Thomas, I totally agree with you on the importance of the power amp in the system. I put most of my money into the power amp itself and no doubt, it makes a huge difference in the sound of my system. What's nice is I can upgrade other components and the quality of my power amp not only keeps up with any upgrade, it also gives me flexibility as well as an effortless presentation.
Jumping from one amp to another to another without synergy is ridiculous. I got into HiFi in 1998 and with 1 year I went from a well reviews 6 channel solid state amp to Decware ZEN Select 2.3 watt giant killer amp. Tried many others but never spent more than $3000 k on amp. Everything that I did buy, I modified by upgrading the caps and resistors… that alone improved the sound significantly. Of course none of this matters if your speaker are placed incorrectly or if you have an 75” giant TV in between your speakers!!..🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️.. that TV is a great diffuser… no doubt! 😂
Sure, I have made a video on that and I believe I already address the TV issue in my room treatment video. Decware th-cam.com/video/aMUn8lR4rVo/w-d-xo.html Synergy th-cam.com/video/4Z76teETMKE/w-d-xo.html
So close to 30K subs, Thomas! You’ll get there I bet within the next week or two. You’ve got that many subscribers because people trust you and know your a good guy with no hidden agenda. I’ve been really into HiFi for almost 15 yrs, but before that I was a record collector for the past 30+ years. I can say I fully agree with what you said. I think you generally get what you pay for, but you’ve also gotta be on the lookout for great gear that’s sold direct and made well. There’s a lot of hidden gems out there, Schiit being the first that comes to mind. I finally bought a pair of Tekton Pendragons a bit over a year ago, but now I’m in the market for a new amp and preamp. So many choices. I’m thinking Classe for the power amp, but need to try out a few preamps. Thanks, Thomas! Love your channel. 🎶🔊❤️🙂
Your points align well with my experience. I think the ratio of allowances varies based on the total budget you have to work with. If I was building a system with $5000 the portion allowed for the speakers would be at least 50%. If I am building a 50,000 system it would not be 50% for the speakers. Probably 20 to 25%. To get into real high end audio components will be 2000 +. My setup is a little under 50K. All Primaluna EVO 400 - pre and dual power amps. If I group all segments I ended up with about 4,000 to 4,500 per section. Pre, power, each speaker, 2 subs, DAC, Turntable, Phono preamp + power supply, and finally the power conditioner. I would highly suggest you review the Plixar BAC 3000 preconditioner with two power amps. This is a 3000 watt balanced conditioner. This was the icing on the cake for me.
Your are absolutely right my speakers 21,000 now , Casta C’s audio Space as-3i, $700, phono stage York, 475, Thorens 160 Jelco tonearm Grace F-9 cartridge $2,000 , AudioLab 6000CDT $650, Aune X8 Magic DAC, $434, Blue sound Vault 2, , $875 all is married together. Thank you so much
Everything is important in a system and for me finding that one two punch amp and speakers that work good together, but for me that makes a system sound great is the format that one uses, you can have a great sounding system and put on a terrible recording and the system with sound horrible but put on a fantastic recording and then your system will sound awesome.
Thanks Thomas! Why don’t you take new direction and start reviewing highend integrated amps like Hegel 380, Luxman, 509, Accuphase 480 or Gryphon 300. It would be interesting to know how you rank those againts some of poweramps you have tested.
I think I used to talk about more high price item but realized people usually prefer if I talk about budget gear. I will go back talking about high end gear but I also want to look at stuff that is not mainstream.
I totally agree with you Thomas. I believe in building a system around a power amp. Use most of your budget on the amp and upgrade everything else along the way
The room has the biggest effect. Treat the room first! Then find the right speaker for that room. Then the right amp for that speaker. Does it handle the impedance of the speaker, electrical phase etc. My best combo yet to date was with Klipsch Palladium P37 with Musical Fidelity 750k superchargers. Wadia Dac.
There's a heck of a lot of difference between power amps, for sure. The very best ones will have a very _refined velvety_ sound, which is easily identified. Having said this, it often is a case of synergy, in other words, a matching of an amplifier to a certain speaker set. To qualify this, take a 'bright' sounding amp and connect it to speakers such as Focals and you have a recipe for disaster. Also, we should keep in mind, the more power amps have, the more 'control' or authority will exercise on speakers. Power amps are extremely important in what we hear from a sound system. And finally, speaker sensitivity plays a big role in what type of amplifier is suitable. Speakers and power amplifiers are like a "marriage" of sorts.. They either work or they don't. Good advice Thomas for the newcomers to the 'hobby'.
Hi Thomas, thanks for posting. My system is modest and low budget compared to yours but I am happy with it. Mostly Rega with the heart being a pair of Rega Exon 3 mono blocks and my prized Audio Research SP14 preamp that I had American Sound of Canada repair recently. They did an excellent job and Arnold was great to deal with. I recently purchased a Bryston TF1 step up transformer and it took my vinyl listening experience up to another level. I don`t like too forward or bright, especially when it comes to the voices but like you said about the Bryston sound, more aggressive but not harsh and plenty of sweet detail and bass. It really makes my Rega RS5 speakers work and sound the way they are supposed to and I really like it. Now I will see if Bryston can change the setting on it to better suit my MC cartridge next time we are in Peterborough.
Just bought a PA3 (power amp) to go with my Iotavx SA3 (Integrated). For someone who's new to this stuff I was very impressed with the improvement in sound. I didn't realise the potential my speakers had until I gave them more power!
Dear Thomas, thank you for all your quality videos and the hard work you put behind them. Your videos are of a great value for a lot of people and I would like to show my gratitude. Looking forward for the next video! From a fan on the other side of the planet (Japan) Cheers
Newbs should take advantage of a local audio shop and their experienced team before putting out good money on a system! Just by doing that you end up 3 steps ahead. I was lucky back in 83 when I did that. Walked out with Naim amp and preamp, there's turntable, and castle speakers for $3500. It was a lot of coin, but darn great starting point thanks to that shop's knowledge and care for their product!
IN the last 2 years I have owned the following class D amps. NONE compared to the EVS 1200 a Icepower 1200AS, dual mono. The amp has lots of mods. NONE of the others could hold a candle to its clean power under 80Hz, and WOW what a difference. IMO, deep clean fast bass is the cornerstone/foundation to the rest of the music
Good to hear positive things about the 1200AS... I currently have a classdaudio sds470C which is lovely and lush/warm sounding. Quite the opposite of what most say about Class D. I am looking at stepping up to a Class D amp which has a little more top end presence (My current amp is really smooth at the top end but perhaps lacks a little of the sparkle). How would you describe the 1200AS in this regard and also what other Class D amps have you compared it to? Thanks.
@@mikecole4924 It was on the soft side, a dull leading edge. I removed the top and 2 Kubes that I was forced to pay for or no deal (one each butted up against each module), and now it's like lightening in a box. The entire 3D sound stage is wide open, the noise floor dropped dramatically which improved imaging
This video really got me curious so I jumped and purchased a second hand power amp for 350USD (Accuphase Pro-6, 300W). Luckily my integrated amp (Rega Mira, 50W) has a Pre out so I did not need to buy any preamp. I have inefficient speakers (ATC SCM7), and the result with pre+power amp is... wow! It feels like I have a brand new pair of speakers! Until now, I would always switch speakers because I ended up frustrated. Now I realize it's all because of the front end, I was not able to get out most of the speakers. Thanks so much Thomas for this video advices! Also few months earlier, after watching your videos, I invested in an integrated tube amp (Unison Research simply four, second hand) because I wanted to hear and experience what you meant by "holographic". I matched it with efficient horn speakers (Zingali Control Monitor speakers) and the result is another wow! Thanks again!!!
I bought all my gear based on Stereophile, and internet reviews. I did listen a/b to the equipment, and found the reviews to be accurate. First was a McIntosh MC2205 I bought for $800-now $3000 used. I then purchased a pair of PSB Stratus Gold i speakers which the UPS guy had dropped, and one speaker had a few small dings, I stole those puppies at $1200-$2800 retail - now $800used) The next piece, and probably the perfect fit, was the purchase of my beloved Audible Illusions M3A tube preamp$1800 now $1400 used. Total investment at that point was $4000 Total investment today for this same setup would be around 5 grand, just a thousand more than I spent back in the day, late 90's. That McIntosh amp has risen in cost due to it's awesome output, and sound quality, well worth 3 grand as is the M3A preamp which has held it's value fairly well also. I really got lucky with this system, I sold it a few years back, but wow, the setup had that live sound I like, as if I am in a bar, and the band/singer is there with me. Totally passed the goose bump, and chills tests! lol As Thomas says (my name is Thomas also BTW) The amp should possibly come first, but in my opinion, the Speakers come first, then the amp. Always listen to the speakers first, and if the seller can't audition them with a suitable amp, don't buy, and find someone who can. The 90lb behemoth of an MC2205 will drive just about anything you throw at it sounding awesome in the process, that's why it's worth every penny upwards of 3 grand.
I got a secondhand peachtree Nova integrated which sounded pretty good but a bit woolly in the lower frequencies changed tube but only a little better so due to limited budget got a gainclone dual mono power amp which improved things in all ways but only 50watts per channel so after a little research decided to get a crown xls from the good reviews and price point. Wow it's a great amp and combo now. Therefore I fully agreed that amps are an important part of the sonic equation. I would naturally love more expensive products that you showed which I have heard...but they are way out of my budget and reach for now. But I'm really happy (and surprised) with the Nova and crown mix. Now just going to make some DIY belden interconnects. Keep up the great work Mr T and be safe everyone.
Great video! It really highlights the concept of the rate-limiting factor in audio. The concept of being mindful of the weakest link in the chain and focusing on that- otherwise, your audio quality has a ceiling that can't be addressed by upgrading other parts. That takes effort- reading reviews, forums, asking for recommendations, but most importantly TRYING new gear. I like the fact you actually try a boatload of gear! Folks need to experiment to find what they like! And hopefully they find enjoyment in that process. That applies for amps, dacs, speakers, subs, treatment, room correction, stands, etc.
Hi Thomas, I have a DIY amp from Hypex (2x UCD400), the amp is powered with a (2x) toroidal transformers , when I switched to a newer switching power unit (SMPS), the sound changed, I concluded that the power suply of an amp is also very influancial on the sound.
Hi Thomas! Great episode, I really enjoyed it. You have a natural flair for this " editorial" type video. I simply found it very interesting. In listening to it I learned that You, and I have shared very similar experiences when it come to the relationship between power amplifiers, and speakers. Have a great day my friend!
Thanks Thomas that was an awesome feeling to give back , Sorry i deleted my text book i wrote , And I agree Front End First ! ! I love the built Pre in the Yammy AS-1100 but dont think I wont use a tube pre With the amp section ! ! Very good solid state built in Pre (Pure Analog ) But i most have fun 😆
Tee-Jay, don't delete it, I read it earlier but was busy working so I did not answer. I enjoy reading your essays! You are always welcome to write whatever is on your mind. Sometimes I don't answer simply because I am either too busy or overwhelmed.
@@ThomasAndStereo i know you don't mind at all Thomas , But other people may think this guy is crazy ! Well yeah thats true , I will not delete comments anymore Promise ! and It wasn't your response time with a reply at all, I know your busy , And i think its so awesome what your doing with the Videos your uploading to help out people in need !! That hit me hard This just shows your true character as a person! But I had no idea the comment section of the Charity post was going to be posted, i thought only the Charity organization people would see it 😆 All good though , But if i knew i would of gave you some huge props , I also posted the Charity link on my FB Thank You Thomas for taking your time to help others in need ! I call it paying it forward ! Shangdi baoyou ni he ni de jiaren !
I totally concur, you need power, you’ve got to have headroom. I’m no audiophile but love music. It’s the amps ability to cruise and send a clean signal without straining.
Thanks for this video. Its nice. You have had some amazing amplifiers. My first real amp was the Yaqin mc-13s. Then I got the 851w like you. Now I'm moving on to a PS Stellar 300 :) Side note: The TPA3255 is a fabulous if you are looking for power on a budget.
Hi Thomas, I will be setteling on Genelecs. I love their sound and they hit the nail on the head for me. They have everything in one package what I loved from different speakers. Just wanted to share my findings with you. The 8050B or the 8351 are just magnificent speakers. They absolutely are transparent to your frontend. You can just shape the sound as you like it!
Hi Thomas, thank you for the video. And I agree with you when you say a power amp plays a major role in the SQ of a speaker or helping the speaker reach it's full potential. Currently I am using an integrated tube amp but now I have now decided to upgrade and look into separates (Preamp & power amp). But it has to be tube based either the pre or power or both. I like the Tube sound vs SS, it does something to me, lol. Take care hopefully you will hit your mark by Sunday and we (the audiophile public) get 3 more videos from you. 😁
Very true. I remember getting my first power amp and listening to some mid-fi speakers on it compared to what I was using before. Sounded like a different set of speakers. All of a sudden the sound was fuller, bigger, the bass was more THERE more powerful. The highs, less thin. And then there is also that synergy problem. Some speakers just do better with some amps. Sometimes it's best just not to compare or worry about this because there is no end to it and it can drive you mad, lol. You can spend a lifetime swapping out gear, and then? There's always ONE more piece to try. And your wife is signing the papers to have you committed, lol!
in my 30 yr experience to get a musical system is getting efficient speakers over 96db and use a single ended tube integrated add your dac streamer(cd) or vinyl and you are done!
Thomas, thanks for a great video. Love the different amp pictures with you comments in caption. Speaking of amps, it would be great to have your take on the PS Audio Stellar monoblocks if you ever put your hands on a set.
After watching this whole thing, I began to wonder (as a person who records music) why you folks don't use equalizers to adjust excess bass, or overly strident tweeters, etc.? Used in moderation, an equalizer can do wonders - and would be much cheaper than getting a new amp / speaker tower set and so on. Just thinking aloud - the content is still appreciated!
I have no problem with equalizers. In fact, I mentioned it in my Loki video. However, soundstage width, depth,fluidity, power, speed, bass control and so forth cannot be help with an equalizer.
While playing the 20 to 20k hertz sound spectrum, all speakers very their ohm-load demand on an amplifier. Current is more important than watts. Any speaker efficiency rating below 90db from 1-watt input should be matched with (good sounding to your ears) amplification rated to work well into 4-ohm loads. Some 'high-end' megabuck speakers will demand an amp remain stable dipping close to a 1-ohm load.
Really nice content. Despite having done my journey already, you both reinforced many of the things that I have already Learned, as well as intrigued me to take a second look/thought into a few things. So Thank you! ...and Yes FEELING the music is definitely not non-sense. I think you do a very good job putting yourself out there and explaining things, i.e. explaining your Thought process and decisions, so Bravo!
Thomas, it’s funny that I came across this video just now. Pretty good timing for me. I know you enjoy story time, so let me share mine. In 2015 I bought a pair of AudioEngine A5+ powered speakers along with their S8 subwoofer. Recently those were stolen from me by two girls. (A different story for another day haha). With the insurance money I received I decided I wanted to step it up a notch and get better speakers since I wasn’t too impressed with the A5’s. Because of your review and others, I decided on the Klipsch RP 600m along with a 12 inch Klipsch sub. These are my first passive speakers. Of course I had no idea what I was getting into and because of my lack of knowledge about audio I thought the same way you did.... what do I need to get to just make these Klipsch speakers work. I purchased a budget mini integrated amp off Amazon. I hooked my speakers up, and it definitely sounds good - better than the A5s, but I wasn’t wowed. I felt there was more on the table. So I know I had to educate myself. You and other youtubers really helped me learn a lot. I was shocked to see just how much depth there is to this hobby. It’s been a lot of fun learning. About 30 minutes ago I decided on my replacement for the mini amp. This includes the Modi DAC, Saga S pre amp and Vidar class AB powered amp. This came to $1,100 total, which is way way more of an investment that I planned on making when I first bought these Klipsch speakers. I can afford the purchase, however spending this much money to hook up the Klipsch definitely made me nervous. Did I do the right thing, I thought. With this money spent... am I really going to hear the difference compared to the mini amp I bought? Then I come across this video and now I feel so much more confident about my purchase. I can’t wait to hook up my Klipsch to the soon to be delivered Schiit gear and truly start my audiophile journey. I really enjoy your channel. Keep up the awesome work!
Thomas - Doctors without Border is a fantastic organization - I will make a donation. Since you're mightily engaged making high-quality reviews, I would like to suggest that you try the Borderpatrol DAC. It's hard to find reviews from reviewers who have a wide range of gear to compare it to. I have it, and out of all the DACs I own, I think this one is something special. Thanks again for what you're doing, very much appreciated.
@@ThomasAndStereo I compared it to the Modi Multibit, the Denafrips Ares2, the Audio GD R1, and this one has them all beat. It really shouldn't sound good at all, judging by the technology used, but yet it does. Would love to hear your opinion about it.
Sounds like an addictive and expensive journey, I am happy with my B&W 602 and Rotel integrated amp as I am just beginning to understand audio, speakers etc, sold my Mission 794 speakers but should have invested on separates 😁
Does your friend with 100k system have Jeff Rowlands amps ? They sure look like it ! They look amazing ! A good power amp to me trumps speakers, always has since 1989 Thomas and all i read was Crutchfield magazine that magazine was my internet my go to my holy grail ! What i look for in an power amp is refined detail and Muscle ! Thanks Thomas , New Dac on its way the Aune X8 with interchangle op-amps told ya me a colourful Audiophile 😆 'I chase no one sound 'but all sounds'
@@ThomasAndStereo thanks Thomas 😆 i wanted the r2r you reviewed but every time i went to otder its out of stock ! I just wanted better than what i got , to me the biggest part of the sound comes from the Pre-amp/amp anyways dac may give it a lil fine tuning. But the dac has interchangeable op amps to taylor the sound with a lil color 😆
I have the Infinity interlude IL50s, I first had them hooked up to a Denon receiver and they sounded ok, I upgraded later on to a Rotel pre-amp and a Carver av705x what a big improvement with 125 watts /channel then another improvement two years ago when I upgraded my pre- amp to the Marantz av7005. My whole system was only about $1500
OT. Some albums off the beaten path. 1 Huun-Huur-Tu - Orphan's Lament 2 These Trails - These Trails - 1973 3 Bonnie Dobson Good Morning Rain 4 Amadou & Mariam Dimanche a Bamako 5 John Renbourn...Sir John Alot 6 Johnny Lytle The Loop 7 Harvey Mandel - Cristo Redentor 8 Vince Guaraldi Trio A Charlie Brown Christmas 9 Ry Cooder & Vishwa Mohan Bhatt - A Meeting by the River 10 The Pentangle The Pentangle I have a habit of listening my music through iem from my DAP when I take my usual afternoon nap. There are about 6000 albums in my 2 TB music library so some time I listen to albums I never listen before. Twice it happened to me to wake up to the omg what a treat, refering to albums 6 and 7.Enjoy your music not your gear.
My wife enjoys music with our tv speakers. Now, she is all about the music. For people like me, it is a balance between both without losing sight of either.
Love ur videos Thomas. Hope u and your family are well! Watch ur vids to learn but dont think I can afford the products u review but interesting. Best wishes for your wife family. Take care bro !
I look at it this way: It’s like a car.. engine and power/hp transmission is like the power amp The driver and tires is like the source The aero and chassis are the speakers
Yeah. Harman Kardon was a bad move :) Sold my back in the day after few months. And a small critique. For someone who is spending $$$ on audio gear your mic choice really... SUX lol. (something most audio ytubers have in common) Please get some cheap Tascam/Zoom recorder or audio interface (Scarlett, Motu) paired with a solid mic.. please! :) The noise floor kills me on my studio monitors. Can recommend Podcastage for good reviews. Hint: If you feed your mic directly into your cam, that´s where the noise comes from. Camera preamps are really really bad, and you should turn the internal preamp on your cam way down (1 marker above 0), and balance the sound with your Rode.
Thomas, thanks for sharing your journey! I love my Focal 1028 be - which amplifier did you enjoy most with this speaker? I want to upgrade my Cambridge Audio cxa80. I like the sound, but I think the Focals would benefit from a better amp. Greetings from Germany!
Spend all your money on the best speakers you can find. Even better, used. Get a cheap $120 Schiit DAC and connect your computer to it. Get a cheap $300 or whatever receiver like the Emotiva A2m. Only the speakers will make a difference in sound quality. So put most of your money there.
Nice video and series. In your review of xtz edge a comment you made resonated about how it would be your first purchase if you were to do it all over again... And seeing your review of the q acoustics tower, I wonder if you were to consider a tower as a first purchase what would you choose as "good enough" while you upgraded other parts of the system? I was happy to see a review of a tower speaker. There are less reviews of towers on TH-cam (from the reviewers I follow and have come to trust) to navigate through to get a sense of understanding of the market. Another curiosity is within a similar price range or within the same series of speaker how would a bookshelf compare vs a floor stander. For ex an elac debut reference vs the floor stander in its own line or the q acoustics which is more money, but not drastically so. Not to side track the video, just thought commenting this on your most recent video is probably the best chance of you seeing it.
I am trying to do more tower reviews. Usually they have better bass but don't disappear as well. Instrument separation I find usually better with bookshelf when compare to the floor standing brother. I always go for floorstanding cause there is no replacement for displacement.
We are lucky to have Thomas share all this info with us. I started in car audio first way back in 80’s. I was fortunate to have friends like Thomas go through the “trial and error” method. What was noticed is that indeed speakers are not the end to all. Amps driving the speakers do make a huge difference. But the same can be said for of course speakers also. I guess this thinking carried over for me when purchasing my home audio equipment. I never bother with receivers or even integrated amps. Tube amps were not for me. Expensive gear was also not for me. Usually very high end amps are very big and heavy which justifies their cost to begin with to a certain extent. There are many things to think about prior to making purchases. I was into audio before I even bought my first home back in the 90’s. I patiently waited though until I saved enough to buy a home. I then had to re-research what I thought would go best in the family room and living room for audio equipment. I did move one time and carrying/moving all the audio equipment wasn’t too bad because I didn’t buy very heavy stuff. I’ve had the same audio equipment since the late 90’s. Some small pieces were added later on but all good.
Great content Thomas!, not many reviewers do these kind of journey cover. Interesting for my journey Ive found the Pre’s are more important in terms of carrying out sound characteristics, the power amps shows more potential in driving harder to drive speakers.
Thanks Thomas: I love your videos and find them very informative without imposing your own beliefs/tastes/preferences to others. I notice that there are not a lot of reviews (that I can find) in Paradigm/Anthem? Do you have any experience with these products, say Anthem STR pre and power amps and Paradigm speakers?
Hi Thomas, thanks for this vid, really loved it and it really helped with my beginner audio system thought process and set up! What do you think of 211 or 845 SET amplifiers (18 - 24w class A) with kef reference 5 speakers (90db at 8ohm, sometimes dips down to 4 ohm). Do you think this combination works? Usually i listen to vocals/jass/oldies eg dire straits, and am chasing after a sweet beautiful midrange and wide spacious soundstage. Thanks!
Thanks Thomas for another piece of great advice. better gears will bring better sound. now i have to go and explore power amps. Guess its a non ending journey but what the heck as long as the hobby brings pleasure. I know this applies to great recordings. but does this applies to normal recordings ? is it possible to bring the level of normal recordings close to audiophile recordings ? thanks
Getting an Arcam SA 20, I do not need seperates. I sold my Kronzilla Tube system as well as my Jadis and BHK PS Audio stuff for rhe Arcam. It is the most musical amp in thr world. Period.
The pre and amp synergy is important, but so are source and speaker. Your rig is only as good as its weakest link. Btw upgrading when done thoughtfully and patiently is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of this audiophile addiction. Could never go for a powered speaker or all-in-one for my main system, but in my office rig yes.
www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/thomas-and-stereo-fundraiser-for-doctors-without-b/
No need to give a lot but if we can all chip in even $1, it will make a difference. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
When you said "I went and clear my bank account out, and brought like five power amps home"... My heart filled with fear just thinking about what my Wife would do to me, lol! She's been a real soldier through many purchases though!
Haha, Everything I buy is strategic and used so if I sell everything, I actually will not lose a single penny.
That's a very good strategy. Important too in your line of evaluating and searching for the uniqueness in products. I'm an old timer and the only changing I will be doing is tubes.
@@skipgordon5382 Same here - currently I'm researching rectifiers. Not nerdy at all, eh? LOL
As a long time supporter of Doctors Without Borders, I want to thank you for spreading the word. They work all over the world to help the weak and most vulnerable people in some of the most dire situations, in some cases at great risk to themselves, as witnessed recently in Afghanistan, when a maternity hospital run by them was attacked. 🙏😷🙂❤️
As an acoustician and audiologist I can tell you that the most important thing is the room acoustics Together with the speakers and placement.
Greetings from Germany 😉
I'd like to give you a Philips Home theatre and JBL and make you create a sound better than a Bryston and JBL;) What Thomas said is true about Power Amps.
German indeed ...
Yep 😊
the most important thing is the source; garbage in, garbage out
Thanks for this insightful video, as usual. And, God bless you for your noble mission, too.
Thank you!
Although I don’t think you are going to read this, I want to say that I made this experience myself this week. I hooked up a XTZ Edge to my Marantz AVR to my Dynaudio x34 and the change in sound was staggering to say the least. I was really critical about it and did a lot of A/B Tests, but the improvement is so so obvious. More refined bass, more articulated bass, much much wider sound stage, much fuller bodied mid range and smoother voices. It’s crazy what a small change like an external Power Amp can do. Great Video by the way. Cheers
Nice, thanks for letting me know and taking the time to type up a long comment. Hopefully, this will help others to also consider this. Yup! The poweramp can make such a big difference! Sometimes, it feels like I have changed speakers!
My first amp [integrated amp] which I still own is a Luxman R-1120.
To this day after all the other gear I've owned and heard the Luxman suits me the best.
I've had 2 amps custom made and I still prefer the Luxman.
I am currently having a pair of bookshelf speakers custom made to my size and drivers.
Then after many listening hours I will then order from the same company subwoofers
[if needed] and my journey is "over".
---------- A simple stereo setup suits me best ----------
---------- After my long audio journey I've found simplicity rules ----------
Here is a thought -:
I think we concentrate to much on our audio "stuff".
When you have a setup just enjoy it and get on with living life.
After awhile your setup will just be a part of your life and not controlling your thoughts.
There are many more things in life that are a priority.
Music and stuff are to enhance your life not control it.
---------- Do not go into debt for your hobby ----------
Material things are a fleeting pleasure.
Great advice, hope others will learn from that.
Oh man… I love this. While back there is one person asked me: which is more important? Amps or speakers, I reply: it take 2 to tango. But then he told me that speakers it is ( it just because someone at Best Buy told him so) . I paid him no mind but I always believe in good power, good amps will play very critical in sound. Love your reviews as always.
If I had a limited budget and thought my system lacked punch and bass extension, I would be more inclined to get a decent subwoofer than a power amp. Subs (rather like tone controls) are often still frowned upon by many audiophiles, but in my experience, if you get the crossover right, they change the systems characteristics in a profound way.... not just the low end bass, but also in the lower/mid frequency range. It is way more cost effective than getting a power amp, imho. Interesting video as always. Thanks for sharing
Agree, if your goal is to add more bass to the system, getting a sub is the way to go.
Byron G You are correct and when done right subwoofers add dynamics to your system. Even if you have large full range speakers if done correctly they benefit from a subwoofer or two or more.
I could not agree more. Except for clearing my bank account on amps 😂 I’m on a budget and have a emotiva apx gen 1 power amp. It’s not great but like you say gets me 90 percent there and makes any bookshelf sound great 👍
This is literally, 1:1 the experience that I had. I just couldn't believe the amount if money I spent to get a sound that is not really that pleasing, and that 20$ headphones could beat without breaking a sweat. Time passed, and a lot of speakers came and gone through different rooms in my house. Later I understood that it's the electronics, that mattered the most. I regretted many times selling any one of them. Today, I'm actually happy with the system that I have. I know it won't be my last. I'm happy that I managed to get my expectations in check and enjoy the process, and appreciate the hobby. But I still think that I would have been content with my first pair of speakers if the price was justified to the value. I think that the amount of money involved in this industry, while is justified in terms of development, production, marketing and so on, is simply not worth it. When u r an audiophile, you really hear every little shortcoming, and the money u need to spend to get to that "Good enough" territory is simply too much, regardless of how much money u have in your back account. Because it is always relative and u always can push more. In many aspects, my headphones still sound better, and I came to accept it
I've recently discovered vintage amps. They are AMAZING! A smooth relaxed, MUSICAL sound that you don't get from most modern gear. Not unless its McIntosh.
Another reason to get separate power am and pre amp is the rapid development of new tech. Get a GOOD power amp and that will last a life time regardless of media source. 4K, atmos, dolby, THX, streaming, bluetooth, etc keep changing every few years. I can see upgrading my preamp every decade or so but get a nice power amp and a person is set for life. I wish I had started with a nice power amp instead of getting 4 to 5 pairs of speakers early on my journey.
Really enjoying your last few videos.
I’m often surprised how many folks will gladly spend good sums of money on a nice set of floorstanders and then skimp on powering them properly. IMO try to buy the best amplifier you can afford. A lot of speakers need a fair amount of power to do what they do best......especially some that lean on the inefficient side of things in terms of their signal to noise ratio. And it’s not even just about having enough watts to achieve proper volumes without sounding strained.......a good amplifier plays a huge role in controlling the speaker as well, notably in the bass so it stays tight and defined as opposed to muddy and sloppy.
Edit: Thomas’ story reminds me of my foray into higher end audio when I began to take it more seriously. My good friend has been into hi-end audio for a long time and that influenced me to go down the path to better audio. One of my first good speakers were a set of Energy Connoisseur C-6 (similar to the revered Energy 22.3) I always liked how Energy speakers sounded back in their heyday (before Klipsch took over and ruined the brand). At first I ran them off a Pioneer receiver that made around 110w/channel) They sounded ok but nothing great. Then a few months later I purchased a Bryston BP25 and 4BST combo. I can still recall the firs listening session after that switch and how struck I was at the improvement in sound.....it was like listening to a completely different set of speakers
I agree !
TheHawk05 I knew many who went through the exact same thing. There source point was weak. Too often they used “receivers”.
I was always humble when they said hey check out my system. They often had B&W or a high quality brand speakers but they were driving the system off of some Pioneer or Sony receiver. Sound was “ok” but I always said sounds great.
The edge I had also was that I put together car stereo systems and I also had friends doing the same and the conclusion I came to was have a good clean power amp. The amplifier made the difference.
So I always read reviews and envisioned what type of system I would get even before I bought my own home.
I’m pretty sure I focused on the amp and preamp first. I never bothered getting a receiver first. I wanted good high quality stuff from the beginning.
I think I have spent 10k in total for 2 systems. Most bought in the late 90’s. I still have both. 1 system is in the family room and the other in living room.
Great story. I wish more people can experience that difference. I will be reviewing some energy speakers btw.
Thomas; I see you love the audio journey. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and journey. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to pick up a lavardin Technologies Model IT amp from an audiophile friend of mine. A few weeks ago I purchased a pair of Klipsch RP-600 and was using them on a Denon AVR-3803 receiver in another area of my house. The Klipsch sounded nice. I figured at the $450 sale price for the pair, it was an ok deal. I enjoyed the sound and was satisfied. I am waiting for a new pair of KEF LS50 (on promo @$899) and a REL T5i sub for my regular set up. In the meantime, we hooked up the Klipsch to the lavardin and WOW!! Spectacular!! Just using a bluesound NODE 2i (also from my friend) and am looking forward to getting my naim CD player fixed and hooked up. I am considering the Denafrips Ares II R2R DAC, but feel that I should proceed slowly and spend more time digesting my new found ears. I am not an audiophile, but I have a good friend that helps steer me. I think this might be the start of something fun. Thank you again for your channel and persona. I am a fan.
Yeah, the RP600M with the right amp can do some stuff the KEF LS50 cannot. You might be surprised how good these RP600M can be!
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks for the head's up. I'm looking forward to the comparison.
@@ThomasAndStereo Any suggestions for matching amps there Thomas? I'm considering a complete makeover after tiring of my Cyrus 2 (35 years no less), the soundstage seems to have disappeared and I'm over taking it in for yet another refurb! A temporary replacement of an old old Sony amp sounded refined by comparison, and way more exciting, it's over I'm afraid.
@@DC-js4gk It really depends on budget and speaker synergy. It is hard for me to recommend something blind. Best to do is simply look at reviews and look for the sound signature that is used to describe the amp.
A decade and I never comment. But in this case you have inspired me. That last one puts you over the top - doubling your goal. Thomas - thank you for the amazing insight into your journey. Just love the videos.
Hi, Thanks a lot of participating. That extra dollar you put in reminds me of someone tipping 15% + 1 cent. That 1 cent is a sign of extra appreciation. I was really touched and thanks for the comment.
The speaker is very important and in my eyes the most important thing in you chain, so I started just like you! I bought some Magnat floorstanding speaker and a cheap AV receiver from pioneer. I was happy for a few weeks but there was no bass. I bought some more expensive speakers and another one and another one but it did not really sound better. I decided to buy a new high end Marantz amp for 300€!!!!!!! Well it got better but not good enough. I thought I need a new speaker again, because I have now a high end map and it must sounds good. It was a Marantz!!!!!!!
I had to learn, that a amp is not just an amp and a amp can sound different and over the years I have learn that, hifi or high end is very, very complicated.
A good, cheap system sound good enough to hear music and it doesn't do any problems.
A expensive system will be always complicated.
But the most underrated and most important thing is........................ your room!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A perfect system will sound bad in an untreated room!
And let's be honest. Which married men can use basstraps or absorber in his living room. Me not!!!!!!!
I use a DSP to get rid of some room modes but it's not easy!
The most important question is ...................... Do you use your system to hear music or do you use music to hear your system.
I personally use the music to hear the system.
I you just like listen to music, you can achieve it for a few 100$ or €!
The power amp you need depends first on your speakers, then your room, but mostly we listen to music under 5 watts!
I am really glad you have discovered the importance of the front end of a music system. I have always said the equipment is more important than the speakers. Not to say speakers are not important BUT you have to understand the detail in the music, the control, the tonality and richness, the bass energy and detail, all comes from the equipment. Speakers can only reproduce what they are given so if you put a poor source and equipment in front of them even with the best speakers in the world they will sound very ordinary. Now take the other perspective and put more money into the equipment, first you are giving the speakers the best opportunity to sound there best. Second you will be shocked how good even modest speakers can sound with great equipment in front of them. Glad you discovered the importance of the power amp but the preamp makes a even bigger difference !! It really is the most important component in a high end audio system. So really everything matters but to often I see people think speakers are the most important part of a music system and spend most of there money on the speakers, and then thinking modest equipment will be good enough. Wrong ! The other challenge is finding the right amplifier for your speakers. That can only be evaluated IF you have proper speaker placement. And even that will change when you make a change in components. But you will be close and you will know if there are issues if its speaker placement issue, or room issue, or its just a poor match with the speakers. Understand everything in audio has a sonic signature, so its finding components that bring out the best performance and sound from the speakers you are trying to get tuned in. So do not underestimate ANY part of the system, source material, source, preamplifier ( most important component in a system in "my opinion" ) then amplifier, and cables.
Choosing a amplifier: It first should be able to drive the speakers properly electrically, and then complement the speakers sonically. Here is the one time specifications are helpful. You need to look at the speakers efficiency and then impedance. Efficiency determines how much power you need to reach a given sound pressure level and the impedance determines how good a amplifier you will need. If you have a high efficiency speaker say 95 db ( which is measured at 1 meter ) this means it it will play at 95db with 1 watt of power. Well that is nice because it means you will not need much power to get to high sound pressure levels. But for every 3db in output you need to double your amplifier power till you exceed the maximum output your hoping to achieve and how loud the speakers can actually play. So to get to 100db you only need about 4 watts. Now on the other side if you have a speaker which has a efficiency of 85 db. your looking at around 32 watts to get to that same 100db of output. It will require a lot more power to get to higher sound pressure levels. You also want to have more power than your maximum rating to handle the dynamic peaks of the music. Next you have impedance; this will determine how good a amplifier you will need. The more a speakers impedance varies the more stable a amplifier you will need. 8 ohm speakers is the easiest impedance for a amplifier to drive but all speakers impedance will vary depending on the frequency its having to reproduce. Some speakers more than others. As the impedance drops you need a amplifier that can deliver the current needed to drive lower impedance loads. The amplifiers specs tell you how much current it delivers as the impedance drops. The more power it can deliver into lower impedance loads the more stable and more current it can deliver. This is the first sign of a higher quality power amplifier. And lastly its finding a amplifier that complements the sound of the speakers. It should blend with the speakers to give the speakers a natural balance of sound. The only way to know is to try different amplifiers with your speakers. Most dealers will allow you to borrow equipment and take it home so you can see if its a good match with your speakers and system. But make sure if you do, to give the dealer your business and buy from him. Your local dealers play an important role in giving you the opportunity to hear equipment in your system and they are a wealth of information.
Ah, the preamp, that would make an interesting video. If you jump to the last min of the video, you will find my comment interesting. th-cam.com/video/nbQCfPwQop0/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the long comment, appreciate it and I read it twice.
This is nicely explained, thanks.
Thomas, you probably won't see this but I wanted to thank you. Your channel helped me take my first steps towards 2 channel hifi with a used Macintosh 2100. Now I have grown a lot through the years and I can see your taste has evolved quite a bit too. Now I have Boulder separates in my setup. I can fully appreciate what you said about fluidity and control, both of which current gen Boulder is world class at. It's 100% a feeling, does it make me want to keep listening, am I being forced to notice hifi sounding detail or is it just effortless enjoyment, am I being pulled into the musical space. Looking forward to keep growing together, keep up the good work!
Thomas, I really enjoy these videos where you give advice on different topics or provide your opinions or experiences. They're just as entertaining and informative as a review and in some cases maybe more so. I'd like to see more videos like this in the future if it's something you are able to do. Thank You
Thanks, I will try to make more videos like these in the future.
Thomas is right that the speakers are certainly not 80% of the sound and it is a beginners mistake.
I used to read Stereophile magazine 20 years ago when I was building my system and trying to get decent sound out of a CD player. The base philosophy they preached, I recall, was that a system is only as a good as its weakest link. That makes it difficult to build a system of course because it means all of your components have to be of good quality right off the bat, otherwise you are guessing which one is weakest, which we spend most of our time doing.
But how I proceeded was to use my turntable and my tuner as the baselines. They were analog sources and they sounded a d-m sight better than any CD player. Anyway it helped a lot to have my turntable and vinyl records as references. As it turned out, in developing my digital front end, the transport ended up being the most critical component in the system. Mine was a Proceed PDT3 (now defunct I'm sorry to say) for a Dac, the modest MSB Link Dac but perfectly capable of producing excellent sound when fed with good signal. So it goes. Today disc spinning is quickly going the way of the dodo bird.
I believe fluidity has much to do an amp's power supply design, besides the amp's rated power output.
Oversized transformer, the reservoir caps will provide more headroom for the demand at diff part of the music.
I think that's the reason why some of those UK amps of the 80s n 90s sounded quite 'pleasant' despite being moderately rated at 30W.
I see, good point. Thanks
Thank you Thomas for your candor, continuing our education and for helping out in this pandemic.
Case pandemic
Great video! You're right, u have to go through the learning pains in order to find out what's best for you. I started with kef LS50s and rega elex r amp because they had great reviews. But it wound up being an awful combination as it was incredibly bright and fatiguing. Now I have the Billie amp with the Bro 3s and they sound incredible together and I can listen for hours and hours. I had the iotavx sa3 with the Bros first, but I wanted a more refined sound, and more air and 'magic', so I upgraded to the Billie. And it made a world of difference. Everything just sounded more 'high end' and higher resolution. Unfortunately I'm getting the upgrade bug again, as I think I wanna upgrade to more expensive speakers like the Kef R7s or something in that price range. It never really ends!
I will tell you the weak link in your system is the built in poweramp. If you had tone control to boost the bass and a better poweramp, those triangle will level up significantly. The Billie amp preamp is incredible.
@@ThomasAndStereo And would you say that adding the XTZ Edge A2-300 as a power amp would level up those triangle significantly as oposed to the iotavx sa3 (not the stack, but only the integrated sa3 part)? I know it sounds like I am asking for equipment matching, but not exactly.
All things being equal: preamp/integrated amp, power amp and loudspeakers are a good match:
Is a great price/value power amp (for 500$) a good choice to upgrade the system with in comparison to also great price/value integrated amp (for same 500$)? The integrated amp would be used as preamplifier. So in other words: exchanging the built in power amp to a separate one.
Should the power amp be a level (or 2) of higher price and of course more importantly sound quality wise higher too to avoid incremental upgrade steps?
Good video. The most important system synergism is between speakers & room. Get that combo right first. Experiment w/power amps afterwards to fine tune. Using different amps to fix bad room/speaker interaction is a band aid. In my case, I found speaker nirvana with Paradigm Studio 100 in 1999. Took me a couple years to find the right amp. NAD 218THX & McIntosh MC275 both sounded good. But the Adcom GFA5802 provided the overall best in tonal balance, soundstage, with bass that is powerful & taut. I still have this combo 20 years later.
Nice, I had the GFA5802 also at one point.
In 2011 I had drifted into semi-retirement and was looking for something to do. I'd tweaked quite a few speakers over the years but had never built any, so I figured it was time. The MTM Dayton III's seemed simple enough, especially considering my lack of real woodworking skills. On completion, I hooked them up to a JVC receiver we had laying around. It was about 70 watts per channel. I was pretty much satisfied with my handiwork. Then the amplifier building bug bit. The search led me to Rod Elliottt's P101, a MOSFET putting out about 180 watts per channel. I immediately understood the word 'control' in relation to amplifiers. The P101 was literally SPANKING those speakers! Precision, detail, quickness. It was all there. Had I not built that amp I probably would've built more speakers in the hunt for something better. The Daytons were actually pretty nice speakers, they just hadn't met their match until the amp with the bull whip rode into town. :)
Nice, great story!
I remember when getting into music, i started with a receiver and bookshelf speakers but one i started using separates their is a real improvement in sound quality.
Good advice Thomas. From my personal experience a good amp will turn 'average' speakers into great speakers. 'Average' electronics will make great speakers sound horrible.
I agree since upgrading my front end I'm enjoying my 20yr old speakers all over again I haven't heard any speakers under 10k Within the last 4 years so I've been upgrading the front end and wow 20 years old Paradigms sounds so amazing.
Thomas, I totally agree with you on the importance of the power amp in the system. I put most of my money into the power amp itself and no doubt, it makes a huge difference in the sound of my system. What's nice is I can upgrade other components and the quality of my power amp not only keeps up with any upgrade, it also gives me flexibility as well as an effortless presentation.
Jumping from one amp to another to another without synergy is ridiculous. I got into HiFi in 1998 and with 1 year I went from a well reviews 6 channel solid state amp to Decware ZEN Select 2.3 watt giant killer amp. Tried many others but never spent more than $3000 k on amp. Everything that I did buy, I modified by upgrading the caps and resistors… that alone improved the sound significantly. Of course none of this matters if your speaker are placed incorrectly or if you have an 75” giant TV in between your speakers!!..🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️.. that TV is a great diffuser… no doubt! 😂
Sure, I have made a video on that and I believe I already address the TV issue in my room treatment video.
Decware th-cam.com/video/aMUn8lR4rVo/w-d-xo.html
Synergy th-cam.com/video/4Z76teETMKE/w-d-xo.html
So close to 30K subs, Thomas! You’ll get there I bet within the next week or two. You’ve got that many subscribers because people trust you and know your a good guy with no hidden agenda.
I’ve been really into HiFi for almost 15 yrs, but before that I was a record collector for the past 30+ years. I can say I fully agree with what you said. I think you generally get what you pay for, but you’ve also gotta be on the lookout for great gear that’s sold direct and made well. There’s a lot of hidden gems out there, Schiit being the first that comes to mind. I finally bought a pair of Tekton Pendragons a bit over a year ago, but now I’m in the market for a new amp and preamp. So many choices. I’m thinking Classe for the power amp, but need to try out a few preamps.
Thanks, Thomas! Love your channel. 🎶🔊❤️🙂
Thanks Nick, good luck in your search and hope you find something that has good synergy with the Pendragons.
Your points align well with my experience. I think the ratio of allowances varies based on the total budget you have to work with. If I was building a system with $5000 the portion allowed for the speakers would be at least 50%. If I am building a 50,000 system it would not be 50% for the speakers. Probably 20 to 25%. To get into real high end audio components will be 2000 +. My setup is a little under 50K. All Primaluna EVO 400 - pre and dual power amps. If I group all segments I ended up with about 4,000 to 4,500 per section. Pre, power, each speaker, 2 subs, DAC, Turntable, Phono preamp + power supply, and finally the power conditioner. I would highly suggest you review the Plixar BAC 3000 preconditioner with two power amps. This is a 3000 watt balanced conditioner. This was the icing on the cake for me.
Your are absolutely right my speakers 21,000 now , Casta C’s audio Space as-3i, $700, phono stage York, 475, Thorens 160 Jelco tonearm Grace F-9 cartridge $2,000 , AudioLab 6000CDT $650, Aune X8 Magic DAC, $434, Blue sound Vault 2, , $875 all is married together. Thank you so much
Everything is important in a system and for me finding that one two punch amp and speakers that work good together, but for me that makes a system sound great is the format that one uses, you can have a great sounding system and put on a terrible recording and the system with sound horrible but put on a fantastic recording and then your system will sound awesome.
Thanks Thomas! Why don’t you take new direction and start reviewing highend integrated amps like Hegel 380, Luxman, 509, Accuphase 480 or Gryphon 300. It would be interesting to know how you rank those againts some of poweramps you have tested.
I think I used to talk about more high price item but realized people usually prefer if I talk about budget gear. I will go back talking about high end gear but I also want to look at stuff that is not mainstream.
Thomas, budget integrated amps would include Peachtree audio. They're phenomenal for the price. Give those a shot.
I totally agree with you Thomas. I believe in building a system around a power amp. Use most of your budget on the amp and upgrade everything else along the way
The room has the biggest effect. Treat the room first! Then find the right speaker for that room. Then the right amp for that speaker. Does it handle the impedance of the speaker, electrical phase etc. My best combo yet to date was with Klipsch Palladium P37 with Musical Fidelity 750k superchargers. Wadia Dac.
Love my Bryston 4BSST_2 not aggressive at all. Mated with the BP-17_3. Have a good day!
There's a heck of a lot of difference between power amps, for sure. The very best ones will have a very _refined velvety_ sound, which is easily identified.
Having said this, it often is a case of synergy, in other words, a matching of an amplifier to a certain speaker set. To qualify this, take a 'bright' sounding amp and connect it to speakers such as Focals and you have a recipe for disaster. Also, we should keep in mind, the more power amps have, the more 'control' or authority will exercise on speakers.
Power amps are extremely important in what we hear from a sound system. And finally, speaker sensitivity plays a big role in what type of amplifier is suitable.
Speakers and power amplifiers are like a "marriage" of sorts.. They either work or they don't. Good advice Thomas for the newcomers to the 'hobby'.
Thanks, and I hope those viewers will also read your comment because great point.
Part biographical, part advice, and part editorial. Excellent work. You’ve upgraded your audio too. Getting fancy. 👍
Hi Thomas, thanks for posting. My system is modest and low budget compared to yours but I am happy with it. Mostly Rega with the heart being a pair of Rega Exon 3 mono blocks and my prized Audio Research SP14 preamp that I had American Sound of Canada repair recently. They did an excellent job and Arnold was great to deal with. I recently purchased a Bryston TF1 step up transformer and it took my vinyl listening experience up to another level. I don`t like too forward or bright, especially when it comes to the voices but like you said about the Bryston sound, more aggressive but not harsh and plenty of sweet detail and bass. It really makes my Rega RS5 speakers work and sound the way they are supposed to and I really like it. Now I will see if Bryston can change the setting on it to better suit my MC cartridge next time we are in Peterborough.
Just bought a PA3 (power amp) to go with my Iotavx SA3 (Integrated). For someone who's new to this stuff I was very impressed with the improvement in sound. I didn't realise the potential my speakers had until I gave them more power!
Nice nice, congrats.
Thomas I love how you explain things. This was another great, educational video!
Dear Thomas, thank you for all your quality videos and the hard work you put behind them. Your videos are of a great value for a lot of people and I would like to show my gratitude. Looking forward for the next video!
From a fan on the other side of the planet (Japan)
Cheers
Wow, thank you! I would LOVE to go to Japan.
Newbs should take advantage of a local audio shop and their experienced team before putting out good money on a system! Just by doing that you end up 3 steps ahead.
I was lucky back in 83 when I did that. Walked out with Naim amp and preamp, there's turntable, and castle speakers for $3500. It was a lot of coin, but darn great starting point thanks to that shop's knowledge and care for their product!
IN the last 2 years I have owned the following class D amps. NONE compared to the EVS 1200 a Icepower 1200AS, dual mono. The amp has lots of mods. NONE of the others could hold a candle to its clean power under 80Hz, and WOW what a difference. IMO, deep clean fast bass is the cornerstone/foundation to the rest of the music
Good to hear positive things about the 1200AS... I currently have a classdaudio sds470C which is lovely and lush/warm sounding. Quite the opposite of what most say about Class D. I am looking at stepping up to a Class D amp which has a little more top end presence (My current amp is really smooth at the top end but perhaps lacks a little of the sparkle). How would you describe the 1200AS in this regard and also what other Class D amps have you compared it to? Thanks.
@@mikecole4924 It was on the soft side, a dull leading edge. I removed the top and 2 Kubes that I was forced to pay for or no deal (one each butted up against each module), and now it's like lightening in a box. The entire 3D sound stage is wide open, the noise floor dropped dramatically which improved imaging
This video really got me curious so I jumped and purchased a second hand power amp for 350USD (Accuphase Pro-6, 300W). Luckily my integrated amp (Rega Mira, 50W) has a Pre out so I did not need to buy any preamp. I have inefficient speakers (ATC SCM7), and the result with pre+power amp is... wow! It feels like I have a brand new pair of speakers! Until now, I would always switch speakers because I ended up frustrated. Now I realize it's all because of the front end, I was not able to get out most of the speakers. Thanks so much Thomas for this video advices!
Also few months earlier, after watching your videos, I invested in an integrated tube amp (Unison Research simply four, second hand) because I wanted to hear and experience what you meant by "holographic". I matched it with efficient horn speakers (Zingali Control Monitor speakers) and the result is another wow! Thanks again!!!
Nice, thanks for sharing your experience. It made my day.
I love your recent videos, straight to the point, very honest and informative
I bought all my gear based on Stereophile, and internet reviews. I did listen a/b to the equipment, and found the reviews to be accurate. First was a McIntosh MC2205 I bought for $800-now $3000 used. I then purchased a pair of PSB Stratus Gold i speakers which the UPS guy had dropped, and one speaker had a few small dings, I stole those puppies at $1200-$2800 retail - now $800used) The next piece, and probably the perfect fit, was the purchase of my beloved Audible Illusions M3A tube preamp$1800 now $1400 used. Total investment at that point was $4000 Total investment today for this same setup would be around 5 grand, just a thousand more than I spent back in the day, late 90's. That McIntosh amp has risen in cost due to it's awesome output, and sound quality, well worth 3 grand as is the M3A preamp which has held it's value fairly well also. I really got lucky with this system, I sold it a few years back, but wow, the setup had that live sound I like, as if I am in a bar, and the band/singer is there with me. Totally passed the goose bump, and chills tests! lol As Thomas says (my name is Thomas also BTW) The amp should possibly come first, but in my opinion, the Speakers come first, then the amp. Always listen to the speakers first, and if the seller can't audition them with a suitable amp, don't buy, and find someone who can. The 90lb behemoth of an MC2205 will drive just about anything you throw at it sounding awesome in the process, that's why it's worth every penny upwards of 3 grand.
I got a secondhand peachtree Nova integrated which sounded pretty good but a bit woolly in the lower frequencies changed tube but only a little better so due to limited budget got a gainclone dual mono power amp which improved things in all ways but only 50watts per channel so after a little research decided to get a crown xls from the good reviews and price point. Wow it's a great amp and combo now. Therefore I fully agreed that amps are an important part of the sonic equation. I would naturally love more expensive products that you showed which I have heard...but they are way out of my budget and reach for now. But I'm really happy (and surprised) with the Nova and crown mix. Now just going to make some DIY belden interconnects. Keep up the great work Mr T and be safe everyone.
Thanks! If you are enjoying your system, that is what really matters. I wanted to get a peachtree to try too!
Great video! It really highlights the concept of the rate-limiting factor in audio. The concept of being mindful of the weakest link in the chain and focusing on that- otherwise, your audio quality has a ceiling that can't be addressed by upgrading other parts. That takes effort- reading reviews, forums, asking for recommendations, but most importantly TRYING new gear. I like the fact you actually try a boatload of gear! Folks need to experiment to find what they like! And hopefully they find enjoyment in that process.
That applies for amps, dacs, speakers, subs, treatment, room correction, stands, etc.
You are right .Quality electronics-especially tubes- can work wonders with a budget speakers.
Hi Thomas, I have a DIY amp from Hypex (2x UCD400), the amp is powered with a (2x) toroidal transformers , when I switched to a newer switching power unit (SMPS), the sound changed, I concluded that the power suply of an amp is also very influancial on the sound.
Yup, I agree.
Another great video Thomas! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with us!
Hi Thomas! Great episode, I really enjoyed it. You have a natural flair for this " editorial" type video. I simply found it very interesting. In listening to it I learned that You, and I have shared very similar experiences when it come to the relationship between power amplifiers, and speakers. Have a great day my friend!
Thanks Thomas that was an awesome feeling to give back , Sorry i deleted my text book i wrote , And I agree Front End First ! ! I love the built Pre in the Yammy AS-1100 but dont think I wont use a tube pre With the amp section ! !
Very good solid state built in Pre (Pure Analog ) But i most have fun 😆
Tee-Jay, don't delete it, I read it earlier but was busy working so I did not answer. I enjoy reading your essays! You are always welcome to write whatever is on your mind. Sometimes I don't answer simply because I am either too busy or overwhelmed.
@@ThomasAndStereo i know you don't mind at all Thomas , But other people may think this guy is crazy ! Well yeah thats true , I will not delete comments anymore Promise ! and It wasn't your response time with a reply at all, I know your busy , And i think its so awesome what your doing with the Videos your uploading to help out people in need !! That hit me hard
This just shows your true character as a person! But I had no idea the comment section of the Charity post was going to be posted, i thought only the Charity organization people would see it 😆 All good though , But if i knew i would of gave you some huge props , I also posted the Charity link on my FB Thank You Thomas for taking your time to help others in need ! I call it paying it forward ! Shangdi baoyou ni he ni de jiaren !
@@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120 Thanks Tee-Jay. Remember, always great to hear from you. Would be nice if we can get a drink together one day.
@@ThomasAndStereo yeah that would be cool ! ! Kentucky bourbon 😆
I totally concur, you need power, you’ve got to have headroom. I’m no audiophile but love music. It’s the amps ability to cruise and send a clean signal without straining.
Thanks for this video. Its nice. You have had some amazing amplifiers. My first real amp was the Yaqin mc-13s. Then I got the 851w like you. Now I'm moving on to a PS Stellar 300 :) Side note: The TPA3255 is a fabulous if you are looking for power on a budget.
Hi Thomas, I will be setteling on Genelecs. I love their sound and they hit the nail on the head for me. They have everything in one package what I loved from different speakers. Just wanted to share my findings with you. The 8050B or the 8351 are just magnificent speakers. They absolutely are transparent to your frontend. You can just shape the sound as you like it!
Nice, hopefully I get to check them out one day.
Hi Thomas, thank you for the video. And I agree with you when you say a power amp plays a major role in the SQ of a speaker or helping the speaker reach it's full potential. Currently I am using an integrated tube amp but now I have now decided to upgrade and look into separates (Preamp & power amp). But it has to be tube based either the pre or power or both. I like the Tube sound vs SS, it does something to me, lol. Take care hopefully you will hit your mark by Sunday and we (the audiophile public) get 3 more videos from you. 😁
Kanta are easy to drive btw. Good luck.
Quad QII tube amps
Very true. I remember getting my first power amp and listening to some mid-fi speakers on it compared to
what I was using before. Sounded like a different set of speakers. All of a sudden the sound was fuller,
bigger, the bass was more THERE more powerful. The highs, less thin. And then there is also that synergy problem.
Some speakers just do better with some amps. Sometimes it's best just not to compare or worry about this because
there is no end to it and it can drive you mad, lol. You can spend a lifetime swapping out gear, and then? There's always
ONE more piece to try. And your wife is signing the papers to have you committed, lol!
Lol. Yes, a change in amp can change the sound completely.
Helpful video ! Good job Thomas !!
Glad it was helpful!
in my 30 yr experience to get a musical system is getting efficient speakers over 96db and use a single ended tube integrated add your dac streamer(cd) or vinyl and you are done!
Tubes coloured, but it's a heaven bliss (Bel Canto 845 user with 92 db Jmlab Vega)
Thomas, thanks for a great video. Love the different amp pictures with you comments in caption.
Speaking of amps, it would be great to have your take on the PS Audio Stellar monoblocks if you ever put your hands on a set.
Thanks Eric, yeah. I added the photos trying to keep everyone entertained while listening to me. I am curious about PS audio myself too.
After watching this whole thing, I began to wonder (as a person who records music) why you folks don't use equalizers to adjust excess bass, or overly strident tweeters, etc.? Used in moderation, an equalizer can do wonders - and would be much cheaper than getting a new amp / speaker tower set and so on. Just thinking aloud - the content is still appreciated!
I have no problem with equalizers. In fact, I mentioned it in my Loki video. However, soundstage width, depth,fluidity, power, speed, bass control and so forth cannot be help with an equalizer.
My perspective on gear % to have great sound. 40% speaker, 30% amp, 20% source, 10% preamp.
While playing the 20 to 20k hertz sound spectrum, all speakers very their ohm-load demand on an amplifier. Current is more important than watts. Any speaker efficiency rating below 90db from 1-watt input should be matched with (good sounding to your ears) amplification rated to work well into 4-ohm loads. Some 'high-end' megabuck speakers will demand an amp remain stable dipping close to a 1-ohm load.
Thomas' voice sure is soothing to listen to.
Really nice content. Despite having done my journey already, you both reinforced many of the things that I have already Learned, as well as intrigued me to take a second look/thought into a few things. So Thank you! ...and Yes FEELING the music is definitely not non-sense. I think you do a very good job putting yourself out there and explaining things, i.e. explaining your Thought process and decisions, so Bravo!
Much appreciated!
Thomas, it’s funny that I came across this video just now. Pretty good timing for me. I know you enjoy story time, so let me share mine. In 2015 I bought a pair of AudioEngine A5+ powered speakers along with their S8 subwoofer. Recently those were stolen from me by two girls. (A different story for another day haha). With the insurance money I received I decided I wanted to step it up a notch and get better speakers since I wasn’t too impressed with the A5’s. Because of your review and others, I decided on the Klipsch RP 600m along with a 12 inch Klipsch sub.
These are my first passive speakers. Of course I had no idea what I was getting into and because of my lack of knowledge about audio I thought the same way you did.... what do I need to get to just make these Klipsch speakers work. I purchased a budget mini integrated amp off Amazon. I hooked my speakers up, and it definitely sounds good - better than the A5s, but I wasn’t wowed. I felt there was more on the table. So I know I had to educate myself. You and other youtubers really helped me learn a lot. I was shocked to see just how much depth there is to this hobby. It’s been a lot of fun learning.
About 30 minutes ago I decided on my replacement for the mini amp. This includes the Modi DAC, Saga S pre amp and Vidar class AB powered amp. This came to $1,100 total, which is way way more of an investment that I planned on making when I first bought these Klipsch speakers. I can afford the purchase, however spending this much money to hook up the Klipsch definitely made me nervous. Did I do the right thing, I thought. With this money spent... am I really going to hear the difference compared to the mini amp I bought? Then I come across this video and now I feel so much more confident about my purchase. I can’t wait to hook up my Klipsch to the soon to be delivered Schiit gear and truly start my audiophile journey. I really enjoy your channel. Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks, let me know how it sounds. Just give it time to break in and yourself to adjust to the new sound.
Awesome work, Thomas! Glad you reached your goal...hope you reach your 2nd target also!
Haha, then I will need to make 3 videos next week!
@@ThomasAndStereo All your experience and wisdom is just gravy for us...lol
Always good HUMBLE SOUND ADVICE 😊
Thomas - Doctors without Border is a fantastic organization - I will make a donation. Since you're mightily engaged making high-quality reviews, I would like to suggest that you try the Borderpatrol DAC. It's hard to find reviews from reviewers who have a wide range of gear to compare it to. I have it, and out of all the DACs I own, I think this one is something special. Thanks again for what you're doing, very much appreciated.
Wow, thank you! Let me see if they would send me a review sample.
@@ThomasAndStereo I compared it to the Modi Multibit, the Denafrips Ares2, the Audio GD R1, and this one has them all beat. It really shouldn't sound good at all, judging by the technology used, but yet it does. Would love to hear your opinion about it.
Sounds like an addictive and expensive journey, I am happy with my B&W 602 and Rotel integrated amp as I am just beginning to understand audio, speakers etc, sold my Mission 794 speakers but should have invested on separates 😁
Also don't underestimate the difference a preamp makes. In my experience this is the most critical next to the speakers, third the amp.
One day I should make a video to discuss about the preamp.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thank you, Inlove your videos by the way 👌
Does your friend with 100k system have Jeff Rowlands amps ? They sure look like it ! They look amazing !
A good power amp to me trumps speakers, always has since 1989 Thomas and all i read was Crutchfield magazine that magazine was my internet my go to my holy grail !
What i look for in an power amp is refined detail and Muscle ! Thanks Thomas , New Dac on its way the
Aune X8 with interchangle op-amps told ya me a colourful Audiophile 😆
'I chase no one sound 'but all sounds'
Yeah, those are Jeff Roland 925. The system is over $300k now. Hope the new DAC exceeds your expectation.
@@ThomasAndStereo thanks Thomas 😆 i wanted the r2r you reviewed but every time i went to otder its out of stock !
I just wanted better than what i got , to me the biggest part of the sound comes from the Pre-amp/amp anyways dac may give it a lil fine tuning. But the dac has interchangeable op amps to taylor the sound with a lil color 😆
@@ThomasAndStereo Goodness when i saw those JR amps i was like ohh my !!! 300k goodness !
I have the Infinity interlude IL50s, I first had them hooked up to a Denon receiver and they sounded ok, I upgraded later on to a Rotel pre-amp and a Carver av705x what a big improvement with 125 watts /channel then another improvement two years ago when I upgraded my pre- amp to the Marantz av7005. My whole system was only about $1500
OT. Some albums off the beaten path. 1 Huun-Huur-Tu - Orphan's Lament 2 These Trails - These Trails - 1973 3 Bonnie Dobson Good Morning Rain 4 Amadou & Mariam Dimanche a Bamako 5 John Renbourn...Sir John Alot 6 Johnny Lytle The Loop 7 Harvey Mandel - Cristo Redentor 8 Vince Guaraldi Trio A Charlie Brown Christmas 9 Ry Cooder & Vishwa Mohan Bhatt - A Meeting by the River 10 The Pentangle The Pentangle I have a habit of listening my music through iem from my DAP when I take my usual afternoon nap. There are about 6000 albums in my 2 TB music library so some time I listen to albums I never listen before. Twice it happened to me to wake up to the omg what a treat, refering to albums 6 and 7.Enjoy your music not your gear.
My wife enjoys music with our tv speakers. Now, she is all about the music. For people like me, it is a balance between both without losing sight of either.
I have tried but failed miserably. My wife is a stone wall so I have to walk the fine line of having both my wife and my gear concurrently.
Love ur videos Thomas. Hope u and your family are well! Watch ur vids to learn but dont think I can afford the products u review but interesting. Best wishes for your wife family. Take care bro !
Thanks. I will cover some entry level gear soon.
I look at it this way:
It’s like a car..
engine and power/hp transmission is like the power amp
The driver and tires is like the source
The aero and chassis are the speakers
Ah, very interesting view.
So right on your honest opinion. Max amount money should go on the power amp.
I would say still have to balance but put some weigh in the amp. Thanks.
Yeah. Harman Kardon was a bad move :) Sold my back in the day after few months.
And a small critique. For someone who is spending $$$ on audio gear your mic choice really... SUX lol. (something most audio ytubers have in common) Please get some cheap Tascam/Zoom recorder or audio interface (Scarlett, Motu) paired with a solid mic.. please! :) The noise floor kills me on my studio monitors. Can recommend Podcastage for good reviews.
Hint: If you feed your mic directly into your cam, that´s where the noise comes from. Camera preamps are really really bad, and you should turn the internal preamp on your cam way down (1 marker above 0), and balance the sound with your Rode.
Oh, let me try that.
Thomas, thanks for sharing your journey! I love my Focal 1028 be - which amplifier did you enjoy most with this speaker? I want to upgrade my Cambridge Audio cxa80. I like the sound, but I think the Focals would benefit from a better amp. Greetings from Germany!
Spend all your money on the best speakers you can find. Even better, used. Get a cheap $120 Schiit DAC and connect your computer to it. Get a cheap $300 or whatever receiver like the Emotiva A2m. Only the speakers will make a difference in sound quality. So put most of your money there.
System synergi is so important.
My Gryphon amp/dac is over double the price of my audiovector r1 arrete speakers. But sound is great.
Very nice i just enjoyed this video very nice Journey
Nice video and series.
In your review of xtz edge a comment you made resonated about how it would be your first purchase if you were to do it all over again... And seeing your review of the q acoustics tower, I wonder if you were to consider a tower as a first purchase what would you choose as "good enough" while you upgraded other parts of the system?
I was happy to see a review of a tower speaker. There are less reviews of towers on TH-cam (from the reviewers I follow and have come to trust) to navigate through to get a sense of understanding of the market.
Another curiosity is within a similar price range or within the same series of speaker how would a bookshelf compare vs a floor stander. For ex an elac debut reference vs the floor stander in its own line or the q acoustics which is more money, but not drastically so.
Not to side track the video, just thought commenting this on your most recent video is probably the best chance of you seeing it.
I am trying to do more tower reviews. Usually they have better bass but don't disappear as well. Instrument separation I find usually better with bookshelf when compare to the floor standing brother. I always go for floorstanding cause there is no replacement for displacement.
We are lucky to have Thomas share all this info with us.
I started in car audio first way back in 80’s. I was fortunate to have friends like Thomas go through the “trial and error” method.
What was noticed is that indeed speakers are not the end to all. Amps driving the speakers do make a huge difference.
But the same can be said for of course speakers also.
I guess this thinking carried over for me when purchasing my home audio equipment. I never bother with receivers or even integrated amps.
Tube amps were not for me. Expensive gear was also not for me. Usually very high end amps are very big and heavy which justifies their cost to begin with to a certain extent.
There are many things to think about prior to making purchases. I was into audio before I even bought my first home back in the 90’s.
I patiently waited though until I saved enough to buy a home. I then had to re-research what I thought would go best in the family room and living room for audio equipment.
I did move one time and carrying/moving all the audio equipment wasn’t too bad because I didn’t buy very heavy stuff.
I’ve had the same audio equipment since the late 90’s. Some small pieces were added later on but all good.
Great content Thomas!, not many reviewers do these kind of journey cover. Interesting for my journey Ive found the Pre’s are more important in terms of carrying out sound characteristics, the power amps shows more potential in driving harder to drive speakers.
In this video, I mentioned that in the last min or so about the preamp. One day I will make a video on it.
th-cam.com/video/nbQCfPwQop0/w-d-xo.html
Thomas & Stereo awesome, cant wait Thomas!
Thanks Thomas: I love your videos and find them very informative without imposing your own beliefs/tastes/preferences to others.
I notice that there are not a lot of reviews (that I can find) in Paradigm/Anthem? Do you have any experience with these products, say Anthem STR pre and power amps and Paradigm speakers?
Glad you like them! Sorry, no experience with those.
Thomas I don' t see any Mark Levinson amps. If you haven't listened to a pair of 33H your are in for a treat.
Hi Thomas, thanks for this vid, really loved it and it really helped with my beginner audio system thought process and set up! What do you think of 211 or 845 SET amplifiers (18 - 24w class A) with kef reference 5 speakers (90db at 8ohm, sometimes dips down to 4 ohm). Do you think this combination works? Usually i listen to vocals/jass/oldies eg dire straits, and am chasing after a sweet beautiful midrange and wide spacious soundstage. Thanks!
Any views on Naim amps? The spec sheets always make them look wimpy, but lots of folks say Naim watts are different. Thoughts?
Glad I got a 789 amp instead of a heresy. Time to buy headphones M750 soon
I agree - only a powerful amplifier is able to control the speakers
. This leads to better sound
Good mic, Thomas.
Thanks Thomas for another piece of great advice. better gears will bring better sound. now i have to go and explore power amps. Guess its a non ending journey but what the heck as long as the hobby brings pleasure. I know this applies to great recordings. but does this applies to normal recordings ? is it possible to bring the level of normal recordings close to audiophile recordings ? thanks
God bless you, you're an amazing guy.
Getting an Arcam SA 20, I do not need seperates. I sold my Kronzilla Tube system as well as my Jadis and BHK PS Audio stuff for rhe Arcam. It is the most musical amp in thr world. Period.
The pre and amp synergy is important, but so are source and speaker. Your rig is only as good as its weakest link. Btw upgrading when done thoughtfully and patiently is probably one of the most enjoyable parts of this audiophile addiction. Could never go for a powered speaker or all-in-one for my main system, but in my office rig yes.
thank you i enjoyed this honest info from you.