-Rega Mira (if you can find it at this price)
-Music Hall A25.2
-NAD C-372 or C-352/C-355BEE
An old Moon I3 or Naim Nait 5 would be nice if you could find one at near this price. |
Thanks -- any reason why those and not others? I'm still figuring out how to match amps with speakers. |
A follow-up, another option would be selling the Jolida here, and using the proceeds from that to increase my budget. In that case, would the Naim Nait 5i be the best option?
THanks --- M |
That's not a bad list by knownothing.Doesen't Jolida make a 100 watt Hybrid in case at that price?The 1501?Plenty of power and touch of tubes and same cheap $350 used $600 new.Rega Brio if you can swing price though that's because I haven't heard the NAIT 5 more than passing though show(might be too pricey).
Chazz |
Those amps because they are on the neutral to warm side for solid state - versus say Cambridge or Rotel which I think are on the neutral to bright/forward side.
Naim is in a whole different ballpark, playing American football to the other's cricket. It is a simply wonderful match with the 21L's if you can swing it. |
Thanks -- I am interested in the Naim. I will looking into selling the Jolida 302BRC here. |
I can recommend the Jolida 1501RC. I did get the two level mod from Underwood, worth every penny. Nice fit with Martin Logans. |
NAD C372 as suggested above will be a very good match. I have heard rave reviews about the Naim. Also there are couple of Creek 5350SE up for sale that could go very well with the Quads. You can also try a used NAD M3.
BTW, you have a great loudspeaker!!! :-)) |
So it looks like I am going to sell the Jolida (posted here this morning). Between the Creek 5350SE or the Naim Nait 5, what are the variables I should be thinking about?
What I'm looking for is something that will provide music with good weight and presence (if that makes sense) at low volumes. With the Jolida tubes, the sound is pretty thin if the volume is not up. Bass, detail, and soundstage are not really present at low volumes.
Does this make sense? Would a solid-state amp even perform better in these areas? Or would I need a higher wattage amplifier?
Thanks -- Marty
|
BTW -- I can probably increase my budget a little to $800 -- $900 |
Marty,
I would say the Creek is very neutral and accurate, but perhaps a bit dry. The Naim is all balls and PRAT - heavy on the foot tapping quotient, but not the most precise device out there. I think of the Naim as the solid state amp for tube people who still crave overt musicality but seek a bit more boggie and low end bite, while the Creek would never be confused with tube gear to the tube-tuned ear - if that helps.
Ever since the dawn of the Nait integrated, it has been a special sounding unit - but some of the older ones, at least the Nait 3's and maybe the early 5's, don't have RCA jacks and will require a converter for Naim's preferred connectors. The 5i and 5i(talic) have RCA jacks. Naim also suggests using their speaker cable which is impedance matched with their amps, but I think good quality cables 8ft. or longer should work fine. YMMV.
One last point. If you happen to see one available used, jump on it. |
Thanks -- that is kinda what I am going for. I love the richness of tubes, but given my current setup (our main living room), I can't really get the volume loud enough to get the bite, boogie, and good juju. Would a solid state, like the Naim, be able to get PRAT at a lower volume than tubes? |
I find Naim musicality to extend to lower volumes, but this depends on your speakers as well. I honestly can't remember how the Quads sound at lower volumes - but I don't recall a significant loss of low end presence at low volume as can sometimes happen with sealed box speakers.
PS - Naim actually says this about their speaker cable:
"NACA5 is our multi-strand loudspeaker cable, consisting of two separated 4mm square conductors. Its design is optimised for use with Naim amplifiers and loudspeakers by ensuring that its capacitance, inductance and resistance are entirely compatible."
Impedance is not the proper concept applied here... |
Well, it looks like Naim my be tricky -- there are no Nait 5i for sale now, and I'm not terribly thrilled about having to replace my speaker cables, since Naim does not allow spades.
Of the other options, what do you think would work best? FWIW, I listen almost primarily to jazz (80% piano or sax-based, 20% vocals).
Thanks -- Marty |
In the same general price range as the Naim new or used:
Exposure 2010S
Cambridge Audio Azur 840A v2
NAD C-375BEE (have not heard but good reviews)
Rega Mira 3
Peachtree Audio Nova
Rotel RA-1520 (have not heard this either). |
Thanks -- I am honing in on the Rega Mira 3, Peachtree Audio Nova, or the Exposure 2010s. I must say, I really like the simple look of the Rega. However, Exposure appears to be class A rated in Stereophile. Any idea how these would perform with the Quads?
Thanks -- MArty |
I think they would work well together, but haven't heard that combination so can't say for sure. |
