Advice - System to power Dynaudio Audience 82 Speakers & Center

[Lowey]

Hi All,

First time posting. Looking for some advice on setting up my new system. Recently moved from Australia to the USA. I brought my Dynaudio Audience 82 Floorstanders and Audience C120 Center speaker with me, but due voltage change, I left my Marantz SR-5012 and Velodyne Sub behind.

I did love the Marantz sound, but not sure it really had enough power for the Audience 82 speakers. I'm definitely a noob when it comes to audio setup, but I do want to get the most out of what I have, for a sensible budget.

I probably won't be getting another sub just yet, but happy to take suggestions on that. What I'm looking for is advice on the AV receiver and/or separate Amp for the Left, Center and Right speakers.

I'm trying to choose between just using the Marantz Cinema 50, or getting the Marantz Cinema 70 and using the pre-outs to a Buckeye NC252MP 4 channel amp. I don't currently have surround speakers and not sure if I'll end up going that route or not, but good to have a receiver with the option.

Here's the specs on the speakers I currently have, and I'm open to all suggestions, even if they're not what I've listed above. The only caveat is the receiver has to be a good looking unit, as it'll be out in the open in the lounge room and needs to pass the wife acceptance test.

Audience 82 Specs

Sensitivity (2.83 V/1 m): 87 dB

Recommended Amp. Power
Small size rooms: - watts
Medium size rooms: >50 watts
Large size rooms: >100 watts

IEC Long Term Power Handling: 300 watts
Impedance, Nominal: 4 ohms

Impedance, (20-200 Hz): 3.9 - 20 ohms

Impedance, (200-20 kHz): 4.1 - 8.0 ohms

Impedance, Phase Shift (20-200 Hz): -61º - + 20º
Impedance, Phase Shift (200-20 kHz): -8.8º - +23º
Impedance, HF (200 kHz): 6.5ohms

Frequency Response (+/- 3 dB): 26 Hz - 21 kHz

Resonance Frequency: 24 Hz
Internal Cabinet Volume: 51 litres
Bass Principle: Bass reflex

Tweeter: 28 mm soft dome.

Magnetic fluid.

Pure aluminium wire voice coil. Rear chamber.

Midrange: 15 cm with die cast basket

38 mm pure aluminium wire voice coil.
Cone and dustcap moulded as one piece

Woofers: 2 x 20 cm polypropylene cone

75 mm pure aluminium wire voice coil.

 

[Photoman]

I have a pair of Audience 82’s and I just bought a Rotel integrated amplifier A14 mkii that has 150 watts per channel into 4 ohms. It sounded dull and bass was a little weak. So, I used the preamp out and hooked up a Schiit Vidar that has 200 watts into 4 ohms. Still sounded anemic. I then hooked up a B&K Components 200.2 Reference amp that runs 350 watts into 4 ohms. All the sudden they came to life. Crisp top end and authoritative bass. They sound good at low volume as well as loud. They now remind me of the speakers I fell in love with at the audio store. I knew they were power hungry speakers but those extra watts added a level of control that seemed to be missing with the other two amps. Oddly enough, I tried my vintage Pioneer SX-737 receiver and though not as good as the B&K, did a respectable job at 40 watts into 4 ohms. Happy hunting and don’t skimp on the watts! I seem to remember in the audio store they were running Rotel power amps to it. I found on the Rotel site that the RB-1582 runs 323 watts into 4 ohms.

 

[Koeitje]

I have a pair of Audience 82’s and I just bought a Rotel integrated amplifier A14 mkii that has 150 watts per channel into 4 ohms. It sounded dull and bass was a little weak. So, I used the preamp out and hooked up a Schiit Vidar that has 200 watts into 4 ohms. Still sounded anemic. I then hooked up a B&K Components 200.2 Reference amp that runs 350 watts into 4 ohms. All the sudden they came to life. Crisp top end and authoritative bass. They sound good at low volume as well as loud. They now remind me of the speakers I fell in love with at the audio store. I knew they were power hungry speakers but those extra watts added a level of control that seemed to be missing with the other two amps. Oddly enough, I tried my vintage Pioneer SX-737 receiver and though not as good as the B&K, did a respectable job at 40 watts into 4 ohms. Happy hunting and don’t skimp on the watts! I seem to remember in the audio store they were running Rotel power amps to it. I found on the Rotel site that the RB-1582 runs 323 watts into 4 ohms.

What kind of SPL levels do you listen? Because you gained not even 3dB of SPL with that power increase. My guess it that you are hearing a difference in power amplifier gain and confusing that with output power.