Amp or all in one to replace my Devialet 200

[Mart68]

@Mart68 2 Ohms at 35 Hz for woffer and 1.5 Ohms at 7.6 KHz for tweater and average of 2.8 Ohms. That's extreme hard in my book.

I stand corrected then. I'd recommend getting a serious power amplifier, forget the 'all in one' notion.

 

[Womaz]

If its not rated for 2 Ohms loads means it won't work with such or will get a permanent demage trying to do so. Your speakers should be rated at 2.5 Ohms to call it honest rating. When you don't understand something feel free to ask and it will be explained to you and insist in question that explanation is easy to understand one. Best regards and have fun.

Well OK I dont understand this post for example
I am going to try and see what my current amp says about the 2 ohm figure.
My feeling is I wont be able to obtain these figures for any of the amps I am considering. In that case I will probably bottle it and stick with the Devialet

 

[Womaz]

I stand corrected then. I'd recommend getting a serious power amplifier, forget the 'all in one' notion.

Yeah I am now VERY confused

So when I asked above if all the amps would sounf the same the consensus was that they would.......however in reality I could fry one of the amps if I play at loud volumes.
When I am exclusively just sitting and listening to music I do have it loud

 

[GaryY]

I am keen to get some advice on this forum as it is very different to other forums I use and I am intrigued and keen to look at all of my options.
I am looking at changing my Devialet amp for a couple of reasons, but I am wary as I think it still sounds awesome to me.

I know its not rated that highly here on ASR and the 44 or so page thread on it was entertaining to say the least



So I use Roon so the Nucleus feeds the Devialet via USB and I have the Sonus Faber Olympica 2 speakers, which I love.

So yes Hifi gear is something that I have always coveted since I was very young and I have maybe been suckered in by magazine reviews and dealers in the past. However maybe it was willingly as there was also maybe a bit of vanity in some purchases, but the most important thing is how it sounds.

I have been a frequent visitor to this forum for a couple of years now and if I am honest I still don’t know how to take it sometimes. It can be quite brutal, although I do quite like that. Just give people it straight how it is has always been my style , although at times yeah it has not made me popular.

I waffle so lets get to the point.

I may replace the Devialet….to me it sounds tremendous, but is this primarily down to my speakers?

I have always believed the speakers are the most important element in the chain, even when I was being told otherwise.

Is this forum really saying I could replace my Devialet with say a 1k all in one streamer/DAC/Amp and still get the same sound quality?

So is the sound quality I am getting primarily down to the speakers?

I am struggling to get my head around this but would be bloody delighted if it is true.

I am not looking to be contentious or start any arguments here I am genuinely interested to hear your opinions.

I think deep down I may have always been a bit of a cynic about the hifi industry. Although I have spent a lot of money on my system its because I wanted to I guess, however I have NEVER bought into the power cords, cables nonsense. Never have.

I remember being asked several times at a dealers “can you not hear that difference that cable makes”

I tried a 1k interconnect once and my £20 interconnect sounded exactly the same to me. I mean I still buy the Tellerium

Linn Selekt DSM

Lyngdorf TDAI 3400

NAD M33

Hifi Rose RS520

Cambridge Audio EVO 150

I was also considering EVO 150 because all in one was also my 1st idea. But after looking this comparison, (though it's really indirect experience through youtube), I could have very strong doubt on the clarity of EVO 150. And then, in some thread, I read even th the better one in this youtube, M10 v2, is not the best solution with the same budget. This leads me to give up all in one and turn the decision in favor of (streamer/dac/pre) + power amplifier.

 

[ZolaIII]

@Womaz it's simple you search for amplifier which whose tested and it's certified for 2 Ohms loads. As manufacturers like to drag about it it will be highlighted when they are.

 

[Timcognito]

SoundStage! Hi-Fi | SoundStageHiFi.com - miniDSP SHD Power Integrated Amplifier-DAC

 

[Womaz]

OK I admit I am out of my depth here now.
So in summarising what I think I have learned from this post.
My speakers are very hard to drive. Something about power into 2 Ohms needed. If this is true then I have very limited options to chamge my amp.
Of all the amps I shortlisted none of them have this 2 ohm figure avaialble, unless I am missing something?
Its a quite popular mainstream speaker and surely its not that hard to drive as if it is it would not be so popular., but like I say I dont really understand much of this.

So some on here saying any of the amps I have shortlisted will do the job, others saying I need a very powerful amp. Honest I really appreciate all of the posts and all of the time you have taken to help me but the truth is I am more confused than before I started

I am trying to do all of this without using a dealer ......but I am not sure this is possible.

 

[JustJones]

Well OK I dont understand this post for example
I am going to try and see what my current amp says about the 2 ohm figure.
My feeling is I wont be able to obtain these figures for any of the amps I am considering. In that case I will probably bottle it and stick with the Devialet

Have you felt Devialet 200 get hot or has it gone into protection mode since using it with your SF speakers? Does music ever sound a bit distorted at louder SPL from clipping? If not I wouldn't worry about it. There are some integrated amps that rate 2 Ohm i.e. Mcintosh and some like the NAD C399 show IHF dynamic power into 2 Ohm but it is easier to find power amps rated for 2 Ohm.

 

[Mart68]

Yeah I am now VERY confused

So when I asked above if all the amps would sounf the same the consensus was that they would.......however in reality I could fry one of the amps if I play at loud volumes.
When I am exclusively just sitting and listening to music I do have it loud

you not likely to fry the amp but if the amp is clipping it could damage the loudspeaker

But that's an extreme situation. Most of the time you'll just get less than optimal sound.

I also have speakers with a similar load to yours, I use Krell, but have also used Neurochrome successfully.

I have lots of amplifiers that just don't cut it with them even though some of them should - on paper.

 

[Womaz]

Have you felt Devialet 200 get hot or has it gone into protection mode since using it with your SF speakers? Does music ever sound a bit distorted at louder SPL from clipping? If not I wouldn't worry about it. There are some integrated amps that rate 2 Ohm i.e. Mcintosh and some like the NAD C399 show IHF dynamic power into 2 Ohm but it is easier to find power amps rated for 2 Ohm.

It gets warm but not hot, but in truth I wouldnt really know as I dont touch it.
Its never gone into protection mode ever and the speakers have never sounded distorted.

It seems unlikely that I will find an all in one type Amp that will rate at 2 ohms then.

 

[Womaz]

I will try and get a db app and record the volume I listen at.
I think it’s loud, but maybe it’s not

 

[Womaz]

Not sure if this is useful but recorded the Db level at my listening position

So this is probably the loudest volume l listen at . It said instantaneous level of 81db. I noticed it peaking sometimes at close to 86Db

I mean that sounds loud to me

Just to stress when doing other stuff it’s at a much much lower volume . So,the above reading is just when I am exclusively listening to music

 

[ZolaIII]

@Womaz that's rather loud. I usually end listening on that level and start about 74~76. How far are you from speakers?

 

[Womaz]

@Womaz that's rather loud. I usually end listening on that level and start about 74~76. How far are you from speakers?

I would say about 12 to 13 feet away.

 

[Womaz]

I put the Db figures on as I was thinking that I dont listen at a loud enough volume to damage the speakers

Or that the problem at 2ohms may not need to be addressed as it’s not excessively loud . I donT think it’s excessively loud
on occasions I have pushed louder but it’s a mess and distorted and sounds dreadful

 

[JustJones]

have pushed louder but it’s a mess and distorted and sounds dreadful

Probably clipping the amp or it's using protection to keep from frying something.

 

[Womaz]

Probably clipping the amp or it's using protection to keep from frying something.

Yeah possibly , maybe strengthens your point about not worrying too much about it as I NEVER push the voiume to the level where it distorts

I mean it’s loud and the bass goes deep and low and sounds awesome at times

 

[Womaz]

Could a lesser powered amp get the distortion at lower volumes ? As this could be crucial
I dont mean low volume , I mean at a lower volume than say 80Db

 

[ZolaIII]

I would say about 12 to 13 feet away.

That's about 9~10 dB more to the near range (1 m). And add +20 peak so 2~3 W constant and short peek 120~130 W theoretically.

 

[Womaz]

That's about 9~10 dB more to the near range (1 m). And add +20 peak so 2~3 W constant and short peek 120~130 W theoretically.

Sorry I have no idea what this post means
I guess it means the real level is a lot higher as I sit quite far away from the speaker ?

EDIT so I need an amp which deleivers 120 to 130 Watts ? Or am I totally off track