Amp Recommendations for High End Horn Speakers

[FeliZ]

Hey ASR Community,

I am looking for an Amp upgrade for my beautiful Austrian horn speakers.
They are extremely sensitive and Produce Lots of SPL even with Low Power amps.

I currently Swap between These 3 Amps

Source
Chord Mojo

Modified Cairn 4807
Superb Sound and Phono Pre , but a very annoying 50hz ground Loop issue and not able to remote Control

Topping TP60
Sterile Sound and annoying highs, powerful Bass. Also No remote Control

Harman Kardon HK630
Sounds OK , Overall a bit undefinded, and Not nearly as good as the Cairn
But at least he has a remote Control


Which Amp would you recommend to me?
Good Sound, remote Controlled and a maybe a built in Dac

I was thinking about this Setup:

Topping E50 - XLR to
Audiophonics mpa 125 (Hypex Amp)

Greetings from Austria

Florian

 

[sweetchaos]

I would go personally go with separates, since it optimizes each component.
Hypex Ncore-based Power Amp + DAC/streamer/preamp/whatever

Since you're in Europe, see Audiophonics for their power amps.

 

[audio2design]

Modified Cairn 4807
Superb Sound and Phono Pre , but a very annoying 50hz ground Loop issue and not able to remote Control

Topping TP60
Sterile Sound and annoying highs, powerful Bass. Also No remote Control

Harman Kardon HK630
Sounds OK , Overall a bit undefinded, and Not nearly as good as the Cairn
But at least he has a remote Control

What answer do you want to hear? ... The HK is going on 20-25 years old, and its capacitors are long past their prime. The TP60 bass should be pretty much like the rest of the sound. It may be that your other units lack bass, not that it has more. Mainly, it probably plays louder

Not sure how you are driving the Mojo. Laptop -> Mojo -> Amplifier?

Sounds like a design issue with the Cairn, but could be a MFG fault, or if modified, something was screwed up at that point. I assume there is no noise when no source is connected? I.e. it is truly a ground loop and not just power supply hum. Buy a $20 USB isolator and run the Mojo isolated and see if that gets rid of the issue. It's a quick cheap check and you like the amplifier already.

Last, I would encourage some blind testing, i.e. have someone else swap the amps. We can convince ourselves of things that are not always true.

Any of the new Purifi amps are pretty much straight wire with gain, but I expect that will not make you happy. I think there is a "sound" you are trying to achieve, and it likely has far more to do with speaker placement and equalization than the amp. Buy a measurement microphone and learn to use REW before you expend a lot of money on something that does not make you happier, except for a fleeting moment. You are about to go on the typical audiophile merry-go-round, fixing everything but the issue.

 

[DanielT]

Here, a good budget used option.

If you like HK and want a more powerful one, there is one. Usually does not cost that much used. I have one that I use sometimes. It works well. I can recommend that model.

If the HK 670 is then suitable for you and your speakers, I do not know. Perhaps.

Harman Kardon HK670/2 Stereo Integrated Amplifier Manual | HiFi Engine

www.hifiengine.com

Once upon a time top tested (measurements) on LTS (Sound Technical
Association)

Ljudtekniska Sällskapet

Ljudtekniska Sällskapet verkar för högsta ljudkvalitet inom hifi och musikproduktion. Medlemstidning, möten och kunskaputbyte för dig som brinner för musik.

www.lts.a.se

 

[DanielT]

.. The HK is going on 20-25 years old, and its capacitors are long past their prime. ...

Important aspect to think about when it comes to old amplifiers.

You should probably reason in the same way as if you were buying a vintage car. You have to be a bit of a decent mechanic.Letting a professional car mechanic who charges per hour repair and fix with a vintage car can be expensive. Same thing if you are going to recap old amplifiers.

....Or you take a chance and buy a HK 670, for example, for around 60 euros and honk and drive as long as possible.
The usual, weighing one against the other..

Edit:
Or if you have a friend who can help with a recap.

Power amplifier Fostex 600?

(not mine in the picture, same modell) Anyone have experience with, know anything about a vintage power amplifier Fostex 600? https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/fostex/600.shtml Got it very cheap this summer. It's right with my friend for a recap operation now. I'll see how it turns...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[steve59]

Your speakers are sensitive enough to drive with a headphone amp? the chord mojo. Be more specific with your question.

 

[FeliZ]

Thank you for the help.
I just tried to get rid of the the Hum of the Cairn Amp, it s probably the issue of the Power supply - Ring Core Transformator. The Hum is immidiately there when i turn on the Amp.

My girlfriend switched the amps for me in a blind test. I could tell the difference between them.

 

[Godataloss]

I'm currently running a Buckeye Hypex on my modified Klipschorns because I got tired of various tube amps eating themselves. The Hypex is wonderfully quiet and obviously has all the power I'll ever need and I've yet to hear any sort of break up or coloration from it. Nice to know it's never going to fry the cat if it tries to lay on it.

 

[FeliZ]

P.s
I was able to drive the speakers with the Chord Mojo directly.
Only issue here was the lack of bass

I am driving the Horn Speakers

Streamer - Spdif - Chord Mojo - Amp - Speakers

I know how to use REW, Mini DSPs, Dirac , Sonarworks etc and built speakers myself.

The Behringer a800 seems also to be a tempting option

Greetings

 

[DanielT]

I'm currently running a Buckeye Hypex on my modified Klipschorns because I got tired of various tube amps eating themselves. The Hypex is wonderfully quiet and obviously has all the power I'll ever need and I've yet to hear any sort of break up or coloration from it. Nice to know it's never going to fry the cat if it tries to lay on it.

RIP- Jan-Peter van Amerongen of Hypex

Sadly I have to inform you the passing away of Jan-Peter, owner and founder of Hypex.

audiosciencereview.com

 

[audio2design]

Thank you for the help.
I just tried to get rid of the the Hum of the Cairn Amp, it s probably the issue of the Power supply - Ring Core Transformator. The Hum is immidiately there when i turn on the Amp.

My girlfriend switched the amps for me in a blind test. I could tell the difference between them.

That sounds like a DC offset issue on your AC line. I won't guarantee it, but it sounds like it. Look for "AC blocker" on here, and on the web. Lot's of circuits. It blocks the DC which can cause some toroidal (ring) transformers to hum even with no signal.

 

[FeliZ]

Thats very interesting , thanks a Lot.

I will try and order a

iFi Audio SilentPower DC Blocker​

and see If it helps

 

[audio2design]

Probably cheaper ones out there, but I have always rolled my own the 2 times I needed or wanted one. It could be a problem with your amp too. Make sure you can return the iFi.

 

[morpheusX]

The Topping PA5 might be an interesting option: Initial measurements.

 

[FeliZ]

The Topping PA5 seems very promsing

For now, i will Order the ATL DC Blocker, looks Like the better unit.

Last month i borrowed an Isolation Transformer from a Music Studio, unfortunately it didnt help.

Thank for the great Input so far

 

[FeliZ]

Update:
I ordered an Audiolab DC Blocker today, hopefully this will help with the hum.

 

[bravomail]

I was thinking about this Setup:

Topping E50 - XLR to
Audiophonics mpa 125 (Hypex Amp)
Florian

Good setup, Florian! (if u r looking for confirmation). I found that 252 nCore costs close to 125, so I'd go with that.

 

[KA7NIQ]

My Horn Speakers are well over 100 db efficient. I recently bought the little Aiyima amp reviewed here, and it sounds awesome.

 

[FeliZ]

Hey there,
A little Update:
Bought the DC Blocker = Didnt Work

Read the Review of the new topping PA5 and couldnt resist to buy it. I hope it will be a very good pairing

Greetings

 

[morpheusX]

Please update this once you test it properly !
I'm considering it to power a Beyma TPL-150H, i'm hopping the 19db gain, and high SINAD provide a hiss free experience