Amplifier for KEF R3 Meta

[Pawnshop123]

Hello,

I am going to buy KEF R3 Meta with an amplifier and one of the SVS sb3000 subwoofer.

I am not sure what amplifier I should get.

Some details:
- I listen mostly to hip hop music (think of Drake, j cole), some R&B and pop.
- My room is about 5x3.3 meters. That might change in a bit to a bigger room
- I listen to music at around 70-75 db I think. Not too loud as I live in apartment.

I won’t be able to audition the amplifier but I did listen to the speakers and was very impressed.

I am currently eyeing on Cambridge Audio cxa81 but not sure because some YouTuber (Andrew Robinson) said the bass control is not the best for the class.

Since I live in a place where European products are cheaper, I strongly prefer European amps.

Thanks

 

[sweetchaos]

Take a look at Matias spreadsheet. Plenty of well-measuring amps.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZlTOYxmPs938gqHjtDABkWS-MApu7uJjzIGnJ2Elm6Y/htmlview

 

[Talisman]

Hello,

I am going to buy KEF R3 Meta with an amplifier and one of the SVS sb3000 subwoofer.

I am not sure what amplifier I should get.

Some details:
- I listen mostly to hip hop music (think of Drake, j cole), some R&B and pop.
- My room is about 5x3.3 meters. That might change in a bit to a bigger room
- I listen to music at around 70-75 db I think. Not too loud as I live in apartment.

I won’t be able to audition the amplifier but I did listen to the speakers and was very impressed.

I am currently eyeing on Cambridge Audio cxa81 but not sure because some YouTuber (Andrew Robinson) said the bass control is not the best for the class.

Since I live in a place where European products are cheaper, I strongly prefer European amps.

Thanks

The cxa81 will be perfectly fine for the kef R3 meta.
However I advise you to seriously consider the audiophonics integrated amplifier
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/inte...2x250w-4-ohm-32bit-768khz-dsd256-p-16952.html
if you don't need analog inputs, use the hypex nc252 module as power amplifier, a real guarantee of top audio performance
Here is Amir's review:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...phonics-da-s250nc-dac-power-amp-review.44379/

 

[Pawnshop123]

The cxa81 will be perfectly fine for the kef R3 meta.
However I advise you to seriously consider the audiophonics integrated amplifier
https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/inte...2x250w-4-ohm-32bit-768khz-dsd256-p-16952.html
if you don't need analog inputs, use the hypex nc252 module as power amplifier, a real guarantee of top audio performance
Here is Amir's review:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...phonics-da-s250nc-dac-power-amp-review.44379/

Thanks. I will look into it

How is Arcam sa20?
I am probably going to prefer to buy speakers + amplifier in the same store so I will get a big discount.

 

[Livewire]

Class D Hypex or Purifi amp, with MiniDSP Flex as pre-amp and to manage the sub?

 

[r@j_]

Thanks. I will look into it

How is Arcam sa20?
I am probably going to prefer to buy speakers + amplifier in the same store so I will get a big discount.

I’ve been using Arcam SA30 for over a year with my R3s and works great.

 

[diddley]

The cxa81 has one real problem, that after you turn the volume knob further then 0030 you get a well distorted sound.

 

[Gruesome]

So you need about 1 Watt per channel, give or take? (75 dB SPL listening level = 0.1 W with speaker sensitivity of 85 dB SPL per 1 W @ 1m; 3 m distance squared = factor 9, so 1 W.)
So any amp (with good measurements) will do, and you can go just by optics, price and features. How about the Loxjie A30? It has a subwoofer output (RCA).
I'm using it with the non-meta R3's.

 

[Steven Holt]

Anybody who know me on this forum knows what I am going to say : Yamaha AS - 801

 

[nygafre]

Anybody who know me on this forum knows what I am going to say : Yamaha AS - 801

Why the Yamaha AS801 specifically?

 

[TonyJZX]

lol

the Yamaha 701/801 is like the meme amp of this place

its like when people ask for a cheap but good performing car... you get the Toyota Camry

 

[nygafre]

lol

the Yamaha 701/801 is like the meme amp of this place

its like when people ask for a cheap but good performing car... you get the Toyota Camry

Ahh ^^.

I can only find the 701 here, no 801. Is the 701 the new/replaced 801?

 

[TonyJZX]

AFAIK the 701 and 801 are identical.. except they have different dacs... maybe due to the AKM fire etc.

some places the 701 is sold as the "top of the line" mainstream, sometimes its the 801

 

[nygafre]

Btw, I use a Powernode N330 with my R3 Metas. Very happy with the combination, don’t see how I can improve much without implementing Dirac Live etc (suggestions are welcome).

The Powernode can also high pass the speakers when using a sub.

 

[Steven Holt]

Why the Yamaha AS801 specifically?

There are many reasons why so many people on this forum love this amp : Yamaha has been in the game a long time, they know what they're doing, and they do it well. It's time tested, the quality is excellent. The specs are very good, but not excellent (AND YOU SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT). It has plenty of inputs, including digital. It has plenty of power, it will drive about any speaker well (I can't think of one it won't). Sub out, of course. Headphone amp is solid and capable. All this, and it looks great. BTW -- they still make the 801. The 701 has 80 watts RMS, the 801 has 100 RMS. And it's not cheap in any respect, it will set u back 900US. Now, you can go ahead and buy Hegel, Vincent, Cambridge, whatever -- but you're not gonna get a better featured amp for the money. And there's a VERY good chance that this will be the last amp you'll ever buy.

 

[TheBatsEar]

they still make the 801

Maybe, sadly they don't get sold in Europe anymore.

The 701 has 80 watts RMS, the 801 has 100 RMS.

Not true, both have the same power supply and power amp section, the company lists 100W into 8 ohms and 160W into 4 ohms.
The main difference is the 801 has a USB input and LEDs at the front to show PCM/DSD and their data rates.
Other amps with the same power supply and power amp section are Yamaha A-S700, R-S700 and R-N803.

lol
the Yamaha 701/801 is like the meme amp of this place

It hits a sweet spot in terms of performance and functionality, not even the phono section isn't really bad. If you have to listen at muted volume sometimes, the variable loudness is awesome.
Other places say the device sound clean, bright and analytic. I suspect that might be because they listened to the silver ones.
I had them all and there is a thread where i show all of their guts:

Inside Yamaha amps

Anyone interested in looking inside Yamaha amps? I have a bunch in my collection, most of them need repair, all of them have to be opened eventually for dusting. I'll start with some pictures i made inside a A-S1000 that i bought for 500€ in mint condition. This one weighs 25kg, it's a serious...

www.audiosciencereview.com

@Pawnshop123 As for the KEF R3, if you get a MiniDSP Flex as DAC/Preamp/DSP, i would skip the Yamaha and get a NC252MP based amp instead, you get more power for less money and the MiniDSP has all sorts of inputs, including one analog for a phono preamp if that is your thing.
If you don't want a MiniDSP, then i would recommend the Yamaha R-N803D, as it has a builtin streamer, DAB+, FM and room correction. They are popular, it might be best to buy used. https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=Yamaha+R-N803

Of course there are hundreds of other amps that would do the trick as well.

 

[TonyJZX]

one other thing about the 701/801... like the Toyota Camry, they have excellent resale

everyone out there knows its the shit... and the mid spec one, the 501 might also be close enough

for many people it could well be all you need

I do agree that something like the 250 class Hypex Ncore matched to a good dac and maybe a nice analog preamp might be so close to end game... as in to get a lot better you need to be spending a LOT more

 

[nygafre]

Thank’s for the explanation.

So, would the A-S701 be an upgrade from e.g. the Powernode? (Sorry, I don’t mean to hi-jack the thread)

 

[TheBatsEar]

So, would the A-S701 be an upgrade from e.g. the Powernode? (Sorry, I don’t mean to hi-jack the thread)

If we don't look at the streamer functionaility, then yes. The Yamaha would have slightly more power which may or may not be relevant, in terms of sound quality they are probably the same (linear, low distortion, low noise). However, the Yamaha has much more functionality and comfort features, like tone controls, balance, variable loudness, two sets of speaker terminals, phono pre amp, line output, digital inputs. I'm not sure if you can replace all the features of the Powernode with a WiiM Pro or Mini, but if you can, i would for sure take the Yamaha+WiiM over the Powernode.
If you already have the Powernode its hard to justify the expense, i guess it depends on how much you could expect to get out of the Powernode.

Anyway, i think both would be fine amplification for the KEF R3, but i suspect more power is more better

 

[Steven Holt]

Not true, both have the same power supply and power amp section, the company lists 100W into 8 ohms and 160W into 4 ohms.

Thank you for the correction, and thank you for chipping in on this discussion. You clearly know Yamaha, and I hope others listen to you.