AMPs / Monoblocks for Canton Refference 5

[oneanother]

Regarding the preamp. It depends on how many inputs you want. What sources do you have?
If you only use streaming and already have, as you say, a good DAC, then you really only need a streamer. Does your DAC have a volume control?

Purifi 1ET9040BA. Build yourself?:

PURIFI EVAL4 Mono 1ET9040BA Amplifier Evaluation Kit 750W 4 Ohm

Purifi's EVAL4 is an evaluation kit comprising a 1ET9040BA mono amplifier module and a FE04 mono input card. It is perfectly suited to integration in DIY audio projects.

www.audiophonics.fr

or ready-made:

AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET Power Amplifier Purifi 1ET9040BA

The Audiophonics HPA-DM750ET is a Class D power amplifier featuring dual mono architecture. Integrating two Purifi 1ET9040BA amplifier modules and two independent Hypex SMPS1200A180 power supply boards,

www.audiophonics.fr

Buckeye Amps

Buckeye Amps utilizes the most advanced audio amplifier technologies available. Authorized seller for Hypex and Purifi Class D amplifiers. Based in the US. Free shipping and worldwide service!

www.buckeyeamp.com

PURIFI 1ET9040BA Buckeye or Audiophonics

I would like to buy a PURIFI 1ET9040BA Monoblock for front speaker and I am confused between several companies because of the difference in gain amp between them I have a question about perfect match gain amp with storm audio ISP MK3 processor ? Also I do not know about the quality of these...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Edit:
A streamer, any WiiM product? WiiM Pro together with your DAC for example. An advantage of WiiM is that it has PEQ, both manual and automatic (RoomFit)

Optimizing Your Audio Experience: A Comprehensive Guide to RoomFit™ Room Correction

TABLE OF CONTENTS What's Room Correction The Benefits of Room Correction Room Correction vs. EQ Preparations for Room Correction Step-by-Step Guide to Room Correction Tips What's Room Correction Room correction is a process that inv...

faq.wiimhome.com

Fixing the FR in the sub bass area is always necessary if you want to get good bass.
You can measure with your mobile phone's microphone together with WiiM but I recommend that you buy a Dayton Audio iMM-6C Calibrated USB-C Measurement Microphone for Apple/ Android for better results.

Dayton IMM-6 microphone setup and measurement

This is a reminder of the setup and measurement procedure of the Dayton Audio iMM-6 microphone used for WiiM Room Correction(RC). If RC supports IMM-6, this might be useful to someone. Please allow me to post in the request thread with the expectation of IMM-6 support. The IMM-6 series is...

forum.wiimhome.com

Thank you. AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET Power Amplifier Purifi 1ET9040BA looks good. But as @MBO wrote about Purifi 7040, if these were not enought, will be the Purifi 1ET9040BA good?

In a diferrent setup, I am using now SMSL D6S with Topping LA70 as preamp, feeding Fosi ZA3 monoblocks for my Dynaudio Emit M30 and it is nice. D6S alone as an preamp was very thin sounding. Adding LA70 as an preamp makes a big improvement.
S I can use D6S with Topping LA70 as an preamp. I have also Chord 2Qute, Mojo2, but I use these for headphone setups. D6S has a balanced output which I want to use to not worrying about ground loop.

I had a Purifi 7040 for my Canton Reference 5k speakers, and even that amplifier couldn't control them properly in the low frequencies. I'm currently experiencing a significant improvement with two Topping La90D amplifiers in mono mode.

How about Topping B200? Will this work?

 

[MBO]

Thank you. AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET Power Amplifier Purifi 1ET9040BA looks good. But as @MBO wrote about Purifi 7040, if these were not enought, will be the Purifi 1ET9040BA good?

In a diferrent setup, I am using now SMSL D6S with Topping LA70 as preamp, feeding Fosi ZA3 monoblocks for my Dynaudio Emit M30 and it is nice. D6S alone as an preamp was very thin sounding. Adding LA70 as an preamp makes a big improvement.
S I can use D6S with Topping LA70 as an preamp. I have also Chord 2Qute, Mojo2, but I use these for headphone setups. D6S has a balanced output which I want to use to not worrying about ground loop.


How about Topping B200? Will this work?

The B200 doesn't work with Canton at all.

 

[oneanother]

So my list to choose from is for now:

AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET
Eversolo DMP-A10
2x Topping LA90D

 

[DanielT]

I guess these (there are a few different models), which are designed to handle the tricky load that electrostatic speakers can have, also can handle a couple of Canton Reference 5. However, those amplifiers cost a fair amount of money. Also, I don't know if I've ever seen any of them on a test bench. That said, they can most likely deliver a lot of current.

Sanders Sound Systems - ESL Mark II Amplifier

Sanders Sound Systems ESL Amplifier Page.

sanderssoundsystems.com

Note that I'm guessing that Sanders amps would handle Canton Reference 5 well, but someone else will have to clarify or give their opinion on that.

 

[oneanother]

I guess these (there are a few different models), which are designed to handle the tricky load that electrostatic speakers can have, also can handle a couple of Canton Reference 5. However, those amplifiers cost a fair amount of money. Also, I don't know if I've ever seen any of them on a test bench. That said, they can most likely deliver a lot of current.

View attachment 490105View attachment 490106View attachment 490107View attachment 490108

Sanders Sound Systems - ESL Mark II Amplifier

Sanders Sound Systems ESL Amplifier Page.

sanderssoundsystems.com

Note that I'm guessing that Sanders amps would handle Canton Reference 5 well, but someone else will have to clarify or give their opinion on that.

Sanders is double the prize of Audiophonics or Eversolo.

 

[DanielT]

Sanders is double the prize of Audiophonics or Eversolo.

I saw that. I don't know if the Sanders amps compared to the ones we talked about in the thread add that much more (seen in relation to their price) AND as usual with Hifi and pricing regarding hifi gadgets in the higher segments, you don't know if there is a correlation between price and performance. That said, the Sanders amps can probably be excellent, but bench tests on them that verified that would have been nice to see.

 

[oneanother]

I can also get a new Cambridge Edge W for almost the same prize as Audiophonics or Eversolo, so I probably pick some from the:

AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET
Eversolo DMP-F10
2x Topping LA90D
Cambridge Edge W

Any advice or experience withe some of the above is warmly welcome.

 

[MBO]

I experimented, I tried connecting the Topping B200 to the bass section of the Reference 5k, but the amplifier barely managed to move the bass drivers.

 

[oneanother]

Then I think Eversolo DMP-F10.

 

[oneanother]

What do you think about this DIY kit?

https://www.hypexdirect.com/products/amplifier-kits/nilai500-mono-kit

 

[Ropeburn]

What do you think about this DIY kit?

https://www.hypexdirect.com/products/amplifier-kits/nilai500-mono-kit

Very good offer. It isn't that much cheaper than buying that or dual-mono (the same, just in one case) readymade, but still some. If you enjoy DIY, that fun is worth something too, even if it's a conveniently simple kit requiring only basic skills. The amp module itself with the appropriate psu is pretty much endgame in all technical ways that matter. Power, cleanliness, stability under heavy load.

 

[oneanother]

Which one is better choice?

AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM500NIL Power Amplifier

Hand-assembled in our workshop in France, the Audiophonics HPA-DM500NIL power amplifier is a high-performance Class D dual-mono model, based on the new Hypex Nilai500DIY amplification solution.

www.audiophonics.fr

or

AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET Power Amplifier Purifi 1ET9040BA

The Audiophonics HPA-DM750ET is a Class D power amplifier featuring dual mono architecture. Integrating two Purifi 1ET9040BA amplifier modules and two independent Hypex SMPS1200A180 power supply boards,

www.audiophonics.fr

or
mentioned DIY kit https://www.hypexdirect.com/products/amplifier-kits/nilai500-mono-kit

 

[hansalbers4711]

AUDIOPHONICS HPA-DM750ET
Eversolo DMP-F10
2x Topping LA90D
Cambridge Edge W

for nearly 7 month I pull the trigger for that black beast link (Pure Rear Class A/B D9 D9PRO Power Amplifier 150WX2) and can't by more happy.
Power for my b&W 804 D4 endless (2 x 150 W 8Ohms).

With an good DAC you'll have black background (100% Volume up but no noice with and without music).
Wide (over the distance of my 804) stage, deep stage. precisely bass. Phantastik emotion with volcals.
Need 72h min to burn in (eaven it is an mosfett amp). After 3-4 Month I registered a sligtly wormer sound (not sure came from burnin of my new 804 or from amp)

Some technical detail:

Output valid value: 36.65Vrms
Channel gain: 26.6dB 21.3 times
SNR: 123.4dB
Dynamic range: 123.4dB
THD distortion: 0.0023%
THD+N distortion: 0.010%

Frequency response bandwidth: ±0.047dB
Static power consumption: 120w Class A and B
Output power: 150w*2/8 Ohm; 300w* 2/4ohm

Go for the "D9PRO BC Capacitor" version. The caps much better

BR
J

 

[oneanother]

I was almost decided for the Nilai 500 Audiophonics amp, but then I ordered Edge W. I am waiting for delivery.

Now, I am looking for the preamp. I will use Topping L70 or Cambridge CXN for the time until I find something better. But I am so so curious, how the cheap tiny L70 will do.
Any recommendations for the pre?

 

[Roland68]

I was almost decided for the Nilai 500 Audiophonics amp, but then I ordered Edge W. I am waiting for delivery.

Now, I am looking for the preamp. I will use Topping L70 or Cambridge CXN for the time until I find something better. But I am so so curious, how the cheap tiny L70 will do.
Any recommendations for the pre?

What source are you using?

What inputs do you need?

What outputs do you need?

 

[oneanother]

Source will be SMSL D6S for now - XLR out. So XLR into the preamp, XLR out into the Edge W.

 

[Roland68]

Source will be SMSL D6S for now - XLR out. So XLR into the preamp, XLR out into the Edge W.

If you don't have any other sources you want to connect, then a preamplifier doesn't really make sense.
The original purpose of a preamplifier was/is to amplify the signal sufficiently. This is no longer necessary with today's DACs.
The second function is to connect additional sources.
The third function is volume control.

No preamplifier will improve the signal, and you'll have a lot of additional components in the signal path.
An L70 has significantly better measured values than many preamplifiers that cost many times more. Even in my own tests with several proven preamplifiers, it didn't perform any worse for me.

The simplest and ideal solution is to drive the power amplifier directly.
However, I would always be cautious about driving a power amplifier directly with a DAC that controls the volume via the DAC chip.
DACs like the new SMSL D200 have an integrated analog volume control and buffer stages based on the same components used in some very expensive preamplifiers.
Alternatively, there are various DACs with relay-based volume control and the RME ADI devices, which have very good digital volume control.

 

[oneanother]

If you don't have any other sources you want to connect, then a preamplifier doesn't really make sense.
The original purpose of a preamplifier was/is to amplify the signal sufficiently. This is no longer necessary with today's DACs.
The second function is to connect additional sources.
The third function is volume control.

No preamplifier will improve the signal, and you'll have a lot of additional components in the signal path.
An L70 has significantly better measured values than many preamplifiers that cost many times more. Even in my own tests with several proven preamplifiers, it didn't perform any worse for me.

The simplest and ideal solution is to drive the power amplifier directly.
However, I would always be cautious about driving a power amplifier directly with a DAC that controls the volume via the DAC chip.
DACs like the new SMSL D200 have an integrated analog volume control and buffer stages based on the same components used in some very expensive preamplifiers.
Alternatively, there are various DACs with relay-based volume control and the RME ADI devices, which have very good digital volume control.

I thought the same as D6S has an preamp function. I used D6S as an DAC/preamp directly to Fosi ZA3 monoblocks to my Dynaudio Emit M30. Sound was thin, lifeless, no bass at all. It was just not enjoyable listen in any way. Does it play loud? Yes. Does it sounds nice? Not even close. So I add Topping L70 as an preamp and the improvement was day & night. Music immediately sounds more full, dynamic, the bass arrived, let's say, it has more body. So SMSL D6S as a standalone DAC, yes. As an preamp, no.

 

[Roland68]

I thought the same as D6S has an preamp function. I used D6S as an DAC/preamp directly to Fosi ZA3 monoblocks to my Dynaudio Emit M30. Sound was thin, lifeless, no bass at all. It was just not enjoyable listen in any way. Does it play loud? Yes. Does it sounds nice? Not even close. So I add Topping L70 as an preamp and the improvement was day & night. Music immediately sounds more full, dynamic, the bass arrived, let's say, it has more body. So SMSL D6S as a standalone DAC, yes. As an preamp, no.

The DS6 is a typical, economical SMSL DAC, essentially just a simplified implementation of the DAC datasheets. The entire analog output stage is very basic and inexpensive, and it lacks a true output buffer stage.

That's why I recommend the SMSL D200, which I suspect was developed by an independent and meticulous designer and features a sophisticated analog section. Eight op-amps and two high-quality volume control ICs represent a significant investment.

Have fun with the new power amplifier!

 

[oneanother]

But, is it worth to replace D6S+L70 for D200?