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Author Topic: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback  (Read 4661 times)

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Offline kindms

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Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« on: November 11, 2015, 05:08:16 PM »
Von Schweikert VR-2

 Specifications

System Type: 3-way, 4-driver system, with Transmission-line woofer design

Woofer System: Twin 165mm (6.5") composite cone drivers

Treble System: 1" (25mm) fabric dome tweeter with soft resin damping layers, low distortion motor, Ferrofluid liquid cooling/damping, and long-throw voice coil and motor assembly

Damping System: Resonance Trap cavity provided for insertion of lead shot.

Crossover: Global Axis Integration Network, 4th order slopes using cascaded 1st order filters at 200Hz and 2.2kHz. Polypropylene caps and air-core inductors are utilized. All drivers are connected in phase.

Ambience Driver: 1" (25mm) soft dome tweeter with wave guide mounted at rear of the cabinet and Dimension Control for effects level adjustment, calibrated

Frequency Response: 25Hz to 25kHz, -3dB (+/- 1dB in the midrange).

Sensitivity: 87.5dB/W/m anechoic, 90dB in room.

Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 7 ohms low to 20 ohms high.

Power Handling: 20 watts minimum, 200 watts maximum r.m.s., 500 watts peak.

Wire Connection: Five-way binding posts, fitted for 6mm spade lugs, with CE approved sheathing. Twin pairs are fitted, for bi-wiring or bi-amplifying. Jumper straps are supplied.

Warranty: Ten years conditional, excluding abuse and/or burnt voice coils due to clipping. Warranty is transferable to the second owner.

Dimensions: 40 x 8 x 16 (HxWxD in inches)

Weight: 66 lbs raw, 85 lbs with sand, 95 lbs with lead shot


These are my main speakers. I was driving them with a class A integrated Music Hall Mambo. The Mambo works but not without its issues so I was thinking about changing up. Now admittedly I know very little about playback. So With the above specs for my speakers and lets say sub 2k budget. Can you recommend some amps ? or maybe even amps and pre etc.

Also when looking to match speakers and amps what specs should i be paying attention to ? I admit I should know this stuff and im embarrassed to admit it but better to come clean and learn something than continue to nod like I get it.
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

Offline scb

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2015, 07:37:43 AM »
what are the issues with the Mambo?

sensitivity is 90db, so that means you need 1 watt of power to get them to 90db. For every 3db increase in volume, you need double the power. So you only need 64 watts to get these up to 108 db, which is loud.

These do not have a low impedance, so you don't need a lot of current at all and these speakers won't really stress an amplifier.

I had a pair of VR2s for years and they don't take much to sound great.

I've heard great things about the Hegel integrateds, and there are a few on Audiogon right now

Offline kindms

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2015, 08:15:52 AM »
Left channel cuts in and out from time to time. It was dinged pretty hard before I bought it. Worked fine for a spell and then the channel issue came about. I'm sure it's just a loose connection somewhere but it got annoying enough I fought about getting something new. I tried getting in the case but where I need to work is a dac section connected to the main board by a ribbon cable and I couldn't figure out how to get it off and didn't want to make things worse
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

Offline kindms

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2015, 09:10:13 AM »
Question about the power to drive the speakers. When you say it only takes x amount of power to drive these well is that a specific class ?

The reason I ask is I have an older marantz receiver and a newer Yamaha both of which according to the above should be able to drive the vr-2s but both seem to only approval ok listening levels at almost their max settings. Where the class A mambo drives them with ease
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

Offline scb

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2015, 09:02:25 AM »
what are the model numbers of the yamaha and marantz?

Offline kindms

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AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

mfrench

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2015, 11:39:02 AM »
The $11 eBay TPA amp (DIY assembly) is kicking my butt for sounding so good, for next to nothing.
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=174326.0

I used for for a couple of months with my Soliloquy 6.3's (90dB efficiency), and was really impressed.  I hooked those back up to their main driver, and then took it over to a pair of Bozak B302a Urbans, which are nt entirely efficient, seeming to like something with some grunt, and they've been a wonderful pairing now for a couple of months.  Thhis pairing will likely remain, as they sound wonderful together.
All in price of under $100, plus DIY time to hook it up.

If DIY hook up isn't your thing (soldering speaker connectors and RCA input jacks is all), then there is a company producing cool TPA amps that people are taking to very well.
http://fleawatt.blogspot.ca/
They come in at the princely sum of ~$150, new, assembled, and ready (+ shipping, etc)

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #7 on: November 18, 2015, 12:47:29 PM »
The $11 eBay TPA amp (DIY assembly) is kicking my butt for sounding so good, for next to nothing.
http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=174326.0

I used for for a couple of months with my Soliloquy 6.3's (90dB efficiency), and was really impressed.  I hooked those back up to their main driver, and then took it over to a pair of Bozak B302a Urbans, which are nt entirely efficient, seeming to like something with some grunt, and they've been a wonderful pairing now for a couple of months.  Thhis pairing will likely remain, as they sound wonderful together.
All in price of under $100, plus DIY time to hook it up.

If DIY hook up isn't your thing (soldering speaker connectors and RCA input jacks is all), then there is a company producing cool TPA amps that people are taking to very well.
http://fleawatt.blogspot.ca/
They come in at the princely sum of ~$150, new, assembled, and ready (+ shipping, etc)

moke

in the pictures of the TPA3116 i see you have 1 set of RCAs wired to the audio out. What is the bottom set (black cable) wired to ? Looking at the board it wasn't obvious to me what you have that connected to.
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

mfrench

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #8 on: November 18, 2015, 03:42:25 PM »
On the stock amp, it came with a 3.5mm stereo input jack as the a second input source; its the pink jack at the front of the board.  I utilized that jacks soldering points on the underside of the PCB, and, soldered a second set of input wires to the underside of that jack, to create a second input. I only use one play device at a time.  It has worked out perfectly fine.

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #9 on: November 18, 2015, 04:26:43 PM »
On the stock amp, it came with a 3.5mm stereo input jack as the a second input source; its the pink jack at the front of the board.  I utilized that jacks soldering points on the underside of the PCB, and, soldered a second set of input wires to the underside of that jack, to create a second input. I only use one play device at a time.  It has worked out perfectly fine.

ah thought that might be what you were going to say

do you think an older laptop PSU would work for this thing ? I have a bunch of that type of stuff lying around.
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

mfrench

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #10 on: November 18, 2015, 04:35:08 PM »
Some people have suggested using them with success.  I had one that I was going to use, but, it came just under the 12v. So I bought the Pyramid P.S. listed in the build thread.
Jon (stoppable) has suggested that more voltage produces more output to the speakers. Its specs call from 12 to 24 vdc. The Pyramid p.s. supplies 14v, and supports the amp to ample loudness.

The gain pot on the TPA chip is also a shutoff/on. Some people say that it pops the speakers when you use it.  I turn it down first, and then turn off the p.s. I don't use the gain pot for that.
With the Bozaks, the gain pot runs from approx.. 8 -> 5 o'clock.  My basic listening is around 9:30, and if I want it loud, 11 o'clock lights the speakers louder than I'm comfortable in listening to. I've not explored past that point, but it seems like it can go really quite loud with a 14v supply.
« Last Edit: November 18, 2015, 05:02:47 PM by m0k3 »

Offline scb

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2015, 12:27:41 PM »
what are the model numbers of the yamaha and marantz?


http://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/marantz/sr880.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HZE2WW8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01

Both about 100w per channel.

http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/integrated-amplifiers/music-hall/mambo/prd_323402_2717crx.aspx

So the Mambo says 50w per channel. hmm.

the marantz and yamaha are "receivers," so may have extra processing going on in there, but all 3 units have integrated amps. they all handle volume differently. i can't say for certain why the Class A is louder than the others. watts aren't the only measure of loudness

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Re: Recommend an Amp / Pre and/or teach me somehting about playback
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2015, 01:26:06 PM »
what are the model numbers of the yamaha and marantz?


http://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/marantz/sr880.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HZE2WW8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01

Both about 100w per channel.

http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/integrated-amplifiers/music-hall/mambo/prd_323402_2717crx.aspx

So the Mambo says 50w per channel. hmm.

the marantz and yamaha are "receivers," so may have extra processing going on in there, but all 3 units have integrated amps. they all handle volume differently. i can't say for certain why the Class A is louder than the others. watts aren't the only measure of loudness

I thought it was odd as well.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. really appreciate it
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
Little Bear tube Pre >Outlaw Audio 2200 Monoblocks > VR-2's

 

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