New Amp for RM1

Tim S · « **on:** 16 Mar 2005, 02:08 pm »

I am looking for a new amp for my RM 1's. A while back I split off my RM1's into a 2-channel only setup and I took my HT amp to drive them until I got a new amp. It has then taken me a while to get around to getting the new one. . .

Anyway, currently I have a Sonic Frontiers preamp and I am using an Anthem MCA 5 S2 for the speakers (biamping them with 4 of the 5 channels). I am looking for something in the $1500 range. I like the idea of the efficiency of the digital amps but the only one I've found in my price range is the new Channel Islands amp and I'm not sure it has enough power. I know Julian was saying seom very nice things about Marsh amps with VMPS speakers a while back and their A200S seems to be about the right price. Or I was thinking about trying to track down one of the new Anthem Statement A2's (or a used P2 if I can find one). The unfortunate thing is that living where I do, I will not be able to audition much of anything except by buying it and reselling if I don't like it. So I want to have a pretty good idea that I will like it before I shell out the $$.

Anyone have any thoughts on these or have some alternative suggestions?

Tim

warnerwh · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Mar 2005, 01:24 am »

If you have the room and haven't done it yet acoustic treatment will get you more sound improvement for your money than an amplifier. Either that or you could sell the RM 1's and take the extra money and get RM 2's. Both options offer much more improvement than an electronic upgrade. This assumes you have enough power.

Tim S · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Mar 2005, 01:26 pm »

The main point behind the upgrade isn't really get get a better amp to upgrade the sound quality. The real reason is that I want the Anthem back in the HT setup. Right now I'm using my old Denon 3300 and want to get a new processor. So I need to replace it or buy a new HT amp. I think I am better off with the Anthem back at HT duty and a new 2 channel amp. A speaker upgrade is a bit in the future and I have some crude room treatments now with better ones on their way whenever I get time to set them up.

Tim

warnerwh · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Mar 2005, 11:36 pm »

Well you don't say what your budget is but a Parasound HCA 1500A or a Rotel 1080 can be had for about 600 bucks. Both run about 200wpc into 8 ohms. Save your money for bass traps. These amps are both very good and you'd have to spend quite a bit more for a subtle increase in quality imo.

thegage · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Mar 2005, 06:52 pm »

I had an HCA 1500 with my RM1s and it was underpowered. I haven't heard the 1080. I recently went from a biamp setup--Counterpoint NP-100 on the top, QSC PLX1202 on the bottom--to a single amplifier, the McCormack DNA-225. I picked it up for $1700, a bit over your budget, but it is a very, very nice amplifier, with more than enough grunt to get the RM1s up and going.

John K.

Tim S · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Mar 2005, 09:49 pm »

Thanks for the tips. The more I think about this, the more I realize how bad it is not to be able to easily audition things to be able to tell which one I really want. Oh, well eventually I'll roll the dice on something. . . More suggestions and thoughts are always appreciated.

Tim