Great HiFi amplification on the Cheap!

[Jim Hawkins]

Hi All,

I have been looking around for other forum posts on this but I didn't see one for this. So I thought I would share.

Last night I went through some of the various modes of my Marantz SR5004 to try and see what worked best. The setup that I was using was:
Dali Ikon for L and R
SR5004 for amplification
Pioneer DV-47Ai for CD playback (Jeff Buckley's Grace)

I tried:
Stereo = includes crossover for the subs and EQ
Source Direct = removes crossover and sub output and seems to remove EQ
Pure Direct = Similar to Source DirectTurns off display and video functions

All three sounded good. Great. Fine.

I then tried:
Dali Ikon for L and R
Yamaha M-45 for amplification (connected directly from the CD player, no preamp)
Pioneer DV-47Ai for CD playback (Jeff Buckley's Grace)

It sounded fuller. instruments that were in the background started coming out to share the stage. It sounded clear and relaxed. Really pleasing.

Does anyone else do this? Im sure this is not new to some.

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by Jim Hawkins

Hi All,

I have been looking around for other forum posts on this but I didn't see one for this. So I thought I would share.

Last night I went through some of the various modes of my Marantz SR5004 to try and see what worked best. The setup that I was using was:
Dali Ikon for L and R
SR5004 for amplification
Pioneer DV-47Ai for CD playback (Jeff Buckley's Grace)

I tried:
Stereo = includes crossover for the subs and EQ
Source Direct = removes crossover and sub output and seems to remove EQ
Pure Direct = Similar to Source DirectTurns off display and video functions

All three sounded good. Great. Fine.

I then tried:
Dali Ikon for L and R
Yamaha M-45 for amplification (connected directly from the CD player, no preamp)
Pioneer DV-47Ai for CD playback (Jeff Buckley's Grace)

It sounded fuller. instruments that were in the background started coming out to share the stage. It sounded clear and relaxed. Really pleasing.

Does anyone else do this? Im sure this is not new to some.

My guess is that your Yamaha has more power than your Marantz, or were you using the Yamaha with your 5004?

[Jim Hawkins]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

My guess is that your Yamaha has more power than your Marantz, or were you using the Yamaha with your 5004?

Hi Pentatonic, this response is going to be SEXY. I been thinking activity on the forums has been kinda sluggish so hopefully this will help.

My sexy Marantz does put out, if you know what I mean, about 90 WPC vs my older lady (but still sexy) M-45's 125 WPC. Though I don't think this was the sound difference between the two. I volume matched the two. I know this can be problematic since small volume differences can be perceived quality differences. I think if anything I had the Marantz louder. But these are perceptions not hard facts.

Keeping this in I think the more mature and sexy M 45 sounded better due to a couple reasons.
1) better specs
2) less processing and preamplification

I was going straight in to the amplifier and there are no modes on the amplifier. I think this makes a shorter signal path and therefore a better one. You might say that the M 45 is "easy" when it comes to signal.

Anyways, my two cents. I would ask that people try this and see if they don't hear a difference. If you already have the equipment for it, you've got nothing to lose.

Hope you have some "Sexy" listening!