Power amp

Replacing my Carver Cube (which I love) because it doesn't have decent speaker protection. Bought a Kandy power amp and bit disappointed tbh. It sounds thrashy and unmusical. Any suggestions for something that would improve matters? Budget, as always, is limited.

Ta in advance

 

Hi MickyP,

What's the budget?

For sheer musicality the previous generation of Linn would get my vote. LK140 for under £500 or Klout for around £1K.

You can add a second for Bi-amping if the budget allows.

I've had a Linn Majik integrated, 2x LK85's and 3x LK140's and they've all been hugely musical to my ears.

Just this week I've just bought a Klout (still waiting for delivery :-(

 

Guess up to (begrudgingly) a grand. Could be secondhand. Was thinking Kaspian, Cyrus, etc. BUT the Carver IS very musical. Mebs a company can add a speaker 'box of electronics' to add protection? Dunno. Massively disappointed with the Kandy. :-(

 

Haven't heard much about Linn. Is it new?

 

Hi Micky,

Which loudspeakers are you driving?

Assuming nothing too demanding in terms of load, a Quad 405-2, 606 or 909 are pretty much bulletproof and sound good.

All 100-140wpc and come in a compact brick-like package. Each is just an update of the previous model using basically the same circuit.

405s will cost you around £350 serviced, £400-450 for the 606 and £500-700 for a 909.

 

Q Acoustics 2050i (which replaced my Gales). Hadn't thought of Quad. Bit out of the loop.

 

Quads will drive those no problem and all have output protection.

 

Any views on Musical Fideiity amps? And would all the old stiff need to be restored?

 

Lots of good MF stuff around, though much of the 80s kit was really poorly built IME, though the basic components were actually fine. Just shoddy build.
The MF kit I've seen built in the last 20 years has been much better in this regard.

Anything over 15-20 years old should be checked for leaking or off spec capacitors, particularly as some of the power amps were biased into Class A and ran hotter than the norm.

 

Okay, ta. I'll have a nose around.

 

I think I remember the rocksan amps performing badly distortion wise so thrashy might match that. Nice looking though they are. Quad is a good bullet proof suggestion and Rob can service or even up-date if needed. Another option is a nice Cyrus 3 or 7 and PSX-R. They are every bit as good but would also do well to service.

 

Getting a bit downhearted tbh. The Quad 909 seems rarer than hens' teeth and the Musical Fidelity stuff seems ancient. Worried about low power amps (Cyrus etc) as I think I'll miss the effortless power of the Carver. The Kandy was fine at low level then just merged everything at higher volume and wasn't at all musical, which worries me about the Caspian. Although Roksan stuff seems built to last.

Dunno. Maybe I get get a speaker protection box for the Carver?

 

I just re read and realised you want a power not integrated so a Cyrus power and psxr or pair if mono might do. On the other hand have a read of this 'interactive' thread about power amps.

https://www.audio-forums.com/as-rediect/showthread.php?t=30382

 

Will have alook in a sec, just off to work. One thing while I remember for the Quad boys. Does a 909 have speaker protection and what is the Quadlink bypass mod? Quad hasn't heard of it, so it must be some unofficial thing. Is it good or bad and does it remove any speaker protection? (If there wa any in the first place!)

Thanks to all

 

Quadlink is an additional circuit allowing different Quad unity to communicate. On very early versions of the 909 this was shown to adversely effect the amplifier's noise performance but not in any material way IMO. The mod was simply to disconnect the board - dead easy and it impacts nothing else.

I'd Just go for a 606 - that's the last uk built Quad power amp before IAG bought the company and it's in most respects a 909 minus the Quadlink in a slightly different style case. There is also a 707 but few were made.

Te Cyrus Power (and Smartpower) mentioned by Simon is also a good choice. Rated at 50wpc it actually good got about 70w.

 

Think I've bought a young-ish 909. Will let you know how it goes. Many thanks for your advice.

 

Bought a Quad 909 and mighty pleased. Thanks for your advice.

 

Marvellous - we aim to please

Enjoy it!

 

Would you be able to post a few pictures of it in your system?

How old is it? Worth replacing the electrolytic caps?

I heard one of these with the 99 CD-P into Quad 989s and it was my first experience of Quad ESLs. I was really impressed with the clean and also quite punchy sound. It was one of the best sounding set-ups in the shop which is saying something as it was common to build £20K+ systems there!

 

Hi Tenson

Think it's about two years but you'd need the serial number, I guess, which is now buried in a cabinet. I was going to ask about general 'Quadey' mods, if any (factory approved!) but still settling in and playing with Audiolab filters and speaker port 'bungs'.

I have to say the Carver cube (M400) is hugely underrated and runs the Quad close (and completely eclipses the crap Roksan). Both give me speaker thumps but the Quad less so. I'm told (by Quad, or their masters) that the later QSP does have speaker protection.

* I'm using the pre-amp option in the 8200CD player (it does have this option; ie this ISN'T the CDQ), so I can use the Audiolab remote for volume, etc.

As a diversion, I recently sold my much loved Gale GS401As (re-drivered, of course) to a chap who must have had a £100-ish grand system in the main room, (Krell, PMCs, etc) a £20-ish grand system in the next room, etc, and when you hear something like that, there is nothing that will satisfy. BUT, I toe tap with the Quad-Audiolab combo, hear things and musicality which was missed, so I think I can live with that, ta.

Will try and get some pics. Do Google Bob Carver and his new enterprise. His talent was missed by the radar, sadly.