2. amps-preamps
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can a new amp amp tame my speakers?

Just spent some time listening to what I've been planning to upgrade to for main speakers. PSB Synchronys. The Imagine T2's are close, but slightly veiled in comparison. My current, but old, Infinity Kappa 7's really don't give much away to the PSB's. My amp is an old Yamaha MX2, 125wpc, and I've heard them described as bright or harsh, and that's the only complaint I really have with the sound now. Can a well-chosen amp tame the highs on the Kappa'a, which use a ribbon-style tweeter? Or is the 'taming' I seek only going to happen with a speaker upgrade. I honestly don't mind upgrading the speakers, and fully expected to, but after today's auditioning, I'm wondering if I'm going to get that much benefit from that level of investment. $3500+ is a healthy chunk of coin for benefits of slimmer profile and tamed highs. In terms of imaging, weight, and bass, the Kappa's are equal, imo. The system is also the theater, but the avr can power the surrounds, so an amp upgrade could be 2 channel. A power boost is a must too, as the current 125wpc isn't enough for when wifey's not home and the volume gets wound up ;)
english210
deebarnes
13 posts
 
Audiolabyrinth,
I agree that Tara's are the best!
They opened up the vinyl playback, and the more I layered them, the better the sound got.
We have Tara lab the 2 and 0.8 in set up for IC and phono wires.
Someday--Tara lab speaker wires.
We spent our big money on vinyl playback.
It is music therapy for my husband who is in pain every day. It relaxes him like crazy to listen to vinyl.
I was cautioned that Tara's are so revealing that you don't want them if you haven't already optimized your hardware because they will reveal weaknesses in the system and set up that you may not like hearing! Haha!
In reality,for us with the mufi kw 500 and the arc ph3se, the vinyl sounds so great, it is hard to quit once we start for the evening. We have had way too many 3ams! Our TT is a clearaudio Revolution with strad cart.
But our Hifi gurus tell me there are more neutral amps than mufi out there.
And our speakers get us maybe 90% of the $25k speakers we have heard at shows. There is always another level! Haha!
I hope our friend finds his audio nirvana with some good wires and settles in for music fun soon!
Deb
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
@ deebarnes,, I just recommended a tara 0.8EX i/c for a member here on the gon,he put it between his analog pre-amp and the pre-amp,, needless to say he loved it so much he took my advice again and bought a 5 meter 0.8EX to go from his pre-amp to his amps!,, we have alot of tara fans on the thread here on the gon called taralabs the one versus the 0.8,,, on the cable threads, I have got 3 people to buy the taralabs cables and they love them,, all recently, just on that thread!,you are welcome to come there and chat,Its seems that they made me their Taralabs go to guy,I really know alot about all there products very well!,we also talk alot about eanything analog there too,if you have questions about that and tubes,we have a couple of go to guys for that there as well! Happy listening!
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
2 english210, you still around?,, how is the amp sounding?
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
@ deebarnes,, come on over to the thread,the taralabs the one versus the 0.8EX,, you will enjoy that thread!
english210 OP
121 posts
 
Awesome! I don't use the sub for music at all. Bass extension defies logic, so the sub is now movies only. I have now heard the Kappa's reach their limits, which I've never experienced before, even back when I sold them new. A test track with organ notes caused them to cry uncle. The air and openness is there, notes 'hang' in the air with what seems to me to be untruncated delay if the recording has the information. I could pick nits, and I do wonder what 'more' there is available, which is why I asked about cables/wires. I do feel the ribbon Emit tweeter is a little hot for me at high volumes still. I'm not quite sure if I'm getting all the expanse of sound stage that might be available, but this weekend I'm a bachelor, so hopefully there'll be time for lots of experiments...:)
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