So I have recently acquired a pair of M3s along with a EP-350 sub as the heart of my sound system. I was wondering if anyone had a recommendation for a good two channel power amp to pair with the M3s. I will be using the pre-outs on my Denon AVR 2803 to push the amp, as well as powering the remaining speakers in the system. I have a rather large great room (4200 cu. ft.) due to cathedral ceilings, and the power section of the Denon seems strained when I really want to push things. My budget is <$1000, and I am considering the following:
Rotel RB-1080 (200x2)
Sunfire 300 (300x2)
Sunfire Symphonic Reference (250x2)
NAD C272 (150x2)
Emotiva RPA-1 (200x2)
I understand that most of these amps exceeds the 175w specs of the M3s, but I have no desire to push the speakers into oblivion. I merely want ample power to push the speakers CLEANLY when I desire some extra volume. Does anyone have any insight as to which of these amps would make a nice pairing with the sonic characteristics of the M3s?
Trade the M3s in and put the money towards a set of M80s.
Nevermind, I just read your other post with having the M3s in a cabinet.
How about used. You can pick up an Odyssey Stratos Stereo for a decent price.
Here are a couple of examples, And no i am not affiliated.
http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?ampstran&1205595889http://buy.audiogon.com/cgia/cls.pl?ampstran&1205633741
I'm suprised your Denon would not have enough umpfff to drive m3's to plenty of volume without distress. Heck my 80's did fine with my Denon 2805 in almost a 8,000 cu ft room.
Anyway, I would also recommend Odyssey like Brandon. I have the Odyssey Khartago Extremes (special built by Klaus) which are basically the same as Stratus Mono's.
Good Luck, Randy
ps: As Wid mentioned, I would almost look at larger speakers as your your external amp may just be unused amperage.
Randy:
I know that you love your amps, but that website of theirs certainly doesn't inspire confidence! It looks like it was put together by a kid.....
http://www.odysseyaudio.com/
Mark, it's kind of a running joke with Odyssey owners. Supposedly a new site has been in the works for years. . .
Still waiting.
Some products are so good they dont
need a proper website
I had even offered Klaus to build him a site. I am no expert by any means but at least something with some more up to date information and he did say he had one in the works already. I think his buisness is doing well enough on word of mouth and what people hear at trade shows that its just not been a priority.
If you click on the link at the bottom for International Websites, I like to go to Great Britain, Singapore, or Mexico for a lot more information and pics
Tom, you need to understand that Klaus and a few other build these amps from the ground up using German Symphony Line standards/techniques. It is not some big operation like Axiom, as far as I know they are at Klaus's shop.
He would rather have a personal relationship with his owners, versus becoming some huge presance on the net, like many of his competitors. He doesn't have a web dept, developers, etc. He is the owner/engineer/manufacturing in one package. Some times the amps take a little longer to arrive, because they are built per order by Klaus and company. He is a stand up guy and I've talked to him many times.
http://www.odysseyaudio.com/international.html
Get the Rotel and don't look back. There to much audio hocus pocus going on at that other site.
Hey Mark, Randy just called you "Tom".
The s**t's gonna hit the fan now
ha ha, that is so funny, I guess I've had to many Captain Morgan and Dr Peppers tonight, thought Mark's cartoon avatar was Mr T. lol
He would rather have a personal relationship with his owners, versus becoming some huge presance on the net, like many of his competitors.
Just called him a couple days ago about my tempest and all I had to say was who I was and he remembered right away what I had already like I had just ordered it from him 2 weeks ago. When really I had ordered my mono's over a year ago.
J, you used the term "strained", but that's usually more characteristic of a speaker becoming distorted because of having to play too loud in too large of a room. If that should be the case, then getting an amplifier which has enough maximum power output to allow clean amplification at a maximum level 3-4dB higher isn't going to help things if the speakers are already what's "strained". Be that as it may, if you get one of the units that you list, you can be assured that they're all well-designed and won't add any sonic coloration to the sound of the M3s.
Well, I haven't actually received my M3s yet. My Infinity IL 10s sound strained at high levels, and yes, it may well be the speaker. Just to clarify, these will NOT be placed in a cabinet. They will be on stands aside my plasma. I just figured that since the M3s can handle 175 watts and my Denon is only pushing 85, that I could do a better job of pushing the Axioms, and get better sound quality.
The idea of getting bigger speakers does make sense, however I don't know if a pair of M60s will give me the same impact as the M3s and a sub. I don't have the budget for the M60s and a sub, as the wife has talked me into getting the VaSSalo series, which has upped the price of the system.
And by the way sirquack, Cap'n and Dr. Pepper? That sounds kind of nasty!
The bigger the speaker the better they push the sound into a room. as it appears it will be for Ht more than music I think the M3s and sub are the way to go although I think the M22s work a ittle better for HT as they are a little more forward and detailed than the M3s. They also will throw the sound out a little better than the M3s in the bigger room.
The sub is a must for HT use otherwise I would go for the floorstanders.
Actually, it's more like a 50/50 split between music and HT. My musical tastes run the gambit, however, and this system will be playing everything from Miles Davis to the Beastie Boys and all points in between (including some occasional death metal!) I just worry that M60s with no sub won't give me the impact I'm looking for when I want to crank it up LOUD!
Will I not gain an appreciable increase in volume and detail by giving the M3s more juice? Or is there only so much noise you can make with a 2-way design?
I am sure the M3's will play better than your current speakers, but to really fill the room, floorstanders are the only way to go.
The sub will add the low end punch but the main music could get drowned out.
You should try to audition some Axioms just to see what they are like. Check the Hearing Things forum for the audition list. If no one near by post up that you are looking for an audition in your area and send Amie a PM to see if she has some one listed but not on the list yet.
Like I mentioned in my recent review of the M3's when i went from using my tube amp rated at 50wpc on the M3's to my monoblocks which i dont really know what kind of WPC they are but I think its 180 into 8 ohms IIRC, I could get to pretty respectable levels on the 50 watts. It sounded cleaner with the big monoblocks but I know for a fact that also had to do with the way those two sound compared to eachother as well. Even with all the extra power they can only go so much. I got to a point where I did not feel comfortable giving them even more power, which was much less in volume than my M80's when I reach the same point with them. Although they still hit the kind of levels I cant imagine anyone actually listening to on a regular basis.
I have never in any context (Car, live FOH or home) been dissapointed with the purchase of a good amp.
Jeb
From all the advice I have received here, as well as a similar post at another forum, I have opted for more speaker and less amp. As my Axiom order had not yet shipped, I called and changed my M3/EP350 combo in for a M60/EP350 combo instead. The wife will have to live without the vaSSalo series veneer and be happy with the High Gloss Cherry.
My compliments to Brent and all of the crew at Axiom, as they were kind enough to stop production on my custom vaSSalo order in order to satisfy my request. They didn't even flinch. This is truly great customer service, and I can hardly wait to receive my new system!
I, too, would first move to M60/80 first and then consider power amp. But it is not a clear-line choice.
Good for you, jada! High Gloss Cherry will probably make her just as happy.
Jada, congratulations on the purchase of your spekers I'm sure you will enjoy them. The High Gloss Cherry finish should have a high (WAF).
that is going to be a rocking system.
Jada,
I just got my M60s in high gloss cherry, and from both an audiofool and female perspective, they are beauties! You're wife should be happy with the choice as they do look remarkably like they are real wood, not just vinyl. Enjoy!
Zoë