Dying Amp :(

George Hincapie · 16 Nov 2015 at 17:38

My Marantz PM44-SE is on it's last legs. Buzzing from it and through the speakers. This last happened 5 years ago. I took it to a chap at Bicester who repairs amps and he worked his magic. The problem is with the PSU and poor factory soldering. I believe he replaced a few caps as well. I am trying to decide whether to take it back again and have it repaired, or just to bin it and buy a new one.

I have owned it from new for 24 years, so it doesn't owe me anything.

Sad in my heart!

Raymond Lin · 16 Nov 2015 at 17:44

Time for a new Marantz

. 24 years is an epic inning.

Jamauk · 16 Nov 2015 at 20:54

George Hincapie said:
I took it to a chap at Bicester who repairs amps and he worked his magic.(

That wouldn't happen to be Kevin would it? As a neighbour of mine he's worked his magic on most of my Hi-Fi.

George Hincapie · 16 Nov 2015 at 23:04

Yes mate; he's a thoroughly lovely chap! I originally got his number from someone on this forum. Going up to drop it off on Wednesday

Kei · 17 Nov 2015 at 09:49

The repairs should last longer than 5 years unless the replacement component quality is poor or the ambient temperatures are very high. A good amp can easily last over 20 years. I've got a Luxman L-220 that's just over 30 years old and a British Leak 2200 that is just over 40 years old.

George Hincapie · 17 Nov 2015 at 14:11

I don't have enough knowledge to suggest he did anything other than a great job Kei. The separates have been in our conservatory for the last 3 years, and while shaded is still hot in the summer, so perhaps that hasn't helped.

I've been having a look around to see what I might replace it with. I want everything to match so I'll be replacing the CD63 too.

I shall post my choice later for thoughts and feedback; I think I shall step away from Marantz now.

George Hincapie · 17 Nov 2015 at 20:29

My new toy arrived today and now I can only listen to it through cans

Sounds amazing though!

George Hincapie · 20 Nov 2015 at 14:38

So, decision time. Can I please have thoughts on the following options - all to be used through my new M-DAC:

1. Audiolab M-PWR (power amp) and M-CDT (disc transport).
2. Audiolab 8200A (integrated amp) and Audiolab 8200CD (disc player)
3. Cambridge Audio CX600A (integrated amp) and CXC (disc transport)

Like the idea of the M-PWR and M-CDT stack - visually uniform and powerful enough to drive my Monitor Audio Silver 5i floorstanders. Can get the M-PWR for half price brand new as well if I am quick (£250 instead of £500).

Am used to 'standard' size separates though. The Cambridge stuff looks amazing as well. Am I better off with a power and pre amp set up over an integrated amp?

Argh!

Also, anyone recommend some decent XLR cables? Any downside to using them over standard phono?

Grimley · 20 Nov 2015 at 15:06

George Hincapie said:
Like the idea of the M-PWR and M-CDT stack - visually uniform and powerful enough to drive my Monitor Audio Silver 5i floorstanders. Can get the M-PWR for half price brand new as well if I am quick (£250 instead of £500).

Also, anyone recommend some decent XLR cables? Any downside to using them over standard phono?

I think you've answered your own question. Especially if the above two are the same size as your DAC (you'd get your other half's brownie points for aesthetics I'll wager

)

Demo if you can first just to make sure you like the sound.

XLR Cables - have a look at mark grant ones.

George Hincapie · 20 Nov 2015 at 16:17

Yes, that's all relevant but sound is most important. Think the M-PWR is 40 watts per channel - should be sufficient.

Have got £1K for the amp and transport. Anything else to look at?

George Hincapie · 23 Nov 2015 at 08:25

Jamauk said:
That wouldn't happen to be Kevin would it? As a neighbour of mine he's worked his magic on most of my Hi-Fi.

I popped in to see him yesterday. Left with a serviced 8000A. Going back during the week to collect two 8000M

Jamauk · 23 Nov 2015 at 08:46

George Hincapie said:
I popped in to see him yesterday. Left with a serviced 8000A. Going back during the week to collect two 8000M

I used to use 4 8000M amps a few years ago, they really did change the sound of my previous Arcam setup, the clarity and control from them was so much better.

Then a few years ago I moved on to a Tag 125M setup!

Kei · 23 Nov 2015 at 10:12

For XLR, I stick with canford both for cables in the studio at work and cables for the hifi at home as they are well made at a sensible price. (though we buy the cable in reels and the connectors and make them up ourselves which saves a fair cost)

George Hincapie · 23 Nov 2015 at 10:51

Jamauk said:
I used to use 4 8000M amps a few years ago, they really did change the sound of my previous Arcam setup, the clarity and control from them was so much better.

Then a few years ago I moved on to a Tag 125M setup!

Which speakers are you using?

I am hoping the use of the mono power amps and bi-wiring will improve clarity and detail. If not then I shall have to look for some new speakers. I did some reading on a few forums and apparently the MA Silver 5i that I have aren't highly thought of

Jamauk · 23 Nov 2015 at 14:18

I'm using a pair of Linn Keilidh speakers (bought from Kevin) and an Aktiv crossover (also from Kevin).

lucid · 23 Nov 2015 at 15:49

George Hincapie said:
Am I better off with a power and pre amp set up over an integrated amp?

At this price level there's no clear winner. Any minor gains from separating the more delicate pre-amp circuitry away from the the big magnetic fields of a power amp can get swallowed up by the way cost compromises affect component choices because of having two sets of power supply circuits and extra casework etc etc. Besides, a decent toroidal transformer minimises magnetic field effects by virtue of its design. I'd follow the advice of those who say "demo first" if I was you.

George Hincapie said:
Also, anyone recommend some decent XLR cables? Any downside to using them over standard phono?

The extra depth of the plugs compared to phonos, and the complexity and cost of designing and building the send- and receive-circuits for sensitive Hi-Fi electronics. Balanced is designed to support long cable runs, and to do that in a way that minimises the effect of interference. It's debatable whether those benefits are as apparent with the sort of cable lengths involved connecting a pre-amp to a power amp compared to a well designed set of phono cables.

George Hincapie · 23 Nov 2015 at 15:53

Thanks guys.

I still have so much to think about. I'm scared of making the wrong choice and spending my money on the wrong items

Jamauk · 23 Nov 2015 at 16:35

I agree with Lucid on this, certainly demo any new setup first, a lot of people I've spoken to in the past seem to have the placebo effect when purchasing Hi-Fi, whereby if it costs a lot it must sound great (Bose for example!).

lucid · 23 Nov 2015 at 18:15

George Hincapie said:
Thanks guys.

I still have so much to think about. I'm scared of making the wrong choice and spending my money on the wrong items

If you listen to the gear, then buy what you like, how can you have made the "wrong" choice?

Presuming all come from the same store, I'd be tempted to demo the two Audiolab options against each other in-store first. That'll settle whether pre/power or integrated is the right solution. After that you need to get a home loan of the two remaining amp choices. They might ask you to put both on your credit card, but they'll refund them when you return.

George Hincapie · 23 Nov 2015 at 23:47

The amp I bought wasn't new; it is a good condition 8000A that has been serviced and updated by a chap that lives near me. He's been working on Audiolab components for decades and frankly, what he doesn't know isn't worth knowing. He buys them second hand, services them and updates whatever needs updating to improve them then sells them on. He is also selling the 8000M mono power amps and they aren't new either. I guess I could just take everything, including speakers, to his house and listen there before deciding.

I didn't realise stores let you take stuff home to try. Nightmare if you accidentally damage something getting it out of the box