Amplifier for Jamo C405

[bizarre]

Hey Guys,

With offline help from Magma on this forum, I've finalized Jamo C405 for my 2-channel audio setup. I need help in finding a good deal on some matching amp. I'm a 100% novice and my ears far from being perfect (in fact I've no clue as how an amp will change the sound from another) hence I'm not looking at a particular brand or model of amplifier as such. What I'm looking right now is the most bang for the buck.

I've sort of shortlisted Denon PMA 700/710 (availability issues), Marantz PM7003/6002, NAD C325BEE/C326BEE or even CA 640A. If you feel an amp with lower power than the above mentioned will do a decent job, I'm okay with that too. My room is pretty small (12'x12') and I don't prefer to listen to music at high volumes.

My budget is not more than 25k (preferably around 20k) for a new amp (w/ b&w or grey). I'm in Mumbai. Will appreciate if you have any suggestion regarding any good deal you may have come across or you have any suggestion regarding the amp.

Thanks in advance.

 

[malvai]

Usually the Denon's work well with Jamo. And even the Marantz's... But do pair 'em one by one and listen for yourself, before deciding.
I for one have only heard the Denon/Jamo combo in the showroom. Sounded good.

 

[bizarre]

How do I audition the combos? Neither C405 nor Denon PMA 700/710 is available for auditioning in Mumbai! A dealer had made me listen to the C405 with a Yamaha amp a few months ago and I'm taking the decision based upon my memory and moral support from many on this forum. C405 seems like clean-image speaker, so far! :-|

 

[malvai]

The C 405 is a fairly decent speaker for the money. Just pair it well. Go for a Denon or Marantz. Preferably a higher watt Marantz. The C 405 handles about 140 watts. so try and pair 'em with (min) 80 wpc and ideally a 140 or 150 wpc amp. ie. @ 6 ohms.

If you can't find the Denon's here, try to audition the Marantz's or the Yam's.

 

[magma]

you know where alliance is correct?

go four shops down the road from Alliance ( to the left)
thre you will get to audition both the speaker and the amp
(P.S unfortuanately i have forgotten the shops name and chancei know allinace is far for you to take a chance )

 

[rikhav]

I don't know left or right but near Alliance there is THE SHOP and Viola

 

[magma]

the SHOP to the right and a smal walk away but this one is to the left and exactly 4-5 shops away ( its about as samll as Alliance
yes it may be Viola

 

[rikhav]

Hi Magma
As far as i know there is only Viola and The Shop near alliance
I don't understand since when Viola started stocking Jamo and Denon. Some other member purchased Canton speakers from him. All these brands are carried by THE SHOP, atleast i see the logos of Canton, Jamo, Denon on their board

 

[bizarre]

Thanks Magma/Rikhav,

I have spoken with Alliance and Viola both. Viola has Jamo, Denon and Marantz for sure. He gave me a quote of 33k for the Jamo C405, 25k for Denon PMA 700 and 38k for Marantz PM7003, all with b&w. When I asked for grey prices, he said "Chori ka dhandha nahin karte saab!"

I'm going to Alliance today, will check out Viola and The Shop also.

 

[thevortex]

The Marantz integrated amplifiers sound heavenly with the Jamo concert series speakers. Denon, I am afraid does not do justice. I think you can get a decent Marantz integrated amplifier within your budget.

 

[spirovious]

Neither C405 nor Denon PMA 700/710 is available for auditioning in Mumbai! :-|

Well recently I auditioned Den501 @ Boomrang fort with BR2.

http://www.hifivision.com/amplifiers/4660-group-test-stereo-amp-2.html

Alliance is in between The shop & Viola.

 

[rikhav]

"Chori ka dhandha nahin karte saab!"

Same answer i got when i asked about grey
You can try dealers at masjid bunder for grey. But then its a little risky as you dont know if its a brand new piece and you cant test it properly there. Also no demos

 

[magma]

viola will give you in grey
you need to go there and talk personally

he ffered me the denon PMA 500 in grey for 16k about 9 months ago
keep in mind that time the denon 500 was the new series

 

[jls001]

you know where alliance is correct?

go four shops down the road from Alliance ( to the left)
thre you will get to audition both the speaker and the amp
(P.S unfortuanately i have forgotten the shops name and chancei know allinace is far for you to take a chance )

Viola is the name of the shop. Yes, you can get Jamo S406-Marantz PM5003/PM4001 combo for your listening pleasure. You already bought the Jamo S405? If you haven't, may be you can audition many more speakers there (KEF, Polk Audio, etc). Nearby, Alliance4 has Mordaunt Short spkrs, Denon and Marantz amps, Mission speakers, etc. The Shop is also nearby and you'll find Denon and Cambridge Audio amps and spkrs like Polk Audio, Q Acoustics, etc.

Joshua

 

[spirovious]

Viola is the name of the shop.
Joshua

What are you saying?
Viola is name of The Shop?
I was under impression that they are different from each others.

Jokes apart, Viola is offering a good price of Denon products.
eg.Denon 1910 for 38k, even Denon dealor Profx is not going below 39k.

 

[bizarre]

Went to Alliance4 this after noon (I have been promising Mr Kadam to come down for almost entire week but Vashi-Andheri is a project after office hours.) When I reached he was leaving the shop to Dombivli. He told his guys to give me satisfactory audition of Mission M35, Wharfedale 9.5 and 10.5 with Nad C325, Marantz PM7001KI and CA 550A. I listened to all the combos except Wharf 10.5. Jamo C405 was so prominent in my mind that I wasn't able to concentrate on the audition. But one observation: Mission M35 definitely sounded better than Wharfedale 9.5 (my ears, my opinion).

Asked them to stop the audition and I started asking for warranty etc. There was some gentleman Levy (?!) there who started with his typical sales-pitch, "Chhoti dukaan, chhote aadmi, customer bhagwan" type. I started to lose faith in him. He said all the stuff in his shop can be had with warranty. I asked them about the 7001KI and he said it's 6 months old. If I'm not wrong Abhijit15 on this forum had given this same amp (6 months old then) to Alliance in Oct 09! I just walked out confused.

Went to Viola, met Shailesh. He sounded like too busy to give a damn. Asked if he has Jamo C405 and he said it's discontinued. I told him, unless it's discontinued this morning, it's available. He called somebody and (some Jamo guy, I guess), told me yes it's available for 32.5k. I asked for warranty, he said 2 years. I said, dude it's 5 years. He called Jamo guy again and confirmed that the warranty is for 5 years! By the time I had noticed a beautiful black C405 in his shop. Asked him if he could make me audition that. He happily did that, with a Marantz PM5003. Loved the way it sounded. I simply forgot what I listened in Alliance. The last one hour looked like wasted!

Asked him the price of PM5003, he said 18.5k. Till this point he wasn't convinced that I'm going to buy anything from him. I then asked him his final non-negotiable price for the combo. He said 17.5k for PM5003, 15.5k for PM4001 and 31.5k for C405. He also told me cable prices @95/m and adviced that I won't need more than 6m cable. According to him bi-wiring is simply absurd!

I came out, called Magma for help regarding the address of The Shop. When I mentioned about the PM5003, he asked me to go back to the shop and listen to music at the highest possible volume level I could bear (or will like to listen to) and notice the volume knob position. It shouldn't go past 11.5/12 o' clock position. I went back in, auditioned the amp again as told by Magma and found out that the volume knob was at position 10'o clock. I was smiling all the way. My entire audio setup was going to wrap up under 50k!

Came back home read this post of Jashua and found out that I too can ask Shailesh for additional 1k discount on the amp and free 6m cable.

So final setup is going to be Marantz PM5003 amp + Jamo C405 speakers + basic wires. Total anticipated damage: 48k. A DAC is to be bought in next 3-4 months time.

 

[spirovious]

So you cld finalise it. Congrates...
Price of PM4001 was 12k @ The shop around 6month back.

What abt Bass with 5003?Marantz are said to be better with high,mids.

 

[magma]

congratualtions
its a nice combiantion

you liked it
buy it

 

[bizarre]

Spirovious,

Your question has just left me confused! Actually when I started the audition, it was an A R Rahman song and I feel the song had very low frequency bass. The bass was so much that I asked Shailesh to check if he has a sub on. He said NO SUB. I again asked him to recheck and he got irritated, said "Bharosa nahin hai to aap check kar lo!" But probably he figured out that I wasn't liking the bass. He told me that he has Loudness feature on. I asked him to turn if off! He did and the speaker sounded much better. But then I was in hurry and only listened to that song (I'm forgetting the name but the bass in the song is really low-frequency one) so I'm really not sure if the problem was with amp or the song!

So, if you ask me if enough bass was there, I would say more than what I would want. But if you say did you like the way the bass was coming, I would say I'm not sure. By the way do Marantz amps are known for supressing the low-frequencies or are they known for producing them bad?

Magma,

I love the C405, I swear! But I still am not sure if Marantz PM5003 is the right choice. If I go ahead with PM5003, it may also be because of low investment and hence low risk. But I will try to close this chapter this week so that I can concentrate on better things like work and actually listening to these at home.

 

[rikhav]

Hi Bizarre
Generally loudness feature is to enhance bass at very low volume listening Many listen to music at low volumes at night

Some months back Viola was selling PM7001 for 22k with B&W. Please try to extend your budget a little bit and go for that.