Hi Fi world novice: 1st purchase of seperates

[gk_123]

Hi there!

After reading the reviews through the various threads, finally, took the plunge for my first hifi seperate system .



After listening to limited setups(due to non availability of choices and brands locally), I have purchased a CA 340A SE demo piece for the amp and Tannoy Mercury V1 bookshelf speakers and the Marantz CD5004 for the source and set up the system. Wasn't sure if the combo of CA and Marantz would be fine. It's a risk I have taken to combine Marantz and CA overshooting my budget . The sound quality is very nice, crisp and clear. However the sound is forward and light/bright and a bit lean and forward - not to my liking. I am looking for a slightly deeper/warmer/sweeter sound. I am thinking the weak link is the amp - CA 340A SE and want to change it. Would NAD 326BEE/316 BEE or Maranzt PM 5004 be better companion to the Marantz CD 5004? Should I change the CD player to CA 350C/550C? Or should I wait for a few days of playing allowing the speakers and CD player some burn time? Any suggestion/feedback would be appreciated.



I listen to wide genres of music - Rock, Metal, Blues/Jazz, Country, Old Bollywood/Ghazal music etc.



Thanks in advance!!

 

[iaudio]

The speakers, amp and cdp all contribute to the sound signature you are experiencing.
Here I feel changing the CA amp would be the best bet. If you will get a good buyback price, return soon. Else spend some more time and see the set up grows on you. Getting something like a NAD integrated as you have said would make sense.

 

[ruenigma]

I agree with iAudio and you, the CA looks like the weaker link.

Not sure how a NAD would sound with the Tannoys. Looks like an interesting combination to experiment with.

From what I've heard when I auditioned the Tannoys (3-4 years back), I'd say they are fairly neutral on the mids and slightly high heavy. Definitely not as bright as the Paradigms/PSBs though.

I would say try and audition them with the Yamaha A-S500 as well. The NAD would probably be excessively warm for the Tannoys. Try and audition both NAD and Yamaha and then decide.

The 316 is exorbitantly priced in India this year, for reasons unknown, and at 6k up north the 326 sounds way better than it. So while auditioning you can safely forget the c316 and compare the 326 vs A-S500.

 

[jaudere]

Any possibility of home audition? or taking your amp+CDP to delaer. You need to do A-B comparison by changing one component at a time. Have you tried adjusting the equalizers a bit? What kind of music you usually listen to?

By the way, what speaker cables you are using? I did a small experiement with my set up. I was using thick OFC cooper cables for speakers Can't remember the gauge but was thicker than the 16 AWG DAC cable that I had with me.. I changed to single core thick (not to be confused with a cable where there are multiple thin filaments braided together in figure of 8.)cables available at electrical shop (and is used for earthing).

There was immediate improvement in lower frequencies without affetcing rest of the spectrum . I had put older cable onone channel and this single filament cable on the other channel and did A-B comparison by changing balance knob on the amp.

The cable was just Rs. 7 per meter. I had to by 4 metres for my experiment and it paid off well. Just try it before spending big bucks. You may get better sound by spending less than Rs 200. Another member Docd tried it and got improvement too.

 

[koushik]

Yes thats true, good cable can make differences of day & night. They are very seldom under scrutiny of a new hifi-er but they make all the world of difference.
Remember, your system is as good as the weakest component in your system!

 

[Oakley]

CA350SE is a good engineered amp. should retain it

Oak

 

[thatguy]

After listening to limited setups(due to non availability of choices and brands locally), I have purchased a CA 340A SE demo piece for the amp and Tannoy Mercury V1 bookshelf speakers and the Marantz CD5004 for the source and set up the system.

Try another source. If that doesn't work, then another speaker. Last, another amp.

I have no idea how the Tannoy or CAs sound, but your description of the sound fits my memory of Marantz CD players perfectly.

 

[murali_n]

Hi GK,

Pl don't jump to conclusions, try using a good pair of interconnects and Speaker cables like chord. Allow your system to settle down for at least 100 hours. Don't toe-in your speakers too much and put it in speaker stands. Allow sufficient spacing between the speakers and side walls and the listening position.

Pl post impressions after the above.

Just my Rs.2/-

N.Murali

 

[kartick]

You can also just try and put in CA S30 bookshelf speakers in place of your Tannoys. Will definitely impart the warmth in the SQ that you are looking for.

Cheers
Kartick

 

[gk_123]

Hi All,

Thanks a bunch for all your suggestions/feedback.

I am using oxygen free Norstone Classic white 2.5 sq mm speaker cables( 2 m each side) and MX RCA connector and I am placing the speakers on a shelf quite apart from one another and there is a gap of almost 6 inches from the wall. Still not happy with the sound, listening to the likes of Judas Priest, Neil Diamond, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jagjit Singh, Carpenters, Rare Earth, Simon & Garfunkel, Bon Jovi, some Jazz/Blues/ Lounge music. I really doubt whether I can change the speaker and the CD player( I have tried the dealer and he said already warranty has been entered for the serial number).

Maybe I should sell the amp and get another one, I really don't know!

 

[jaudere]

How about adding a subwoofer? Your amp and speaker seem to be doing nice job for mids and highs. Your only issue is lower end. Addition of sub will help you. There are very few bookshelves which really go deep. most of them will practically go down to 50Hz (even though they may quote 45Hz, it will be at -3 db or -10dB, which doesn't make sense).

 

[gk_123]

Am back again here

Have returned the CA 340 A SE, now looking for a budget amp to partner the Tannoy V1 and Marantz CD5004. Expert opinions/suggestions solicited(choice narrowed down to Nad 316 BEE, Marantz PM 5004, Yamaha S-500, Denon PMA 510 AE)

Thanks!

 

[jaudere]

NAD for better bass!

 

[Hari Iyer]

Hi there!

After reading the reviews through the various threads, finally, took the plunge for my first hifi seperate system .



After listening to limited setups(due to non availability of choices and brands locally), I have purchased a CA 340A SE demo piece for the amp and Tannoy Mercury V1 bookshelf speakers and the Marantz CD5004 for the source and set up the system. Wasn't sure if the combo of CA and Marantz would be fine. It's a risk I have taken to combine Marantz and CA overshooting my budget . The sound quality is very nice, crisp and clear. However the sound is forward and light/bright and a bit lean and forward - not to my liking. I am looking for a slightly deeper/warmer/sweeter sound. I am thinking the weak link is the amp - CA 340A SE and want to change it. Would NAD 326BEE/316 BEE or Maranzt PM 5004 be better companion to the Marantz CD 5004? Should I change the CD player to CA 350C/550C? Or should I wait for a few days of playing allowing the speakers and CD player some burn time? Any suggestion/feedback would be appreciated.



I listen to wide genres of music - Rock, Metal, Blues/Jazz, Country, Old Bollywood/Ghazal music etc.



Thanks in advance!!

I think adding a simple BSC circuit in series of your speaker will help to remove the brightness from your speaker and make if more flatter with the rest of the FR. Mention the dimensions of the box and i will PM you the details of the circuit to you. If you wish you can contact me through PM.

Cheers, Hari.-

 

[jaudere]

I think adding a simple BSC circuit in series of your speaker will help to remove the brightness from your speaker and make if more flatter with the rest of the FR. Mention the dimensions of the box and i will PM you the details of the circuit to you.

This is why I admire you Hari. Always ready with help and practical and easy solutions.

 

[gk_123]

Dear Hari,

Thanks for your suggestion. However, am unable to understand. Very limited technological knowledge :-(. In the meantime, considering Sonodyne stereo amplifiers also.

 

[jaudere]

GK 123, I can understand your impatience. Have gone through similar phase.
BSC: Baffle step correction/compensation, a method to tame down the hump in uppermid/high frequencies caused by design of the speaker (Hari, Please correct me if I am wrong. even i am learning things) . Now Google is your friend. Start reading and you will learn a lot of small small things which contribute significantly to improvement in sound reproduction.

Rather than changing gear, try to find out the ways of optimizing performance of gear at your disposal. Most important is the source and then the speakers ( and interaction of the speakers with room acoustics). Once these two things are correct, any decent amplifier will give you good response.

 

[sann]

Try a T amp (2020)

 

[Hari Iyer]

GK 123, I can understand your impatience. Have gone through similar phase.
BSC: Baffle step correction/compensation, a method to tame down the hump in uppermid/high frequencies caused by design of the speaker (Hari, Please correct me if I am wrong. even i am learning things) . Now Google is your friend. Start reading and you will learn a lot of small small things which contribute significantly to improvement in sound reproduction.

Rather than changing gear, try to find out the ways of optimizing performance of gear at your disposal. Most important is the source and then the speakers ( and interaction of the speakers with room acoustics). Once these two things are correct, any decent amplifier will give you good response.

Yes you are correct. The baffle step loss occur as the wavelength for mid & high freq is less than the low frequency. Due to this the mid & high frequency after being reflected by the baffle get overenhanced by another 6dB or so but the low frequency having a larger wavelength escape behind the baffle witout enhancement. This can be partially overcomed by placing the speaker very close to rear wall of may be wall mount them or use a BSC circuit to tame the mid/high freq by -6dB. This will bring the mid & high freq in level with the low frequency. Also you can add some kind of thick absorbent material on the baffle to prevent the mid & high freq from reflecting from the baffle. This will absorb these frequencies and make them more mellow. Ths values for the baffle step can be determined by the width of the baffle and is defined by Osolon curves. Therotical attenuation is 6dB. But you can benefit by a little exprimentation by increasing the step to 8dB if your listening room is too small to increase the dynamic headroom. This can be easily done by altering the value of the Resistor to next higher value till you are satisfied with the balance. The entire circuit should not cost more than Rs.500/- to Rs.600/- considering 21SWG wires and a 5 watts wire wound resistor. Better to try this than considering changing the whole hardware. Even if the amplifier is changed, the speaker issue will still remain and adding the BSC will anyway benefit and will be a worthy investment.
Regards,

 

[Hari Iyer]

Dear Hari,

Thanks for your suggestion. However, am unable to understand. Very limited technological knowledge :-(. In the meantime, considering Sonodyne stereo amplifiers also.

Hi GK,
I would strongly adivse not to consider any other amplifier now and only try considering the BSC circuit with the existing setup. It should not cost you more than Rs.500/- to Rs.600/- to do so and can be easliy done by you too as you do not have to open the spkr box for this. You can connect this circuit in series with your speaker and check out the result. If you are not a technical guy, you can find out how to get an inductor wound locally from some technical person. All transformer winding guys also wind an inductor if you can let them know the wire guage and the number of turns required. I can help you here if you let me know your baffle width and i will let you know the value of the inductor and the no.of turns for a particular wire guage. You can get a wire wound resistor 5 watts in any electronics spare part shop for Rs.10/- to Rs.15/- . The inductor should cost you around Rs.200/- to Rs.250/- each thats it. You need not solder this on a board if you do not have a soldering iron, but can just connect the inductor and resistor in parallel and have this in series with your speaker. That's it, should not take more than 15 min of your time. If you need help, you can PM me.

Cheers, Hari.