Marantz Model 30 or Cambridge Audio CXA81 which stereo AMP i should go for? for Dual Subs

nitinvaid20

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I have already ordered the Cambridge audio CXA81 Stereo AMP with CXNV2 Streamer for Pair of Martin Logan 35xti can be upgraded as tower in future and i have 2 JL Audio Subs E112 but thinking to change the AMP which has good looks and dedicated knobs for tone control

CXA81 love the looks in silver color will match with the Streamer but then it does not have Tone control option or knobs for Bass or Treble settings its Class A/B Amplifire wih dedicated 1xSub out

Model 30 is beauty on the other hand will match with my already SR7015 AVR setup has vintage feel which i love with dedicated Control Knobs for Bass and Treble but on the other hand it does not have dedicated Sub out it has two preout i am not sure if two preout means i can use both of my SUB?

This is where i am confused

I like to music listen with EQ not flat with Deep punchu bass Pleasent Mids not harsh and Detailed sound in high freq
Cambridge Audio CXA81 price is in India is 1415 USDT has Digital Inputs also on the other hand Model 30 2800 USDT which is totally Analog

The only thing where i am confused is Model 30 has Two Preouts as you can see in the attached images so one preout can be used for one sub? i am not sure how it works in Stereo AMP
 

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Marantz Model 30 has only one "set" of preouts, left and right channel to connect and outboard power amp, 1 sub or 2 subs.

CXA81 seems like a capable IA with digital connectivity options.
JL E112 has both low level and high level inputs.

After getting the CA components:
- connect the JL high level to CXA81 speaker outs
- connect the JL low level to your Marantz AVR

Calibrate the sub for AVR and IA, remember the settings. Use the appropriate one for the chain in play.
Use the subs with AVR or IA but never simultaneously

Explore if the streamer can provide EQ for Bass/Treble/Mids.
If so, you are sorted, for now.

Cheers,
Raghu
 
I have already ordered the Cambridge audio CXA81 Stereo AMP with CXNV2 Streamer for Pair of Martin Logan 35xti can be upgraded as tower in future and i have 2 JL Audio Subs E112 but thinking to change the AMP which has good looks and dedicated knobs for tone control

CXA81 love the looks in silver color will match with the Streamer but then it does not have Tone control option or knobs for Bass or Treble settings its Class A/B Amplifire wih dedicated 1xSub out

Model 30 is beauty on the other hand will match with my already SR7015 AVR setup has vintage feel which i love with dedicated Control Knobs for Bass and Treble but on the other hand it does not have dedicated Sub out it has two preout i am not sure if two preout means i can use both of my SUB?

This is where i am confused

I like to music listen with EQ not flat with Deep punchu bass Pleasent Mids not harsh and Detailed sound in high freq
Cambridge Audio CXA81 price is in India is 1415 USDT has Digital Inputs also on the other hand Model 30 2800 USDT which is totally Analog

The only thing where i am confused is Model 30 has Two Preouts as you can see in the attached images so one preout can be used for one sub? i am not sure how it works in Stereo AMP
You may want a stereo amp with a HT bypass mode along with subwoofer out features.
I am assuming you want to use your stereo and HT setup with the same fronts , then the bypass feature on your stereo amp will be useful to override its own volume control and the avr will take over during HT usage. This way you don't have to change the speaker connections for your fronts between your integrated and avr. Plus the integrated acts as a power amp for the fronts in HT mode removing the load off the avr.

Regarding the subwoofer out you may need to check if the integrated amp has those relevant connections.

As Fm Raghu has rightly advised " NEVER" use the subwoofer with both the amps playing simultaneously as it may damage the subwoofer.
In such a setup Rel had advised me to remove and plug in the subwoofer cable manually accordingly for stereo or HT use.
There may be a "Y" RCA subwoofer cable but they advised against it.
 
You may want a stereo amp with a HT bypass mode along with subwoofer out features.
I am assuming you want to use your stereo and HT setup with the same fronts , then the bypass feature on your stereo amp will be useful to override its own volume control and the avr will take over during HT usage. This way you don't have to change the speaker connections for your fronts between your integrated and avr. Plus the integrated acts as a power amp for the fronts in HT mode removing the load off the avr.

Regarding the subwoofer out you may need to check if the integrated amp has those relevant connections.

As Fm Raghu has rightly advised " NEVER" use the subwoofer with both the amps playing simultaneously as it may damage the subwoofer.
In such a setup Rel had advised me to remove and plug in the subwoofer cable manually accordingly for stereo or HT use.
There may be "Y" RCA subwoofer cable but they advised against it.
I am not sure if my Marantz AVR has dedicated Preouts for front only that can be used with Dedicated Stereo amp to power the Front speaker |
Right now i have 5.2 Setup
 
I am not sure if my Marantz AVR has dedicated Preouts for front only that can be used with Dedicated Stereo amp to power the Front speaker |
Right now i have 5.2 Setup
Your Marantz SR 7015 should be having preouts since my SR 7011 also has it. You can connect your stereo amp here.
 
I have already ordered the Cambridge audio CXA81 Stereo AMP with CXNV2 Streamer for Pair of Martin Logan 35xti can be upgraded as tower in future and i have 2 JL Audio Subs E112 but thinking to change the AMP which has good looks and dedicated knobs for tone control

CXA81 love the looks in silver color will match with the Streamer but then it does not have Tone control option or knobs for Bass or Treble settings its Class A/B Amplifire wih dedicated 1xSub out

Model 30 is beauty on the other hand will match with my already SR7015 AVR setup has vintage feel which i love with dedicated Control Knobs for Bass and Treble but on the other hand it does not have dedicated Sub out it has two preout i am not sure if two preout means i can use both of my SUB?

This is where i am confused

I like to music listen with EQ not flat with Deep punchu bass Pleasent Mids not harsh and Detailed sound in high freq
Cambridge Audio CXA81 price is in India is 1415 USDT has Digital Inputs also on the other hand Model 30 2800 USDT which is totally Analog

The only thing where i am confused is Model 30 has Two Preouts as you can see in the attached images so one preout can be used for one sub? i am not sure how it works in Stereo AMP
My two cents, tone controls don't work well with subwoofers connected in the chain. Since the bass knob boosts the bass by tweaking the lower frequency response, it usually results in boomy bass from subs. This can be solved by adjusting the gain and crossover on the subs. However, it'll have to be adjusted every time the bass knob on the amplifier is changed. If you want punchy bass, turn up the gain on the subs should be a better fit.

A better option perhaps would be to get a DAC or preamp which has a parametric equaliser or variable loudness feature in addition to an amp/power amp.

Also, the model 30 does not seem to have subwoofer out.
 
My two cents, tone controls don't work well with subwoofers connected in the chain. Since the bass knob boosts the bass by tweaking the lower frequency response, it usually results in boomy bass from subs. This can be solved by adjusting the gain and crossover on the subs. However, it'll have to be adjusted every time the bass knob on the amplifier is changed. If you want punchy bass, turn up the gain on the subs should be a better fit.

A better option perhaps would be to get a DAC or preamp which has a parametric equaliser or variable loudness feature in addition to an amp/power amp.

Also, the model 30 does not seem to have subwoofer out.
Which amp would have that feature?
 
Which amp would have that feature?
Some Yamaha integrated amplifiers have a variable loudness feature.

The parametric equaliser and variable loudness features are built into my DAC (RME ADI-2 DAC FS) which also has preamplifier functionality. The bass and treble adjustment is also user definable i.e. thereby ensuring that the sub and speaker crossover frequencies don't bleed/encroach much on their respective domains while adjusting bass.

Another observation, I've found the efficacy of tone controls be greatly reduced if they cannot be adjusted them from one's listening position. Since hearing is variable(Fletcher Munson curve), increasing or decreasing the volume may result in perception of overpowering bass or a lack thereof. To have to physically go to the unit in order to adjust tone every single time you increase/decrease the volume becomes a pain in the posterior.
 
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