Best stereo Amplifier for Rega RP5 turntable

[williamson]

Hello All
I bought a Rega RP5 turntable some months ago and started playing it through my trusty NAD C326BEE stereo amp and my bookshelf KEF speakers. Hadn't listened to vinyl for years and the results completely blew me away.
Problem was - the vinyl made my CDs virtually unplayable, they sounded like a transistor radio in comparison to the turntable. I play my CDs using an old Cambridge CD player through a DAC Magic. To rectify the problem I splurged (perhaps without thinking it through properly) on a new stereo amp, an Audio Lab 8200. CDs were instantly and massively improved, no problem there. However, and this is a big however, I seemed to lose something from my vinyl. Basically the Rega turntable sounded much better through the NAD than it does through the Audio Lab. The NAD delivered a real punch to the turntable while things sound a bit weak and trebly through the Audio Lab. The result is I've stopped playing my vinyl again!
Any suggestions? Did I buy the wrong amp?

 

[markw]

Are you using the same phono preamp on both units?

 

[ImcLoud]

Welcome to the forum,

I have a hard time believing there is a huge difference between two amps of similar build and power {maybe a phono problem or ground issue, but why are the cds suffering?}, but why not keep them both, run one for cd's and one for vinyl?

Another option is to buy another amplifier which to me would be a little crazy to me, since most amps are built to amplify sound and don't color or change it much, plus I have a decent turntable and tube amp {for aesthetics, not sq} and personally think they can not compare to the quality you get from cd's....

Maybe its your cables, maybe you need a much more expensive cable set to get the sound you are looking for? Music direct has a bunch of very expensive cables that will open up your sound stage and make the high end airy and clear...

But seriously are you playing the speakers past the level the amps are comfortable with? maybe you just need more power, what model kefs do you have?

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

To add to the other comments/questions - where did you have the tone controls set on the NAD? It looks like the Audio Lab amp (and I looked at the 8200A...is that what you have?) doesn't have any tone controls.

 

[williamson]

Thanks for the comments. I am using KEF Q100 speakers, surely not an issue? It is an Audio Lab 8200A and yes the NAD has tone controls (generally set to neutral when I used it) and the Audio Lab doesn't. My CD player goes through the DAC magic then directly into the Audio Lab. The turntable goes through an external Rega phono amp then into the Audio Lab.
The difference in CD playback between the two amps is night and day, seriously. The Audio Lab has not disappointed in this regard, it is more nuanced and musical. Perhaps it's just a difference in treble and bass as suggested and I just need to get used to it. I have used both amps with my set up but then I'm changing speaker cables over every five minutes.
Perhaps it's no more than the difference in bass and treble settings between the two amps as suggested, and that's what I'm hearing, not a deterioration in sound quality. Any further comments are welcome. Thanks again.

 

[markw]

It seems like both your CD player and turntable both rely on an external link before they reach the amps in question. You're relying on the same line level signal from both when they enter the amp.

Now, you can take the tone controls out of the equation buy pressing the "Tone Defeat" button on the NAD.

That way, neither will be using tone controls, or even have them in the signal path.

...And you might want to lay off the cable swapping until you get to the bottom of your amplifier quandry. Pick one and leave it for now.

Now, everything should be equal. You can compare both amps with an equal playing field and decide which one you prefer.

As for your comments regarding the sound of the two different amps, I'm quite unclear as to exactly what one you like or don't like.

 

[ImcLoud]

I was joking about the cable comment, lol...

The tone controls would be a good place to look, I thought you would have had that shut down for music listening, try hitting the button, then compare..

 

[williamson]

I didn't even know that button was on the NAD. Duh! Cheers, will give it a try.

 

[williamson]

Problem solved! Though it's cost a fair chunk of money it was well worth it. I spoke to a couple of almost local dealers and eventually visited one yesterday who advised me to upgrade and replace -

1. Speaker cables

2. cable from CD player to DAC

3. phono connects from DAC to amp

4. phono connects from phono stage to amp

5. power cable from amp

I upgraded all cables to Chord and the dealer fixed connectors to the ends of the speaker cables.

Results - as spectacular as the dealer said they'd be. My Rega turntable has regained its kick, its warmth and its middle registers to stunning effect. I'm also picking up instruments and nuances I've never heard before on playback. It's also very quiet, scratches and pops from the vinyl are hardly intrusive. The slight high end brittleness that I thought was the result of the Audio-Lab amp has evaporated to be replaced by that wonderful warm analogue effect. Bass sounds are appropriately thick and rubbery, drums are authoritative, sounds jump out at me again.

CD/DAC - much much better. I played Kind Of Blue by Miles Davies this morning and again the bass was more audible and natural sounding than I'd previously heard. I followed that with Blue Lines by Massive Attack, and although the difference between the turntable and DAC playback was very obvious listening to this CD, it still sounded spacious and well balanced, vocals were particularly well imaged, the sound-stage was wider and much bigger sounding.

Well done to the dealer who politely ignored my comments about a new DAC, CD player or even amp! After listening carefully to my problem we spent a good couple of hours going through why new cables would solve my problems and discussing options.

I can now retire my NAD amp (I'm sure I'll find a use for it eventually) and enjoy the benefits of the Audio Lab, and the rest of my system.

Okay, the bad news, the upgrade cost a little over six hundred quid, but it was definitely worth it. System is re-born. Thought I'd post this in case anyone has similar problems and has ignored what cables they are using!

Thanks.

 

[markw]

So, replacing all the cables made that big a difference, eh? FWIW, the markup on cables is much greater than on any other items in those stores.

 

[ImcLoud]

WOW, I didn't see that coming....

Where your cables faulty? What cables did you end up with?