Cambridge and Marantz as a pre

[ematthews]

Just testing the waters here and want some feedback. History. I have owened Marantz and like their sound. I like warm sounding amps/pre.

Looking at two integrated amps. I might use them alone or as a PREAMP with my Emotiva XPA-2 amp...Don't ask. Just playing around with gear and looking at adding these for a really good price. If they didn't work then I will add a garage system with either one of the above.

Right now I am running a USP-1 preamp with my XPA AMP... What I want to do is add a little warmer sound and the big thing is adding TONE controls. That's what I want really bad.

What is the pro and con vs the following two.
Marantz PM8004
Cambridge Audio Azur 651A

Thanks

 

[slipperybidness]

I don't know about those. As far as tone controls, check out a used parasound 2100 pre

 

[j_garcia]

I find tone controls useless for the most part and they aren't the answer. IMHO, if it doesn't sound good flat, then you've got room issues, or speaker issues. Cambridge tends to be neutral and Marantz a little warmer, but for what it sounds like you are after, either should work if they have tone controls.

 

[Chipbyrd]

I had a Cambridge Audio 840 v2 and loved it so much that I upgraded to the separates. And I hope that this isn't a violation of the rules but I have an 840 v1 for sale. If it is a garage unit, and you want to keep it really low $'s, find a used Marantz PM 6003. You can get those for a song.

 

[ematthews]

Tone controls will help problem rooms. I like them and want full control over my music. Bad recordings can sound better when all you need is a touch more bass or treble...
I do have room treatments as well. In all my systems, I use to have EQ's. I have never used a zero or flat curve on them. I have never left my tone controls on zero either when I had them. My current HK3490's treble is set to zero but I needed the bass set at +2 for my bedroom.

Guess I am not a true Audiophile

 

[ematthews]

I had a Cambridge Audio 840 v2 and loved it so much that I upgraded to the separates. And I hope that this isn't a violation of the rules but I have an 840 v1 for sale. If it is a garage unit, and you want to keep it really low $'s, find a used Marantz PM 6003. You can get those for a song.

It's for my main system. If it didn't work out better then my current system is would be moved to the garage.

 

[ematthews]

I don't know about those. As far as tone controls, check out a used parasound 2100 pre

That Parasound looks perfect...Found Adcom too while I searched

 

[Chipbyrd]

If it is for your main system, I would definitely go for the Cambridge Audio 840a v2. CA is coming out the the 851a this summer and these can be had at a great price. I am guessing you could get a v2 almost new for under $700.

 

[ematthews]

Looks like the 840 has no sub control on it. Am I wrong?

 

[slipperybidness]

That Parasound looks perfect...Found Adcom too while I searched

I recently did a lot of searching and researching on pres. I ended up going with the USP-1, but the 2100 was 2nd on my list and I almost went that route instead. I am running Infinity Primus P362 towers off a parasound 1206 amp and USP-1

These will save you some time from searching:
Emotiva USP-1 Stereo Preamplifier
Parasound 2100 Stereo Preamplifier and 2250 Stereo Power Amplifier

 

[ematthews]

I recently did a lot of searching and researching on pres. I ended up going with the USP-1, but the 2100 was 2nd on my list and I almost went that route instead. I am running Infinity Primus P362 towers off a parasound 1206 amp and USP-1

These will save you some time from searching:
Emotiva USP-1 Stereo Preamplifier
Parasound 2100 Stereo Preamplifier and 2250 Stereo Power Amplifier

I am running the USP-1 right now. Great, Great Preamp. I just need TONE controls for it.. Looks like I may just wait for the XSP-1 coming out

 

[slipperybidness]

I am running the USP-1 right now. Great, Great Preamp. I just need TONE controls for it.. Looks like I may just wait for the XSP-1 coming out

read the XSP-1 threads over at emotiva.com. Looks like it has already been a long wait and may be a longer wait yet

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I guess that's why most companies make preamp with tone controls with a bypass button.

I think the tone control in my $7,500 Denon pre-pro sucks.

Only the elite rich people can afford $20,000 Preamp with absolutely no tone controls at all.

I wish I could afford $20K preamplifiers without tone controls.

 

[ematthews]

I guess that's why most companies make preamp with tone controls with a bypass button.

I think the tone control in my $7,500 Denon pre-pro sucks.

Only the elite rich people can afford $20,000 Preamp with absolutely no tone controls at all.

I wish I could afford $20K preamplifiers without tone controls.

Too funny... Never understood someone not wanting control of their sound. Hi end or not. Tone bypass with controls just like my other Marantz products.

 

[cpp]

I wish I could afford $20K preamplifiers without tone controls.

I sure didn't spend $20k on a pre-amp without tone controls.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I sure didn't spend $20k on a pre-amp without tone controls.

Tone control is a dirty word to the ultra high-end.

Only the Gold Reference Flagship models come without tone controls.

For example, the $30K Mark Levinson did not have Tone Control at all. The high-end Bryston pre-amp does not have tones. The flagship Marantz does not have tones.

http://us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=ReferenceSeries&SubCatId=&ProductId=SC7S2

 

[cpp]

Only the Gold Reference Flagship models come without tone controls.

That ONLY will get you into trouble..

So if your talking about those extra little knobs with TONE then the ones below don't have them


My Quicksilver pre doesn't have tone controls and neither does my Rouge Perseus and even a few Van Alstine pre's don't have tone controls. There are more pre's than you think without tone controls or are you just talking about the upper audio craziness of $20k and above...PS these pre's all are under $4k and some are under $2k and what's they are built in the US of A.

 

[PENG]

The definition of warm could be different among people. That being said, may be you should try a tube preamp.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That ONLY will get you into trouble..

So if your talking about those extra little knobs with TONE then the ones below don't have them


My Quicksilver pre doesn't have tone controls and neither does my Rouge Perseus and even a few Van Alstine pre's don't have tone controls. There are more pre's than you think without tone controls or are you just talking about the upper audio craziness of $20k and above...PS these pre's all are under $4k and some are under $2k and what's they are built in the US of A.

I think $2k is high-end, as long as they don't have tone controls.

 

[Haoleb]

If you want to alter the signal to your liking, forget about tone controls and get something like the DCX2496. Its much more advanced than the broad smear of tone controls which are usually just.. Treble and Bass. With this other unit you can target exact frequencies and adjust them accordingly with different curves and levels. Much more capable of correcting room problems and speaker deficiencies than tone controls are. It is much like an equalizer, only instead of 10 or 20 bands you pretty much have 20,000 bands.