Aragon 2005 Specs

 

New member
Username: Ghiacabriolet

NC

Post Number: 9
Registered: Apr-04
On Aragon's site, the following power rating is given:

200 watts/ch into 8 ohms at less than 0.03% THD (20Hz-20kHz - 3 channels driven)

Why would they give a power rating for 3 channels driven instead of 5? Is there anyway to know the true rating - or does their "smartpower" technology render that moot? Or is "smartpower" just a marketing tool?

Would this type of amp be suitable for a system intended for DVD-A/SACD used primarily for music instead of HT? Would it be a good fit for B&W CDM 1NT's?

Thanks!
 

Jan Vigne
Unregistered guest
It would be best to ask Aragon about their specifications but the answer is probably the three front channels are normally the most demanding and therefore are what you should be concerned with. Keep in mind wattage on a test bench has little to do with real world conditions. Look for some reviews of the Aragon products to see if the tone of the review is favorable in your opinion. If you feel satisfied that they produce a good product you should be satisfied as far as the needs of a music based system are concerned. Two hundred watts is quite a bit for most music systems and if you are still operating on a budget as you discussed in a previous posting you may not need that much power. One hundred watts of good quality design will play at only 3 dB less ultimate volume than two hundred watts. Most of your listening with the B&W's will probably be at less than 20 to 30 watts average power. Not that more power is not a good thing when needed but it can get pricey. It is a matter of how loudly you think you will want to listen. No matter the amplifier choice, if you think you are going to be playing at higher volume levels the way to achieve that goal is most often to look at a higher efficiency (sensitivity) specification in a speaker. Going from 89 dB to 92 dB in your speaker's sensitivity is the same as doubling your power in the amplifier, it is usually less expensive and will almost always result in cleaner sound since the amplifier does not run as close to its limits for any given volume level. You can find more information on this subject by reading a few of the various questions and answers in this group. The Aragon concept of "SmartPower" would seem to render power ratings rather inconsequential. The B&W's should work fine if you are simply asking a technical question of will they handle the power and do they present an awkward load to the amplifier. They are a relatively benign impedance load and mostly a resistive, not reactive, design for a quality amplifier. That part should be a piece o' cake for the Aragon or any similar amplifier. They will handle the power but, as I stated, you can do better on a sensitivity specification if volume is a consideration. The final question is to suitability and that is something only you can decide by listening. There is no technical reason they should not work quite well together. If you have put the combination together and you are satisfied with the results there is no reason to not buy the amplifier.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Ghiacabriolet

NC

Post Number: 17
Registered: Apr-04
Thanks, Jan! I agree, I think this amp is plenty sufficient for the usage it will get from me and, in fact, may even be overkill. Thanks for the point about the efficiency/sensitivity spec. I will read more about that to get a better understanding of it.

After the past few days of receiving great advice from you and others, I think I've narrowed down my choices to specific models to audition and I expect to take the B&W's to some shops to do some listening over the next week or so.

Thanks, again!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Ghiacabriolet

NC

Post Number: 18
Registered: Apr-04
BTW, my question about whether it would be a good fit for the B&W's was in regards to pairing warm amps with bright speakers, etc. I can attest that my NAD receiver sounds great with the B&W's (as opposed to the Linn speakers that I also auditioned it with) and others have stated that NAD/B&W are a good pairing. I was just wondering if Aragon/B&W would be a good pairing too.
 

Unregistered guest
Only you can decide the final sound you want from your system. Pairing a "bright" component with a "warm" component could work fine for you. My advice, though, is to begin thinking beyond specs and warm or bright. What you will hear, more than anything else, is the interaction of the speakers within your room. And even that is quite variable as the speakers react to the space they are in and moving the speakers to another part of the room, say along the long wall instead of the short one, any change (quite literally as little as 1/2'), will make a difference in the overall sound you percieve. So will moving your listening position a small amount, so will cupping your hands behind your ears (back in the 90's I sold an upgrade item that was no more than a pair of leather ear pieces that you slipped over your ears and they gave the effect of making things more intelligible and brighter as they captured more of the soundwave and sent it in the direction of your ear, I pull them out every now and again to really hear something), or if you are very critical just about anything you do that changes the space such as draperies and carpet thickness. My main listening area has two pads under the large area rug because that sounds better to me. Certain combinations of equipment can be argued about endlessly, just as cars and wine and so many other things, and nothing will ever be resolved (it is interesting, though) until the person who has to live with the system is happy. And that person may not agree with a significant other. If you are looking to use one device as a type of tone control you seldom end with Nirvana. If you get too many pieces that lean in one direction you can get a system that sounds quite good but also quite boring as everything becomes the same. If you were coming into a shop where I was selling, I would ask some questions about things other than hifi. How much live music do you listen to? How much is unamplified? What are the settings where you hear music live or reproduced? Have you ever played an instrument even if it was just in high school band? It is not an easy quality to pin down for people because personal perception is just that. I was always suprised at the number of people who told me they were buying a good system because they loved music but they never went to hear it played. I understand the logic there but I always thought they missed something in the idea of a good system. Not being a snob about it but they were usually people who bought a good system but not always a system that I would have wanted to own. By that I mean the systems did everything the magazines and reviewers and friends talked about but they didn't play music that well. The Bittish used to call it "toe tapping" and one magazine in the US had what they called the "goosebump" factor. Before I go further I will acknowledge that many people distain these criteria for a system also. No problem, that is why there are different brands and why some listeners feel most good equipment sounds the same no matter what you purchase. If you would like more of an explanation of how I directed my customers to choose a piece of audio equipment I will be happy to give you more information. Otherwise I will bore quite a few if I just start in on my theory of how to pick a good component or a whole system. Right now, my advice to you, no matter what the answers are to the above questions, is to go hear a performance of some type of live music this weekend. Everyone should, invite a friend that always makes it more enjoyable. If you can do unamplified music that would be best but none the less just some music. Then take no more than two or three discs that you are familiar with around to your local shops and ask them to play them on their best system. Every shop should have a best system on permanent set up that can just play without the salesperson doing a lot to get music. Listen for the music, not the hifi, and see what is good about the sound. Forget about too bright or too bass heavy. Just listen to the way the music comes together, or doesn't. Don't concern yourself with imaging or soundstage or any thing hifi. Just how do the performers sound playing together. I will plug one brand here simply beacuse I feel I can always get the same result from their equipment. If you can find a McIntosh system listen to it. You may not like its overall sound but I think you can find what I am talking about with their equipment. Try this and if you would like more input from me I will be glad to assist.
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