Which Amp would suit best?????

Patrick Mannion New member Username: Padi89 Post Number: 1 Registered: May-06	Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 16:40 GMT Hi,I currently own a NAD C542 which i was using along with a headphone amp for most of my listening but recently i have moved and i find its time for a speaker setup.My speakers will be Monitor RS1 http://www.monitoraudio.com/products/silver/series/techspecs1.htm but i am unsure as to which amp would suit best.My two choices are,as they are both available locally to me are the NAD C352 or NAD C372 http://www.nadelectronics.com/hifi_amplifiers/C352_framset.htm or http://www.nadelectronics.com/hifi_amplifiers/C372_framset.htm Im totally new to speaker setups and i dont really have a clue as regards ohms watts etc.So which out of the two would be best suited to my speakers? Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks ,Patrick.
Frank Abela Gold Member Username: Frank_abela Berkshire UK Post Number: 1384 Registered: Sep-04	Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 16:50 GMT Patrick, Either the 352 or the 372 will do the job well. The RS1s are a relatively easy load so they don't tax amplifiers too much. The C542 is a really good CD player too. Have you considered what interconnects you'll use? If you go with a stock cheapo item then you'll lose a lot of the benefit of the electronics. Same goes for speaker cable. It doesn't have to be expensive stuff so long as it's reasonably good quality cable. Here in the UK I'd be looking at something like Chord Cobra interconnect (£60 for 1m) and Chord Carnival Silver Plus speaker cable (£5.49/m) with nice soldered banana plugs (£2.50 each) on either end. If that little lot blows your budget with the 372 then go for the 352. The chain is only as good as your weakest link and cables do come into the equation - even at the lower end. Regards, Frank.
Patrick Mannion New member Username: Padi89 Post Number: 2 Registered: May-06	Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 19:59 GMT Hi Frank, Thanks for your reply.The interconnect i have at the moment is a Meier Audio IC i had for my headphone setup and i found it excellent,i had noticed someone else recommend a Chord too so i might have a look into that.I wont go elcheapo on cables anyway.Where would be the best online store in the UK for Chord products?I am living in Ireland. So you think this setup would be good?Either amp will be sufficient right? Would you suggest stretching for the 372 ,would it be a better choice in the long run? Thanks again.
Frank Abela Gold Member Username: Frank_abela Berkshire UK Post Number: 1399 Registered: Sep-04	Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 14:39 GMT Well Patrick, here's the thing. I'm not a big fan of Monitor Audio, so asking me if it's a good setup is not going to give you the answer you're looking for. Monitor Audio give a lot of perceived value for money. They're beautifully finished and you get a lot of speaker for the price. My problem with them is their presentation which I find lacklustre and unengaging. That said, many people love them, so bear in mind that this is just my opinion. Monitor Audio speakers are easy to drive. The RS1 is fairly high efficiency (90db) and the 6-ohm impedance won't cause either the 352 or the 372 any trouble. The typical price for the RS1 is around the £349 mark. Dynaudio's Audience 42 is £400. If it's a similar price in Ireland, then I would advise you to have a listen and then you'll at least have tried a different presentation and made a choice between different interpretations. With half-decent standmounts, you should consider having half-decent stands! Don't discount the importance of these things. They really make a big difference to the results you get. Typically I sell Dynaudio Audience 42s with either Partington Trophy (£130) or Super Dreadnought (£170) stands. try to go for a welded stand rather than a screw-together item. The ones you screw together are not very good usually. The welded ones often allow you to fill their uprights with sand. You don't need to fill them completely, but some sand will lower the centre of gravity and 'ground' the speaker more effectively. I don't know the Meier cable. It may be a really good cable for all I know. Have a look at hificables.co.uk for internet buying - they seem to have 10% off everything at the moment. Regards, Frank.
Dan Bronze Member Username: Daniel_canada Canada Post Number: 41 Registered: May-06	Posted on Wednesday, May 24, 2006 - 15:47 GMT Hi, I have the Monitor Audio RS8s and the NAD 162/272 combo. I listned to the 372 and 352 also when shopping for my set up. Both amps were nice but to me the 372 had the edge, more bass and a little smoother. I auditioned them with the same CD player you own. If you can go the exrta $$ do it. I went the extra $$ for the 162/272 combo and am happy I did. All i need is to change out my CD player.
Steve A. New member Username: Stevo238 Kingston, NY USA Post Number: 5 Registered: Apr-06	Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 03:46 GMT I too have the RS1's paired with (shall I admit it) a Pioneer A/V rig, the VSX-52tx. Those metal drivers can get a little tinny when pushed too hard but otherwise offer an open, articulate, and otherwise neutral sound. Your pairing with the NAD's is probably correct to tone down those higher frequencies. It has been suggested to me to look at Musical Fidelity amps in the future. They of course cost a little more though.

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