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Musical Fidelity A5.5 Question?

post #1 of 17
8/2/09 at 9:01pm
Thread Starter 
I just purchased a new A5.5 which I find to have a more tube like sound that my A5 I had a while back ago. I also found that the volume knob seems more linear as it is smoother when I use the remote and doesn't jump around as much. The only thing I found out, is I get little or no sound about a quarter of a turn, and start getting music at about half way to the half way point. Seems odd but, is this the way they redid the Amp, as I know it went through some more refinements which I like, especially on the sound. The A5 was fantastic, the A5.5 is more smooth and tube like. Thanks .....
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post #2 of 17
8/3/09 at 12:05am
Not surprising, they kept changing their house sound. Their amps 10 years ago sound very different than today's.
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post #3 of 17
8/3/09 at 7:11am
the A5.5 has a different Sanken output device; and there are more of them than in the A5.
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post #4 of 17
8/3/09 at 7:13am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Veda View Post

Not surprising, they kept changing their house sound. Their amps 10 years ago sound very different than today's.

Actually I think there sound has been very consistent over the years. The older series the A1 series of new look the same but engineered much better on reliability issues they had about 10 years ago where huge but they always produced good sound. In the last 6 years they are excellent on the reliability side and still produce excellent sound. This unit to me sounds more tube like than the last couple of Int. Amps I have had from them, and they mate well with my Dynaudio which is the key to buying any Amp these days.
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post #5 of 17
8/3/09 at 7:15am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by signal path jim View Post

the A5.5 has a different Sanken output device; and there are more of them than in the A5.

Jim, thanks for answering my question! I wish you where still the distributor! But then again you guys are making a great Int. Amp as well right now... Nova which is a great Int. Amp. I happen to have one.
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post #6 of 17
8/3/09 at 10:21am
thanks, Garman.

as the dollar kept tanking against international currencies it became more difficult to profitably continue distributing. We actually approached Antony Michaelson with the idea behind Peachtree Audio but he turned it down because he wanted to go to higher price points.
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post #7 of 17
8/3/09 at 10:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by signal path jim View Post

the A5.5 has a different Sanken output device; and there are more of them than in the A5.

Excuse my ignorance, but what are these Sankens and how do more of them improve the sound?
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post #8 of 17
8/3/09 at 12:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nocrapman View Post

Excuse my ignorance, but what are these Sankens and how do more of them improve the sound?


Good question as I know the newer Sanken output devices can dramatically improved thermal coupling. Not sure on how they would affect sound but could change the sound. Highly debatable of course.. Here is a thread I read awhile back ago that goes over stuff in more detail.


http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread/t-53508.html
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/show...=26433&page=16
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post #9 of 17
12/20/09 at 8:39pm
You know, I'm considering the A5 as an alternative to my work den in the back of the house. I spend hours upon hours working on my Mac all day, and I really loved the sound a demo put out at ABT.

What would be the best quality way to input from a Mac Pro? I'm currently using the dig. fiber out to my reserve B&K 307, which is a fine sound, but I don't need 7 channels, and really only one means of input. It looks like this
amp doesn't have a digital connections input. I have 18k songs on my iTunes
library, most imported as 1411 kbps pure lossless.

Wonder how this would sound with my JM Lab Cobalts?
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post #10 of 17
12/21/09 at 8:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by headshot View Post

What would be the best quality way to input from a Mac Pro?

Take a look at the PeachTree Audio Nova, mentioned by Garman. The Nova has USB in and a great DAC, you would simply run a USB cable from your Mac to the Nova.
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post #11 of 17
12/21/09 at 8:27am
80w vs. 250w?
I found nirvana when I upped my livingroom setup to 200w fueling my Electras,
I don't know if I want to downgrade that low in wattage...
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post #12 of 17
12/21/09 at 11:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by headshot View Post

What would be the best quality way to input from a Mac Pro?

Quote:
Originally Posted by headshot View Post

80w vs. 250w?
I found nirvana when I upped my livingroom setup to 200w fueling my Electras,
I don't know if I want to downgrade that low in wattage...


Got it. Then the best quality I have found for my Mac is this setup. That amp is rated at 250 watts RMS x 2 @ 8 Ω.



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post #13 of 17
12/21/09 at 11:18am
Wait a minute, now that I'm looking further, it actually is a pre-amp!
So the pre is really probably the key, if this thing really is as good a DAC and processor as it claims, and if by using USB rather than optical (which as it claims would lose quality going thru a card) then this could be the best in-between source and power eh?

What kind of beast amp is that??
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post #14 of 17
12/21/09 at 6:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by headshot View Post

What kind of beast amp is that??

Parasound A21.
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post #15 of 17
12/21/09 at 6:03pm
You know I'm really bummed now, that A5 doesn't have a sub out!
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post #16 of 17
3/3/10 at 12:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by headshot View Post

You know I'm really bummed now, that A5 doesn't have a sub out!

The A5.5 has a pre-out that can be used for a sub
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post #17 of 17
3/3/10 at 1:49pm
So activating that set won't cancel out the built in amp then?
Some of my higher end subs have L&R inputs. Thanks.
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