Synergy: What Speaker-Amplifier combinations work really well?

[firearm12]

Thanks. Could you please share specific model numbers.
I thought the more specific we are the more useful it will be for those choosing or deciding.

Naim xs2 and Dali mentor menuet, excellent musically and very dynamic and lively, can play any music

Marantz pm11s2 and Dali mentor menuet, good and warm midrange, tubey kind of sound

 

[captainsubtext]

Based on personal experiences:

Marantz and Dali as a starter system - pm 6005/zensor 1

McIntosh MA 8900/9K with tannoy prestige
Leben with tannoy prestige

Accuphase with Harbeths
Gamut D3/D200mk3 with Jern 14DS

 

[raghupb]

These are my experiences with what I own and some borrowed/evaluated.
I have tried the following at my home (what I felt in parentheses):
Marantz PM7001 (IA) + KEF R300 (pleasant laid back sound)
Marantz PM7001 (IA) + MA Radius (perfect for desktop, assuming the desk is big enough to host an IA)
Outlaw Audio M2200 + KEF R300 (very good for movies, decent for music)
Parasound 275v2 + MA Radius 45 (good, but needs a sub due to small cubes)
Parasound 275v2 + KEF R300 (very good for movies and music)
Aksa55 + KEF R300 (excellent, I use this for music only)
Pass F7 (clone) + KEF R300 (wow!!)
Allo Volt+D + KEFR300 (passable)
Allo Volt+D + MA Radius 45 (perfect for desktop)

Have tried the following combinations at other local FMs place with amps I own:
Parasound 275v2 + KEF R3 (very good)
Parasound 275v2 + Totem Rainmaker (excellent)
Parasound 275v2 + Tannoy XT Mini (very good)

PS:
My dad has B&W DM303s. They pair well with all the amps I own.
They are a discontinued series and 20+ years old

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[Analogous]

Based on personal experiences:

Marantz and Dali as a starter system - pm 6005/zensor 1

McIntosh MA 8900/9K with tannoy prestige
Leben with tannoy prestige

Accuphase with Harbeths
Gamut D3/D200mk3 with Jern 14DS

Thanks. Could you share the models of the Accuphase and Harbeths too?
Also any favourites among these? Thoughts on what made the combos special for you?

 

[captainsubtext]

Thanks. Could you share the models of the Accuphase and Harbeths too?
Also any favourites among these? Thoughts on what made the combos special for you?

I have the SHL5 with a vintage E-206.

Favourite out of these would be the gamut and jerns. Extremely holographic soundstage. Very sweet mids and lots of detail. The pain is integrating the sub (rel t5) since the jerns don’t go down that low.

Close second is the tannoys generally - big sound and dynamics without losing detail.

 

[Bhaskar Jyoti Talapatra]

I haven't used so many amps and speakers. From my limited experience I can say that marantz pm 6005 and wharefedal diamond 9.2 speaker combo works fine for me. I like warm sound and my speakers and amplifier satisfy me. For sources i have my humble audiotechnica LP 60 TT, a basic philips DVD player( i have been using it's digital route, have connected the player to my amp via coaxial cable). For TT i have been using CNC phono preamp built by FM sachin. The inbuilt DAC of my amp is good to my ears but the same can't be told about the onboard phono. The CNC phono has really brought a change in the SQ. However, the inbuilt phono is also satisfactory to some extent.
Regards

 

[Analogous]

I have the SHL5 with a vintage E-206.

Favourite out of these would be the gamut and jerns. Extremely holographic soundstage. Very sweet mids and lots of detail. The pain is integrating the sub (rel t5) since the jerns don’t go down that low.

Close second is the tannoys generally - big sound and dynamics without losing detail.

I am curious and interested in listening to your set up. Maybe one of these days when it’s less risky…?

 

[keith_correa]

Mention of Specific models that are synergistic would be nice as these companies make a range of models.

Not just nice - it's essential! Otherwise mentioning just brand names is utter rubbish in my opinion.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

Otherwise mentioning just brand names is utter rubbish in my opinion.

Don't hold back, Keith. Tell us what you really think...

 

[captainsubtext]

I am curious and interested in listening to your set up. Maybe one of these days when it’s less risky…?

Sure thing. It’s long due anyway. Let things get better and we can set something up. Will coordinate over PM.

Right now the tannoys and mcintosh have moved to the living room which is totally garbage in terms of room response and acoustics. Jerns are on a table top in the study and the Harbeths hooked up to my main rig

 

[Hari Iyer]

In the mid-80s the Cosmic CO-60 amplifier had a very nice match with my then Sony SSS-440 FS speakers better than the stock Sony TA-AX44.
In the late 90s the NAD amplifier (don't remember model number) had a nice match with the PSB Stratus Silver model speakers.

 

[Analogous]

dyns and accuphase
parasound and pmc

Thanks. Mention of specific models of these brands would be more useful than general mention of brands.
Also add a brief description of your experience with these and what made these combinations special to you if you can

 

[raghupb]

Homework for you @Analogous
You shall compile a living list of combinations that users like as a sticky thread for reference

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Homework for you @Analogous
You shall compile a living list of combinations that users like as a sticky thread for reference

Cheers,
Raghu

+1

Tabs with brands - Amplifier brands or speaker brands.
Or tabs with sound coloration - warm, bright, analytical so on.

I can help by creating a dropdown:
Search for amplifier, add which speaker you want and you get a result if combo is warm neutral or analytical so on.

This will help a lot of people looking for new amps and speakers

 

[Analogous]

Homework for you @Analogous
You shall compile a living list of combinations that users like as a sticky thread for reference

Cheers,
Raghu

@Raghu, I am an old saying “no good deed shall go unpunished”…

But seriously, if everyone contributing was specific about the model numbers of the combos and added a few lines explaining what in their opinion made the synergy special that would be super helpful for anyone starting out to put together good sounding system.

They can scroll through these pages for the unvarnished, unsanitised and unfiltered truth straight from the horses’ fingertips. (Also: do you think we need to stop using horse analogies now on….dead horse, unthirsty horse…)

 

[raghupb]

Hey, horses are good. The essence of any forum is:
"You can lead a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink ..."

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[Analogous]

Amplifier brands or speaker brands.
Or tabs with sound coloration - warm, bright, analytical so on.

@amrutmhatre90, I recall reading a broad classification of amp brands by their “house sound” here somewhere
Edit: here it is….
Thread 'Classifying amplifier brands by sound signature'
https://www.hifivision.com/threads/classifying-amplifier-brands-by-sound-signature.85302/

But on your offer to create a reference list based on inputs in this thread, please go ahead. I am sure it will be appreciated.

Hey, horses are good. The essence of any forum is:
"You can lead a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink ..."

Cheers,
Raghu

That’s what I meant by unthirsty horse
But this one (from a Osho compilation) “The fish in the sea are not thirsty “ could be a replacement?

 

[spirovious]

I had liked NAD C356 with Dali Option 6. With Oberon 7, it sounded bigger but warmer. NAD C352 pairs well with B&W685. When l use Nads only Poweramp section with SSP, it sounds next level.

For HT, Wharfedale, Polks matches well with Marantz, Demon, Onkyo and other avrs.

 

[Dhurai]

YBA and Focal Electra.....

 

[amrutmhatre90]

I have created a Small Online Document listing down most of the combinations noted down on this thread, if someone can update rest it will be a great help.
But going forward people can update on this document:

Speaker Amplifier Combinations

Data Amplifier,Speaker,Standout Pointers,Used / Heard by,Search Combination (Select Amplifier or Speaker not both) Audiolab 6000a,Wharfedales 9.0,Chander,Amplifier,Speaker Audiolab 6000a,Wharfedales 9.1,Chander,Marantz PM6005 Audiolab 6000a,Wharfedales 8.1,Chander Audiolab 6000a,Wharfedales 10.1...

docs.google.com

To Search a combination and their user views one can select either Amplifier or Speaker (any one)
This list can be refined further.