I have added a Cambridge Azur 851A Integrated Amp to my system. I have reconfigured my speaker array to accommodate this change. My Triton Ones are now connected to the 851A via speaker leads and are dedicated to playing 2-channel music. My Triton Sevens and other speakers are connected to my Onkyo NR-3009 AV Receiver and are configured for 9.2 channel music and movie sound reproduction.

My Peachtree DAC is connected to the 851A via an unbalanced audio input. I am streaming all music from my dedicated computer to the Peachtree DAC. All music is stored in lossless FLAC files in an external hard drive, connected to my dedicated computer.

My Triton Ones LFE inputs are connected to the NR-3009 sub outputs. The NR-3009 is set up such that these LFE channels are only active when multi-channel signals are present.

My Paradigm sub and my Klipsch Sub are connected to the Pre-Amp outputs on my 851A, so they are active when music is being played, but they are not active for multi-channel sound (movies).

My turntable is connected to the Onkyo (the 851A does not have a Phono input).

I am feeding audio signals from the NR-3009 DVR/VCR output to an audio input on the 851A, so that I can listen to LPs with my Triton Ones. I am feeding audio signals from the 851A Tape Out to and audio input on the NR-3009, so that I can have all speakers active for music. if I so choose.

I am not using any augmented bass settings when listening to music. My LFE level controls on the Triton Ones are set to 12:00 and there is plenty of bass. -- just as T. Cobe and others predicted that there would be when I employed a high-quality dedicated 2-channel amp to play music. Both Analog Direct Bass and Double Bass are turned OFF in the NR-3009.

Now for a first-impressions listening report: I was not sure what to expect in the way of improved sound with the 851A because I was already listening to what I thought was a good-quality system with the NR-3009. So, I was not prepared for the immediate and dramatic difference in sound when I began listening to some favorites with the 851A driving the Triton Ones. My first reaction was simply "Wow". The overall sound is much more expansive and "live". Ample bass, as noted above, and open and natural-sounding mid-range and treble. Musicians sound much more like IO am in the room with them. Vocals are clearer and instrument details more apparent.

I will now spend many happy hours re-discovering my music collection.

Thanks to T. Cobe, Wayne and all the gang for encouraging me to add a dedicated 2-channel amp to my system.

Happy listening.

Art

Great report, Art!

SO glad your system has made a major step in the direction you like! Enjoy your new found expansion in listening pleasure! Those rascally GEt speakers just LOVE quality feeds.... And keep on singing. Can't wait for a report on how your live performance went!

Rick

That is GREAT news Bro Art!!!!!
Exactly what I hoped to hear from your listening with a new and improved amp!!!!!
I will bet that the sound grows on you in the next days/weeks ahead.
Have fun with your new toy!!!!
Happy listening,
God Bless,
Wayne

After a week now of listening to many old favorites, but now being played through my Cambridge 851A to my Triton Ones, I am delighted with my acquisition. There is a very noticeable improvement in musical reproduction. After listening with other speakers active, I decided that the sound was best with just the two Triton Ones being driven by the Cambridge. The Cambridge does have A and B Speaker outputs, so I may try adding either my Triton Sevens or my SuperSats as "Rear Fronts". We'll see.

I never imagined that there could be such a pronounced difference in the quality of musical sound - especially since I was using what I thought was a pretty decent unit in the Onkyo to reproduce music.

So, I am now happily engaged in, once again, re-discovering my musical collection.

Happy listening to all,

Art

Good for you, Art!

As much as I love my Marantz SR 7010, my T1's sure love and respond to the extra dynamics and detail they get when driven via the NAD C275BEE amp. When listening to 2 channel music, I still play the other channels in addition (Zone 2 via the Parasound amp in stereo for the kitchen speakers, and T2 surrounds, SCXXL, and top 4 Atmos channels, via the Marantz's amps in Dolby surround). I too think about more external amps or more amp hook ups. In my thoughts: would a 3 or 5 channel amp do even more? While I love how my SCXXL sounds now driven by the Marantz, how would it's 5 drivers and 3 radiators respond to even more control and power? GEt speakers seem to reward every uptick in feed source quality.

Keep at it, Art! If there's a way to tie more speakers into your new amp, we'd love to hear about how it works out. Keep us informed. And please tell us about your experience performing in Requiem!

Rick

We're so happy for you Bro Art!!!!!
It is amazing what one upgrade can do sometimes!
Happy listening, God Bless,
Wayne