|   Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | BK
Feb 25, 2001 1:49 PM | | Hello, I currently have the following setup:
Denon AVR4800
B&W CDM1NT's
B&W CDMCNT
B&W DM601S2's.
I also have 2 Definitive PF15TL+ subs. I was thinking of purchasing the Anthem MCA-5, and using the 4800 as the preamp, but I have never heard the Anthem, and was wondering if anyone has any experience with Anthem and B&W? Will I notice a big improvement from the amps in the 4800 to the Anthem?
Thanks in advance. |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Claude
Feb 26, 2001 5:42 AM | | Unless you are thinking of swapping the 4800 in the near future I'd save my money. The Anthem has more power output but not that much to make a big differance.....Claude |
| Thanks Claude........... | BK
Feb 26, 2001 1:42 PM | | unfortunately I don't have the ability to do a demo first, and whilst I love the sound of the Denon, people have suggested to get a separate amp to drive the B&W's.
Thanks for your input.
BK |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Shaun
Feb 27, 2001 5:32 AM | | Claude do the math smartguy, Anthem 350w@4ohm per channel vs Denon 4800 around 150w@4ohm per channel (all channels driven) on its best day. |
| Claude, uhhhhhhh...... | agro1
Feb 27, 2001 10:50 AM | | MCA-5 will BLOW AWAY any friggin Denon receiver, PLEASE!!!!!! The difference will be night and day - If you can get it for a grand or less your getting a great deal, buy it, you won't be disappointed. |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Claude
Feb 27, 2001 11:41 AM | | Then MCA5 is 250W at 4ohms all channels driven (350 one channel only@4ohms) |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Claude
Feb 27, 2001 11:22 AM | | The B&Ws listed are all 8ohms. At 8ohms the MCA is 170W/channel with all channels driven. The Denon at 8ohms is 125 Watt/channel. The extra
45Watts will not make a big difference. I own an MCA3 and it is a great amp for the money. I think if he was going to go with seperates in the near future, then it makes good sense to spend the grand. But for the 45Watts I'd save my money....:)Claude |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Shaun
Feb 27, 2001 11:45 AM | | Your problem Claude is you actually believe denons specifications. The 4800 will *not* drive five speakers and preamp section with *one* power supply continuously @125watts.Also,B&W like many other speakers are rated at 8ohms but will frequently drop lower. The bottom line is the anthem would be a vast improvement over a powered receiver and make the cdmnts sound a world better, this is fact . |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Claude
Feb 27, 2001 12:41 PM | | Right, my problem...hehehehe
Check this out :
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/SoundAndVision/FrameSet/0,1670,_sl_SoundAndVision_sl_Article_sl_0_cm_1653_cm_123_3636_1_cm_00,00.html
they are sound and vision, tests show 148Watts!!!! and a brighter smile with every brush too! ;) Claude |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Shaun
Feb 27, 2001 2:13 PM | | Who do you think keeps these audio rags in bussiness ? Err, maybe advertizing from companies like Denon? I have a nice bridge for sale if you beleive everything you read.
Here are some actual owners qoutes about denon products
5800-
It lacks power ( the 170 wpc rating is crap - go listen to a Plinius SA100 and tell me that its less powerfull than the denon.. ) The plinius drives my speakers far harder, clearer, deeper, more transpearently............ than the denon.
I think this reciever has good sound, however, although I would never use it without a seperate poweramp for at least the front 3 channels ( I use a pair of 300 wpc perreaux amps - these give stunning sound in comparison )
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There are also immediate inconsistencies in the power rating of the AVR 4800. DENON only provides limited information about its true power rating. They claim only 125 watt of power with 2 channel stereo from 20Hz-20Khz with 0.05% THD. No mention is made about 5 channel sound. I would presume the power to five channels would be much less the supposed 125 watt power rating and even less with seven channels driven.
Yes, the DENON is feature packed, but the features are NO GOOD when the sound quality is average. Five channel AC-3 separation was muddy and indistinct. 2 channel stereo sounded about as good as my mini stereo in my bed room. For those of you who chose the AVR 4800 because of the argument about more bang for the buck, stop lying to yourself. You didn't get more for your dollar, you just got more features for the dollar. The sound quality, the criteria that matters the most, is at best average. |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Claude
Feb 27, 2001 4:11 PM | | The money for an amp that is so close in output power would be better saved for an amp with 200W-250/channel. Twice the power rating of the Denon would yield the results I think BK is looking for. Look, sell me a bridge if it will make you happy. If I were in BK's shoes that's what I'd do. I use seperates because it's a better way to go for the reasons you point out (power supply mostly). If I had no system at all and someone handed me a Denon 4800 I would use it for a while, see how it performs and if I didn't like it I'd look at an ATI2505 or B&Ks R7250. I use an MCA3 for the front and and old Soudcraftsmen (250W/channel 8Ohms) for the rears. You can never have too much power but I think of the MCAs as just a small step up from a receiver with a good amp section (a friend has the 4800 and I find it to have an above average power amp)....:)Claude |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Shaun
Feb 27, 2001 5:06 PM | | The thing is Claude, the two are actually not as close as you think. I believe the mca will get down to 350watts @ 4ohms as advertised and they rate the mca5 at 200@8ohm not 170w. Nobody is handing you or me a 4800 so thats a mute point .Considering you couldnt depend on the denon to power a 4ohm speaker which I run at every corner, what good is it especially listed at 2000.00 ? The pre/amp section is mid-fi and it onboard amps are useless at best. I agree about using it and see how it does but it seems everyone including me has started this way. Then end up buying external amps, then better sounding and much more flexible pre/pro and tossing the receiver away like a used diaper. I just dont see the value for someone who is inclined to be upgrading like the poster seems. I use an mca3 as well for center & rears which are 4ohm rated (dynaudio 50's&122) and they do it wonderfully.You dont need to spend anything more for any of the cdms including the 9s . I find it sad when I hear someone laying out 3k for a 5800 and the first time they bring a high end speaker home it a dead-end street. I had an Sr8000 which cost me 1050 when i first bought it and while it ran smaller 8ohm monitors fine, the first time I hooked up psb stratus silveri's,C6 & minis to it I knew it was really struggling, so began the upgrade game. External amps and such until you demo your first good pre/pro then your dipping in your wallet again, it never ends. I tend to advise people to skip over av receivers for these reasons.
Regards & happy listening |
| re: Anthem MCA-5 with B&W CDM's????? | Claude
Feb 27, 2001 5:19 PM | | I'm waiting to see what Outlaw will offer for a Pre/Pro because that is next on my list. Then I'll be getting another MCA3 for the rears and use the Soundcraftsmen for my 2 channel stereo. The MCA line has been improved to handle 2ohm load, I hope the sound is the same because my goal was to have 6 channels with identical amps. We shall see....take care Shaun.....:)Claude |
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