Now I’ve done it...RT’s up to the task?

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As any of my other threads may have shown, I’ve been looking around for turntables. Haven’t found what I want yet but in my search I came across a NAD THX 2700 Amplifier that I just couldn’t walk away from, the price was too good. I happened to be on a motorcycle so there was no way to get it home resulting in having the guy ship it.

I don’t know much about this amp, but I absolutely LOVE my C740’s (two of them) and both my 3020 and 7240PE rx’s. So naturally I assumed I’ll like this amp too. Once I got home I quickly learned that there’s not much on the net about this amp. What I do know is that it’s rated at that ever so conservative NAD Spec of 150wpc @ 8 ohms. My C740’s are rated at 35wpc and I’ve rarely hit the point where the soft clipping kicked in so given the headroom of the 2700 I doubt I’ll ever see it here.

Now for my question. I plan on using a C740 as a pre and running this 2700 on the first system I ever assembled. This system is composed of old but solid Polk RT600’s and a modified Marantz CD5001. Ps Audio Premire SC’s, Kimber PBJ’s with the WTC rca’s along with Kimber 8tc all the way around. Apparently these Polks are rated right at 150w each. Am I risking these (beloved as they were my hi-fi firsts)speakers running this amp with them?

Comments

  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
    edited March 2018
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    Always more to say after I make a post.

    The reason or why for my question is simple. I’ve destroyed speakers before. I installed very large Precision Power Amps in my wife’s car along with some low end Kicker’s, 6.5’s and 6x9’s. They literally came out of the car later in pieces. The amps were rated at 150wpc rms each and the speakers were rated at 100. I figured reduced gain would protect them but I was just plain wrong. Hence my concern here given the headroom of the 2700.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Your RTs will be fine. Your comparison to the car audio system isn't a fair one. That PPi amp is a cheater amp and the kicker speakers were ment as factory replacements to be used with the head unit.
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    Thank you. I just wanted to run it by someone else to make myself feel ok about it. Lol

    But yeah, those PPI’s are incredibly high current and you’re 100% correct as the Kickers were part of the “upgrade” Chrysler and Jeep offered a while back. Between my wife’s booty shaking music and the high current supplied by those PPI’s, the cones literally separated and the voice coils were toast. I’m running the 2700 now and honestly, I’m not sure I hear a difference between the 2700 and the C740.....but the nights young.
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    Holy S. I take that all back. My god the soundstage is incredible.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,599
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    Congrats on the nice find. I'm sure that NAD sounds great!
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Alan_r wrote: »
    Holy S. I take that all back. My god the soundstage is incredible.

    Amazing what some old school NAD can do.
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,132
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    FestYboy wrote: »
    Alan_r wrote: »
    Holy S. I take that all back. My god the soundstage is incredible.

    Amazing what some old school NAD can do.

    :s
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Oh, grow up! Lol
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    LMFAO!! I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t hear it myself. What blew me away was the soundstage itself. The C740 I was using on this system always created a decent soundstage. However it had issues with depth. Orchestra for example. Left to right the stage sounded mostly correct. But the 2700 creates “levels” within that stage. Individual instruments can be placed depending on how far they are towards the back of the stage. Solo violin sounds like it’s at the front of the stage while the rest is clearly further back. It added more of a 3d image. It caught my attention as I’ve never heard that depth on this system. It added to my enjoyment of the music for sure.
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    Ha! As luck would have it, left RT600 woofer started doing the dreaded voice coil rub dance. Funny though that I never exceeded about 90db at 7’. Guess it was their time as they have played music every day for the five or six years I’ve owned them. Now to figure out what driver they used and start looking for a replacement.

    Go figure. RTiA3’s are filling in nicely though.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Time for some SDA magic...
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    I found and ordered a new driver.

    MW7011 if it helps anyone

    The Polk SdA speakers do sound interesting. I immediately went to the classifieds here to see what was out there and missed a pair of Monitor 11's by minutes it would seem. For the price I would have driven to MD.

    On that note, I believe these RTiA3's might even be an upgrade compared to the RT600's that have been in this system forever. The mids aren't as rich but the highs seem more accurate.

    Eventually I need to stop playing with the "R" series and just buy some LSI/LSIM sets.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    The RTA 11s are in my possession now, sorry.

    They are a different animal compared to the SDAs. If you're in the SE PA area, I'd be glad to demo the difference for you.
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    I’m actually in Florida for now. I do travel often though so may take you up on that offer if I’m in the area. I love listening to other people’s systems. We put so much thought and care into these things that it really is a treat to experience.
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,432
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    OOO! Florida! If you like to fish I'll trade you some king salmon fishing for some (whatever you got down there) fishing! I took my daughter down there for new years to Daytona Beach and Pebble Beach just to get out of the cold. Of course with my luck it was just as cold there... We were running around the beach in our t-shirts and the locals were wearing parkas.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)


    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
  • Alan_r
    Alan_r Posts: 164
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    audioluvr wrote: »
    OOO! Florida! If you like to fish I'll trade you some king salmon fishing for some (whatever you got down there) fishing! I took my daughter down there for new years to Daytona Beach and Pebble Beach just to get out of the cold. Of course with my luck it was just as cold there... We were running around the beach in our t-shirts and the locals were wearing parkas.

    Sailing my friend, sailing! I was supposed to be enroute to the South Pacific by this time but I lost my sailboat to Hurricane Matthew. So as I put my world back together and acquire another boat, I pacify myself with my audio hobby. When the time comes again, about the only things I’ll be putting in climate controlled storage are family heirlooms and my audio components. The fun part will be transferring thousands of CD’s and records onto a Astell & Kern music player. Can’t wait for that. Lol