Looking for an integrated amp with good bass

muncybob
muncybob Posts: 3,039
in 2 Channel Audio
My daughter recently had me swap out an old Technics integrated for an equally old Denon AVR so I could connect to her TV. She's not happy with the sound, esp streaming from her phone. Like her father, she's a bit of a bass head and I think that's where the AVR falls short. Any suggestions for her with a budget probably around $500?
Yep, my name really is Bob.
Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,611
    Soooo.... What is actually providing the bass? Speakers? Sub?
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    muncybob wrote: »
    My daughter recently had me swap out an old Technics integrated for an equally old Denon AVR so I could connect to her TV. She's not happy with the sound, esp streaming from her phone. Like her father, she's a bit of a bass head and I think that's where the AVR falls short. Any suggestions for her with a budget probably around $500?

    And, what does she stream through, the avr?
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,039
    Bass only thru 2 speakers. She streams using some sort of thingy connected to the amp. She probably would get better sound if the amp had a DAC/bluetooth, right?
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,611
    edited December 2023
    Is this the monitor audio speakers?

    I would try to find an Bluetooth dongle like e sinkin brand and then a parasound hca amp and then run Bluetooth out of the TV and use the TV volume
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,745
    edited December 2023
    No amp will create deep bass from speakers that are undersized. Cost wise, it would probably be cheaper to get a used 12" sub with a built in class D amp (that is assuming the Denon AVR has a sub pre-out). If she is streaming via BT, there is no such thing as "better sound."
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,611
    The Bluetooth dongle can also connect with her phone and she can use her phone as the volume control
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    I agree with others, there are several options to address the issue. But to answer your original question, something like this would be great:

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/295900978204?hash=item44e5129c1c:g:QBEAAOSwsANk6WSC&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA0PRycwT6tBARt9SErL3MulqG7WTEluHLLK/YKDIkZzoy4i1L3WMgouBHRkOhwm89cORjiZ7v6Hjhshgf0GX9dWUKPtTxsp35N8FqEpvj7c/38x0qHYhMGOFi/ku0OcZTs1aK+BtGsdfHOdyhsRfvIwgXuReeCODUEN0v7teR4mLBi2PUIFKYX6Gk02D+Jg1hmfJwfykatjr/tX6XbLDKSXeinFou3nXgFtqGgAXfZEMgctHtmfrKOBl2GFXPywiv4mA1wB3JO/lMooSfccIPCW8=|tkp:Bk9SR7DxoaGLYw

    That one is fugly, but any of the 840a, 740a, or 851a would do the trick nicely.

    Also a nice option, with the advantage that it has a DAC:

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/256116806691?epid=23043385348&hash=item3ba1c05423:g:19UAAOSwMY9eKyAo
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,039
    VR3 wrote: »
    Is this the monitor audio speakers?

    I would try to find an Bluetooth dongle like e sinkin brand and then a parasound hca amp and then run Bluetooth out of the TV and use the TV volume

    Yep, those are the speakers. I don't follow how you get audio to the amp from the TV. I think she currenty has a bluetooth dongle and uses her phone for volume.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,611
    You need a Bluetooth dongle with rca left and right out. I run this arrangement for my office rig and it works perfect
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,039
    That would probably save her some $$..or even give me a chance to gift her my HCA1000 and upgrade :)
    I do like the Cambridge amps though!
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    The method of streaming could limit the bass reproduction. It's all about the source.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,372
    Did the Technics provide adequate bass but the Denon AVR doesn't? I have found that with hard to drive speakers, the amp does matter in the bass department. I had a Denon DRA-835R that could push RTA-11TL quite well but when I tried a Denon DRA-888 it sucked even though wattage ratings were similar. It has to do with the current drive capability of the amp.
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,039
    Yea Stan, I'm sure that's the case. She liked the Technics sound. I would go with the dongle into the Technics amp but she won't get the TV shows thru her speakers.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,769
    muncybob wrote: »
    Yea Stan, I'm sure that's the case. She liked the Technics sound. I would go with the dongle into the Technics amp but she won't get the TV shows thru her speakers.

    Youch -- talk about 21st Century problems! :(
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    Amazon has lots of cheap DACs with optical in and rca out for less that $50. That should get the audio from her tv to her speakers…
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,198
    rooftop59 wrote: »
    Amazon has lots of cheap DACs with optical in and rca out for less that $50. That should get the audio from her tv to her speakers…

    @muncybob I have one I’ll sell super cheap, along with an optical cable. $30 shipped for both.

    https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-D03K-Digital-Analog-Converter/dp/B009346RSS/ref=mp_s_a_1_31?crid=2JFB6H30L69LW&keywords=fiio+dac&qid=1702394369&sprefix=fio+dac,aps,260&sr=8-31&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.17d9e15d-4e43-4581-b373-0e5c1a776d5d
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,039
    If her current dongle doesn't have the jacks needed, I'll take it. Waiting for a photo from her.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    Instead of an amp with Bluetooth and a dac, check out a wiim pro plus and use your current amp?
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,039
    Looks like the FiiO will be the answer....PM sent.
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub.
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,198
    Replied
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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