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Thread: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

  1. #11
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Quote Originally Posted by nwilcox View Post
    I've listened to the Emotiva BasX a-100 powering the classic CBM-170s for about five hours. I've been running cd quality wav files through a Schiit Modi 2 to the amp. The amp seems very, very good to my ears--virtually unnoticeable. Thank you all for your encouragement--I'm very happy with this buy.
    That is great news =) That whole chain represents some of the greatest value you can find in home audio. The fact that Schiit was able to do that much with such a tiny DAC is unreal, and the quality of power the A-100 provides is pretty staggering for 200 bucks, sounds better than anything I've heard under 500 bucks honestly, and some costing much more than that. Well done, and enjoy =)
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Kind of off topic, but I'll be getting a new office in about a year and was thinking of getting some speakers, possible Sierra Sats. I've got a desktop with tons of digital music, and was wondering if there was some kind of small amp that would take USB input and act as a DAC and power speakers?

    So go: Desktop > USB > *SOME AMP* > Sierra Sats

    Does that exist affordably? I see the OP has a separate DAC and Amp, but is there a single unit that can do that?

    Edit: Looks like Emotiva makes one for $399 that also has a phono stage. Should have looked a little deeper before I asked!
    Last edited by kingcrowing; 04-19-2017 at 12:51 PM.

  3. #13
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Quote Originally Posted by kingcrowing View Post
    Kind of off topic, but I'll be getting a new office in about a year and was thinking of getting some speakers, possible Sierra Sats. I've got a desktop with tons of digital music, and was wondering if there was some kind of small amp that would take USB input and act as a DAC and power speakers?

    So go: Desktop > USB > *SOME AMP* > Sierra Sats

    Does that exist affordably? I see the OP has a separate DAC and Amp, but is there a single unit that can do that?

    Edit: Looks like Emotiva makes one for $399 that also has a phono stage. Should have looked a little deeper before I asked!
    Emotiva as you said is killer for that, but I would probably buy the amp only version and get a Schiit Modi Multibit for a DAC, but if you want one solution that's totally cool. There's also Peachtree, NAD, and Parasound that make some pretty great integrated stuff, but I prefer Emotiva from a price/performance perspective.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  4. #14
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    Oct 2012
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Another all in one option would be a sprout. Have heard great things about this little unit from the guys at PS Audio

  5. #15
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Not the same quality of the others mentioned, but I have actually connected a pair of Sierra-1's to one of these with good results.

    https://www.amazon.com/Topping-TP30-.../dp/B005D7SKWK
    -curtis

  6. #16
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    Dec 2012
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    I'm very pleased with the Schitt modi > Emotiva BasX a-100 combo I went with.

  7. #17
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    Jul 2015
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Quote Originally Posted by sludgeogre View Post
    That is great news =) That whole chain represents some of the greatest value you can find in home audio. The fact that Schiit was able to do that much with such a tiny DAC is unreal, and the quality of power the A-100 provides is pretty staggering for 200 bucks, sounds better than anything I've heard under 500 bucks honestly, and some costing much more than that. Well done, and enjoy =)
    My desktop system currently looks like iPhone Spotify > Chromecast Audio > A-100 > Lunas and it sounds pretty damn good to me with spotify dynamic range enabled. Oh, I'm connecting the CCA with a 3.5mm to RCA with a nice cable.

    Do you guys think it would be beneficial getting a schiit modi2 so I can go optical from the CCA to the modi2 and do the DAC there?
    Video: JVC RS540 w/Lens & 122" 2.35:1 CIH / HDFury Vertex 2 w/Dolby Vision
    Audio: Marantz SR7010 / XPA-3 / UPA-7 Sources: Nvidia Shield / Xbox One
    7. Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2 Ex (L R C), Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE (side & rear)
    2. Subs: SVS PC-2000 & eD A3-300 12" / Sensory: Aura Pro Bass Shakers
    4 HTM-200SE for Atmos/DTS:X
    Theater Pics / Desktop

  8. #18
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Quote Originally Posted by tknice View Post
    My desktop system currently looks like iPhone Spotify > Chromecast Audio > A-100 > Lunas and it sounds pretty damn good to me with spotify dynamic range enabled. Oh, I'm connecting the CCA with a 3.5mm to RCA with a nice cable.

    Do you guys think it would be beneficial getting a schiit modi2 so I can go optical from the CCA to the modi2 and do the DAC there?
    What does "spotify dynamic range" do? It is not a limiter is it?

    IMO, a digital connection to modi2 would be better, but I will defer to someone that knows that gear better better than myself. I also suggest giving Apple Music a try. I have been comparing it to Tidal, and I am liking it better. Also, instead of using your iPhone as the source, and I am assuming your desktop has a PC or Mac, go straight from the PC/Mac, to a Modi 2.
    -curtis

  9. #19
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    Jul 2015
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    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    Quote Originally Posted by curtis View Post
    What does "spotify dynamic range" do? It is not a limiter is it?

    IMO, a digital connection to modi2 would be better, but I will defer to someone that knows that gear better better than myself. I also suggest giving Apple Music a try. I have been comparing it to Tidal, and I am liking it better. Also, instead of using your iPhone as the source, and I am assuming your desktop has a PC or Mac, go straight from the PC/Mac, to a Modi 2.
    Thanks Curtis. No, by default, and unless you are using an optical cable, the CCA turns off full dynamic range to make low quality speakers sound better. Using a miniplug, you need to go into the settings in the CCA home app and enable it.

    I really want to keep using my phone because it's very convenient to change songs while walking around my office area--or to pause when I get a call. Another potential issue is that my PC is new but only has the el cheapo integrated mobo sound. Are you saying I'd plug the Modi2 directly into the PC via USB as another option?

    Just trying to decide if a modi2 for $99 is worth changing to an optical cable and however much better its DAC would be.

    Thanks!
    Last edited by tknice; 04-26-2017 at 04:44 PM.
    Video: JVC RS540 w/Lens & 122" 2.35:1 CIH / HDFury Vertex 2 w/Dolby Vision
    Audio: Marantz SR7010 / XPA-3 / UPA-7 Sources: Nvidia Shield / Xbox One
    7. Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2 Ex (L R C), Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE (side & rear)
    2. Subs: SVS PC-2000 & eD A3-300 12" / Sensory: Aura Pro Bass Shakers
    4 HTM-200SE for Atmos/DTS:X
    Theater Pics / Desktop

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    457

    Default Re: Good amp for classic CMB-170 pair in an office

    The Modi 2 Multibit is stupidly good, about 95% of the performance of the Bifrost. Closed form solutions to the signal stream are a big deal to me. DS DACs are a guessing game, Schiit's filter is an exact replication of the incoming stream.

    I agree with Curtis to use Optical over USB when possible. There's just too many things that go wrong with USB. I have always preferred the sound of an optical transport.

    Pull the trigger on Modi Multibit. You'll be glad you did.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

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