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Amplifier/DAC for Heco Aurora 700 speakers

ND1

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Apr 2, 2022
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Hello everyone!

I'm building my first setup and recently bought Heco Aurora 700 speakers and thinking about amplifier/DAC stack. Audio source - PC.
So here is my choices, what I'm able to find in my small (Estonia) market:

Yamaha A-S701, No USB input, 650 Eur.
Yamaha A-S801, USB, 840 Eur.
Rotel RB-1552MKII, additional DAC is needed. 850 Eur + 100-300 Eur.
Nad C368, No USB input. 1000 Eur + 100-300 Eur.

The cheapest and simplest option for me is Yamaha A-S801. But if I understand correctly, Heco 700 will not have all possible sound and bass details with that integrated amplifier. Rotel is more expensive option + I need to buy some DAC (with preamp in one box) for it (100-300 Euros budget).
Nad at least has optical input, but it's also expensive.

So my question is, do I need to save money for Rotel + Preamp-DAC (possible the best price-quality ratio), or stick with Yamaha?
And what DAC in that price range will be enough for Rotel + Heco setup?

Thanks!
 
Why not get a Hypex or Purify amp and a decently cheap Topping DAC?

For instance:

From your list I would probably go with the NAD. Incidentally it used Hypex modules, so should deliver solid performance. It’s not even bad value if you see that the DAC + amp I linked is also 800 euro’s already.
 
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It’s not even bad value if you see that the DAC + amp I linked is also 800 euro’s already.
So, in terms of all possible quality for money - which setup will win? Your combo is 730 Eur, Rotel + some DAC will be ~1150, Nad - 1300.
Will I even hear some difference?
 
So, in terms of all possible quality for money - which setup will win? Your combo is 730 Eur, Rotel + some DAC will be ~1150, Nad - 1300.
They are quite different animals. The Rotel and amp I linked are power amps, the NAD is integrated. It will have a more advanced feature set. You’ll need to see if you need that. You don’t need to buy an extension module. A cheap USB to spdif box will do just fine (about €50). Possibly the c338 would also offer enough power.
Will I even hear some difference?
Probably not.

Sine your speakers are quite efficient, you could also have a look at Topping PA5.
 
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Looks wise the D50 is a better match to the PA5. Also available as a set.
 
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