I am moving some kit around, and I will be pulling my main amp (Musical Fidelity M6si) for use in another part of the house, which leaves a space in my main listening zone. This is a good excuse reason to look for a new amp.
My system - I have two different sources, roon (wired) and a CD transport (Cambridge Audio CXC) into a Topping D90 DAC. I have some convolution filters running in Roon. The Topping, currently, feeds the Musical Fidelity M6si via XLR, and then onto my Kef Reference 1 speakers. The speakers have a nominal impedance of 8Ohms, 85dbs sensitivity and kef note an amplifier class of 50 – 200w.
I am in the UK.
I don’t think I want an integrated, I think I want a power amp, and I could use my desktop DAC (an RME ADI-2 FS), as a preamp etc. I think I would want a gain switch on any amp choice.
In terms of what I have been look at - I have always hankered after trying a Benchmark Ahb2, but I don’t think I would be able to try before I buy, as there are not many dealers in the UK although I am aware of two. I have also thought about the various Purifi options however the US (VTV etc) and EU variants (Boxem etc) are not really options due to high import/tax implications. So, the only option really is something from Nord, who are in the UK. The other option I was wondering about is the NAD C298 which is more generally available in the UK.
Long term, I like the option of using another piece of Benchmark, the LA4 preamp, but I can not afford right now, but that does push the Benchmark amp further up the choices list. I think the amp is 100w, and I think this should be enough for the Kef speakers. Its a relatively small room (4.5mx3.5m), and I don’t really listen at high volume.
The Nord, I think an equivalent would be the Nord One SE, I am not sure about the looks and I don’t believe it has a gain switch, third choice for now I think.
The NAD C298 gets good reviews and you can select the gain level out of the back. I think its plenty powerful enough and I might even be able to borrow one to try out from my local dealer. So in the top 2.
So, my heart is saying to go for the Benchmark but the my head (and wallet) is saying to go for the NAD.
Any thoughts on these choices? Any other options?
My system - I have two different sources, roon (wired) and a CD transport (Cambridge Audio CXC) into a Topping D90 DAC. I have some convolution filters running in Roon. The Topping, currently, feeds the Musical Fidelity M6si via XLR, and then onto my Kef Reference 1 speakers. The speakers have a nominal impedance of 8Ohms, 85dbs sensitivity and kef note an amplifier class of 50 – 200w.
I am in the UK.
I don’t think I want an integrated, I think I want a power amp, and I could use my desktop DAC (an RME ADI-2 FS), as a preamp etc. I think I would want a gain switch on any amp choice.
In terms of what I have been look at - I have always hankered after trying a Benchmark Ahb2, but I don’t think I would be able to try before I buy, as there are not many dealers in the UK although I am aware of two. I have also thought about the various Purifi options however the US (VTV etc) and EU variants (Boxem etc) are not really options due to high import/tax implications. So, the only option really is something from Nord, who are in the UK. The other option I was wondering about is the NAD C298 which is more generally available in the UK.
Long term, I like the option of using another piece of Benchmark, the LA4 preamp, but I can not afford right now, but that does push the Benchmark amp further up the choices list. I think the amp is 100w, and I think this should be enough for the Kef speakers. Its a relatively small room (4.5mx3.5m), and I don’t really listen at high volume.
The Nord, I think an equivalent would be the Nord One SE, I am not sure about the looks and I don’t believe it has a gain switch, third choice for now I think.
The NAD C298 gets good reviews and you can select the gain level out of the back. I think its plenty powerful enough and I might even be able to borrow one to try out from my local dealer. So in the top 2.
So, my heart is saying to go for the Benchmark but the my head (and wallet) is saying to go for the NAD.
Any thoughts on these choices? Any other options?