Planning to upgrade my amp for all the wrong reasons

[Egbert]

I see a lot of good suggestions passing by. Because the sound character of the various options is quite different, my advice is to listen at home first and only then make a choice.

 

[Cote Dazur]

sound character of the various options is quite different

It seems that you have found the right site to learn and that you have a brand new year to start your education. Have fun.

 

[Egbert]

I think the Bryston system is an excellent choice, and their equipment has a reputation for being long-lasting and durable.

If you want to stay Canadian, perhaps NAD's M series amplifiers (more elegant) would work better than the C series (more industrial).

You also have one Canadian component already in the Simaudio Moon 330A. If you need everything to match, sell off the rest of your components and get a Moon 390 network player/preamp and maybe the 260D transport. That is a classy-looking system in my view.

I love the Bristol its excellent. Personally, I use the moon 330a because of the perfect match with Dynaudio Contour 60. So the choice of amplifier also depends on the speakers.

 

[Egbert]

I love the Bristol its excellent. Personally, I use the moon 330a because of the perfect match with Dynaudio Contour 60. So the choice of amplifier also depends on the speakers.

The Bryston

 

[l_lama]

Last weekend I was aesthetically pleasured by Esoteric amplifier, hope they are performing well too for that bunch of money.

 

[Svend P]

I love the Bristol its excellent. Personally, I use the moon 330a because of the perfect match with Dynaudio Contour 60. So the choice of amplifier also depends on the speakers.

All well designed amplifiers sound the same when not driven into distortion. There is no synergy.

 

[Egbert]

All well designed amplifiers sound the same when not driven into distortion. There is no synergy.

I used a Hegel H360 in my setup until a few months ago. A nice amplifier. After I heard the moon 330A in a similar setup from a friend, I tested the Moon at home and compared it with the Hegel. The difference was big. The difference was in musicality, details and better ratio between high and low. Apparently, there seems to be a greater deviation in some situations.

 

[Oddball]

The Bryston

Lol, I own two Brystons, but would never call them pretty. They were cheaper than Classe amps at similar performance though at that time. Their design is too industrial to be aesthetically positive. IMO they are neutral in that respect, definitely not ugly.

 

[Svend P]

I used a Hegel H360 in my setup until a few months ago. A nice amplifier. After I heard the moon 330A in a similar setup from a friend, I tested the Moon at home and compared it with the Hegel. The difference was big. The difference was in musicality, details and better ratio between high and low. Apparently, there seems to be a greater deviation in some situations.

No one can tell amplifiers apart when testing blind.

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[mglobe]

Lyngdorf TDAI-3400? Plenty of power, room perfect which I think is an easy button for room correction, and good looks to my eye. They also make a CD player that matches. No idea how good that is, but I doubt it sucks.

 

[krabapple]

To be visually distracted by backlit bouncing meters always seemed odd to me for an 'audiophile' to want.

 

[Egbert]

No one can tell amplifiers apart when testing blind.

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Now you have found someone

 

[Svend P]

Now you have found someone

The rule is you have to test blind, level matched and have 19 out of 20 guesses correct. In this test from 39 years ago, they couldn't tell a difference.

https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1987-01.pdf

 

[Egbert]

You ignore the enormous qualitative development in audio since 1987

 

[Mort]

You ignore the enormous qualitative development in audio since 1987

But not in ears. Anyway wouldn't it be MORE difficult with improved quality?

I'm probably feeding the troll.

 

[Svend P]

You ignore the enormous qualitative development in audio since 1987

Please explain how amplifiers can have a different sound, when they measure ruler flat and have noise and distortion below human perception?

Reviewers and manufacturers have lied to you, and told you that this is what amplifiers does:

when in reality they all measure like this

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Or your could consider the Lyngdorf TDAI integrated amplifers... They come with a (proprietary) Digital Room Correction system. Lyngdorf RoomPerfect , that was judged to be very good here by our own @amirm ... Perhaps the TDAI-3400 at 2x 400 W could fit the bill.. Lyngdorf also offer a CD player ..

 

[obsessive9119]

Complete aside, but I love that you’re eyes-open buying pretty stuff without expecting a performance difference. I’m nearing (but not quite achieving…) the stage where I’m prepared to pay significantly more for nicer things even if there’s no practical benefit.

 

[Alexanderc]

Let us know what you decide (and attach some pictures!).

If aesthetics and sound were equally important, I wanted an integrated amp to reduce clutter, and money wasn't a factor, I'd go with NAD masters series. Seems like the nicest equipment with good room correction.

 

[pinger]

You ignore the enormous qualitative development in audio since 1987

If you could tell the difference don't you think manufacturers would publish these blind tests to help market their products? Fun fact: They all sound the same