PS Audio M700 vs NAD 298 amp

[Revelation Sound]

I am curious if anyone compared these two amps or heard both of them. Is there any big difference in their sound? Granted the M700 has more watts; many claim separate enclosures for mono amps also provide some advantage...though I think it depends on the design. This Class D amps have a lot of space inside their metal case as there is not many big parts inside.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I compared the M1200s with the C298s: https://www.stereophile.com/content/nad-c-298-power-amplifier-page-2

 

[Revelation Sound]

Interesting...the M1200 is over $6,000 while the M700 is just about half the cost with 350 watts in 8 ohm. I am wondering between the 298 NAD and M700. Is the M700 is clearly a better sounding amp which I know many times is subjective? Livelier and more sparkle is the impression given about the Ps Audio vs NAD. Super clean and light sounding though I'm sure it has very good bass response.

 

[MaxBuck]

Is the M700 is clearly a better sounding amp which I know many times is subjective?

I think you're lost. Make sure your Google Maps is fully updated.

 

[Revelation Sound]

Fixed it. Lol

 

[Chrispy]

Well with all of Paul's nonsense these days no way I'd buy something from BS Audio in the first place, so the Not Always Dependable amp might win. Good grief, subjective preferences on the internet, really? Differences meaning what, an improvement, a flatter response, an ability to work with wonky speakers or what?

 

[Revelation Sound]

Sometimes it's hard to get a point across on subjective topics. One person's warm is another person's dull. If you don't like Paul answering mail on the internet and his responses that's fine. But I tried hard to find complaints on the M700 and did not find much people don't like or love.

I want an amp similar to my Adcom that has some gentle color while still being clean, impactful, with good sound stage and clarity that excites the music. I narrowed down my search to 3 amps...The PS Audio M700, Parasound A2+ and the Macintosh MC152. They all sound different and I'm trying to get some opinions of those who heard them and of which would match up best with what I'm looking for. Plain and simple.

Thanks

 

[Chrispy]

Uh huh. Gentle color while still being clean, impactful, and with good sound stage and clarity. Sounds more like what you might want in a speaker than an amp....

 

[Revelation Sound]

My Adcom 555 does exactly what I said I want an amp to do but of course does not compete with higher end amps on sound and presentation. So I am moving up the food chain. Didn't think this would be so difficult and im a person who has been in audiophile for over 30 years and has studied audio gear all my life.

 

[NTK]

PS Audio M700? An IcePower 700AS1 ($259 each / $2068 per dozen) with an extraneous front end? Your choice.

700AS1 - ICEpower

The 700AS1 combines an efficient resonant LLC converter with a massive continuous power capability with a 1x 700 W great sounding ICEpower class D amplifier. Despite the name, the ability to handle low impedances means the 700AS1 is capable of a solid 1000 W into 2.7 Ω loads. Perfect for...

icepower.dk

Above picture from post:

PS Audio M700 Monoblock Amplifier Review

It's not a terrible amp, but it's terribly overpriced. I'd like to compare it to a powerful crown amp in the same price range. Even worse, you can buy more than 4 Crown 2502 amps for this price. It is grossly overpriced for sure.

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[MaxBuck]

My Adcom 555 does exactly what I said I want an amp to do but of course does not compete with higher end amps on sound and presentation. So I am moving up the food chain. Didn't think this would be so difficult and im a person who has been in audiophile for over 30 years and has studied audio gear all my life.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "presentation," but it's unlikely that you will hear any differences in reproduced audio between your Adcom and another similarly powerful amplifier. You may, however, want to believe you do.

 

[Chrispy]

My Adcom 555 does exactly what I said I want an amp to do but of course does not compete with higher end amps on sound and presentation. So I am moving up the food chain. Didn't think this would be so difficult and im a person who has been in audiophile for over 30 years and has studied audio gear all my life.

Yet many claim the old Adcoms are the bees knees. I think you've read far too many amp "reviews".

 

[BDWoody]

My Adcom 555 does exactly what I said I want an amp to do but of course does not compete with higher end amps on sound and presentation.

Oh...I dunno... You may be looking in the wrong place in your chain for the improvement you seek.

That's no slouch of an amp. I have amps ranging from Adcom to Bryston to Krell to Devialet, and I seriously doubt I could tell if someone switched one for another when I wasn't looking.

 

[wje]

Yet many claim the old Adcoms are the bees knees. I think you've read far too many amp "reviews".

I see there's a GFA-555 II that's local to me. I did search and read many reviews - some which are 10 years more, or older. As I read these subjective reviews, I also tell myself - those reviews and feedback of users were submitted using speakers from 10+ years ago. Many of the speakers from that era could have had more of an impact on the sound than the Adcom amplifier pushing them.

 

[Chrispy]

I see there's a GFA-555 II that's local to me. I did search and read many reviews - some which are 10 years more, or older. As I read these subjective reviews, I also tell myself - those reviews and feedback of users were submitted using speakers from 10+ years ago. Many of the speakers from that era could have had more of an impact on the sound than the Adcom amplifier pushing them.

I think that's always true when it comes to amps, that the speakers will have more of an impact on imparting a sound "quality"