Universal stereo amplifier for long-term ownership.

[l_lama]

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

 

[JRowland]

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

Here is a recent review on the Anthem MCA 225 Gen 2 with a link at the top to measurements. https://www.soundstagehifi.com/inde...ws/2014-anthem-mca-225-gen-2-stereo-amplifier

Personally I don't think a different amp is going to change your sound but I'm no expert by any means. If you want a nice piece of equipment that looks nice and measures well, made outside of China matters, and has a good track record of longevity (as far as I have been able to glean) it should be on the list I think. I had the Rotel on my list but I don't like how they beat around the bush for 2 ohm loads whereas Anthem clearly states "we're here for you".

 

[Roland68]

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

If you're looking for something truly durable, I would initially steer clear of many Class D amplifiers. The capacitors in most Class D amplifiers are subject to faster aging due to the relatively high frequencies they are subjected to. More importantly, these amplifiers/modules are often difficult to repair. Warranty coverage often only covers the replacement of entire modules, which becomes very expensive after the warranty expires.

From personal experience, I can recommend, for example, the large amplifiers from the Yamaha A-S1X00/2X00/3X00 series, which typically last for several decades. Failures are very rare with these units. These amplifiers can be used as power amplifiers, preamplifiers, and integrated amplifiers. Service manuals are available, and any reputable repair shop can service them.
Even a used or demo unit is worthwhile with these amplifiers. An A-S2100 can be found for as little as €1200-1600.

 

[Oddball]

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

I hear you, and it's actually refreshing to hear a request for an amp that will last for quite a while. Seems like longevity is no longer a big concern.

I can't say anything bad about Rotel. Should be a nice upgrade over my RB 1070. I have 5 of these and they have been working flawlessly for last 15 years.

Even when faced with great abuse at rare moments when all stops were off, they just went to thermal shut down, only to happily power up the next day like nothing happened. Just recently tested them at +5dB to reference volume for couple of hours and they did not drop a sweat or went near clipping. They do power surround channels, but pretty sure they would be more than capable to do the LCR duty as well.

 

[JeffS7444]

It's very possible that "Direct" would indeed sound worse, because you are bypassing Audyssey MultiEQ room correction.

But other Audyssey features including Dynamic EQ impressed me less: I thought the feature made the sound boomy, and dialog harder to hear, so I switched them off.

Bonus: Because I've configured my Marantz AVR with surround speakers, I can liven up monaural recordings by switching from Stereo to Dolby, which gives me a simulated mix that fills the room better.

Long-term ownership: Very much depends on whether anyone in your area is willing to service older units, even costly ones.

 

[Oddball]

It's very possible that "Direct" would indeed sound worse, because you are bypassing Audyssey MultiEQ room correction.

But other Audyssey features including Dynamic EQ impressed me less: I thought the feature made the sound boomy, and dialog harder to hear, so I switched them off.

Bonus: Because I've configured my Marantz AVR with surround speakers, I can liven up monaural recordings by switching from Stereo to Dolby, which gives me a simulated mix that fills the room better.

Long-term ownership: Very much depends on whether anyone in your area is willing to service older units, even costly ones.

It is all a matter of price and what you're willing to go through. Even in the small town I live in, they took in Bryston 4B SST2 and were willing to repair it, but noted that that is not necessary and that parts would need to be a bit different, although relatively close match to original.

All that was needed was some gain and bias adjustment that just got messed up over 15 years of use, which is also what Bryston noted when contacted. I can't honestly even remember if I was ever doing that before. Amp working as a champ and one channel no longer going into thermal shut-down. Given low hours on the pair of Brystons, think they are positioned to go for 10 more years easily. If that happens, 25 years would not be a bad score at all.

 

[Roland68]

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

Another option would be to save a lot of money and get the 3E Audio A7.
It has a power output of over 200 watts, is 2-ohm stable (no problems with demanding speakers), and its sound quality should be among the best of the amplifiers listed.
I would estimate its lifespan at 10-15 years, and with amplifiers like these, usually only capacitors fail. Even in the event of total failure, replacement should hardly cost more than repairing one of the other amplifiers listed.
Furthermore, the TPA325X-based chip amplifiers have proven to be extremely robust and insensitive.

Another alternative would be the structurally identical SMSL VMV A2 and Sabaj A30a amplifiers. These are completely digital amplifiers without an analog section. A DAC is not required, as the signal is converted to analog at the output using PWM. They have a power output of over 200 watts and are also quite insensitive to speaker impedance. Here, too, the capacitors should be the only component that ever needs replacing.
In terms of sound quality, these two amplifiers don't need to hide from devices costing many times more, as many owners have already discovered.
Here too, the price is significantly lower than other amplifiers.

 

[l_lama]

Long-term ownership: Very much depends on whether anyone in your area is willing to service older units, even costly one

Services like recapping, tuning and repair of vintage stereo electronics servicing and sales of vintage gears like Sansui, Nakamichi or Kenwood are available in the city..
Not sure if it will be the same in 15 years from now, labor cost and taxes can devastate this niche, like other repairs becomes dead already.

I can recommend, for example, the large amplifiers from the Yamaha A-S1X00/2X00/3X00 series,

I'll start a thread like (some pre-amp) + (some amp from this thread) vs. Yamaha R-N2000a in a while vs. some Arcam SA35 in a while
Just saw A-S2200 with 3 (of 5) years of warranty remains on ebay for 2300 EUR or so, could be a way to go. A-S1200 does not have balanced inputs and both has somehow average damping (I hope a plenty of current is there, but probably dedicated power amp will (or may) do it's job better.

replacement should hardly cost more than repairing one of the other amplifiers listed.

I hardly can accept apmlifier as expendable thing, no mater how cheap is it.
I'm considering separates especially because I can part off the expendable steaming part from fully servicable power amplifier.

 

[Duke]

Services like recapping, tuning and repair of vintage stereo electronics servicing and sales of vintage gears like Sansui, Nakamichi or Kenwood are available in the city..
Not sure if it will be the same in 15 years from now, labor cost and taxes can devastate this niche, like other repairs becomes dead already.

Bryston amplifiers have a 20-year warranty. And it is transferrable if you have the chain of receipts including a copy of the original owner's receipt showing that he bought it from an authorized dealer. So you could theoretically buy a used Bryston amp that is two years old and have eighteen years of warranty left.

 

[Roland68]

Services like recapping, tuning and repair of vintage stereo electronics servicing and sales of vintage gears like Sansui, Nakamichi or Kenwood are available in the city..
Not sure if it will be the same in 15 years from now, labor cost and taxes can devastate this niche, like other repairs becomes dead already.



I'll start a thread like (some pre-amp) + (some amp from this thread) vs. Yamaha R-N2000a in a while vs. some Arcam SA35 in a while
Just saw A-S2200 with 3 (of 5) years of warranty remains on ebay for 2300 EUR or so, could be a way to go. A-S1200 does not have balanced inputs and both has somehow average damping (I hope a plenty of current is there, but probably dedicated power amp will (or may) do it's job better.



I hardly can accept apmlifier as expendable thing, no mater how cheap is it.
I'm considering separates especially because I can part off the expendable steaming part from fully servicable power amplifier.

I have a slightly different perspective on this, based on over 35 years of experience.
I'm one of those people who prefers not to throw anything away and always tries to repair things somehow.

However, there are several major caveats.
1. As long as amplifiers use standard through-hole components, repairs aren't a major problem.
2. SMD components make repairs more complex and expensive, and sometimes entire circuit boards need to be replaced, which often gets very costly.
3. SMD repairs without a service manual or schematic are often uneconomical.
4. As soon as manufacturer-specific ICs are involved, as well as devices with MCUs, you're dependent on the manufacturer keeping the corresponding components and replacement boards in stock even after the warranty period.

This is a particular problem with manufacturers that have been sold in recent years and are implementing extreme cost-cutting measures.
I've seen many expensive power amplifiers and amplifiers that couldn't be repaired for this reason, or where repair was simply uneconomical.
For example, in Germany and the EU, only a fraction of the repair shops that can repair almost everything remain, and this will also be a problem in the future.

But you misunderstood me regarding the A7 and A30a/VMV A2. The capacitors that age in these devices are relatively easy and cheap to replace. The components themselves probably cost barely more than €20, and installation should take less than an hour. So far, these devices have been exceptionally robust, primarily because the protection mechanisms are integrated into the ICs and function correctly.

Here's another perspective on the A7.
Let's say one of the listed amplifiers lasts 25 years with a single repair. And let's assume that the A7s really don't last 10 years and aren't repaired, and you would need three of them.
At this point, you should take a look at the A7 and the listed amplifiers. Even with three A7s, the total number of components that end up being thrown away is significantly lower than with one of these larger amplifiers.

From this perspective, an A7 is not only cheaper over the same period, but also more environmentally friendly.

 

[Short38]

The Leak 230 was well reviewed in Stereophile.

 

[Whiskey the Cat]

Good luck on your search. I have a Rotel 2015 integrated amp, which I have had for 15 years and no issues. It has a specified power of 60 Wpc but has been tested to show that it produces over 90 Wpc into 8 Ohms. It produces prodigious transient power into 4 or even 2 Ohms. I have other amps, but I would say that Rotel is a very good value amplifier manufacturer, but not so hot in other areas. I would also say that NAD is very much worth considering in this price range. Apart from all this, I would put a lot of emphasis on what is manufactured locally if at all possible. Or if failing that what service and repair facilities are in the immediate vicinity of where you live. (Incidentally, you mention the B&W 702. I have had the B&W 702S3 for 3 years now and can say it is certainly the best speaker I have ever owned, but quite expensive. Highly recommended.)

 

[DMill]

I have a Rotel I retired 15 years ago that I bought used. It’s 30 years old and I no longer use it but it still ran fine last I checked it. Just a rock solid amp. Really can’t say for the newer models. Based on the list you provided, I also love the Anthem. Just a brute beast of an amp. Should last many decades. Good luck.

 

[l_lama]

However, there are several major caveats.
1. As long as amplifiers use standard through-hole components, repairs aren't a major problem.
2. SMD components make repairs more complex and expensive, and sometimes entire circuit boards need to be replaced, which often gets very costly.
3. SMD repairs without a service manual or schematic are often uneconomical.
4. As soon as manufacturer-specific ICs are involved, as well as devices with MCUs, you're dependent on the manufacturer keeping the corresponding components and replacement boards in stock even after the warranty period.

This is literally what I try to avoid - protective circuits with custom micro-controllers, smart home intgration with firmwares, dense multi-layered PCBs and so on.

Here it Atoll AM300, no single piece of software on board. However thermal management looks a bit shy, while MOS-FETs will run how, not sure how would that tiny (versus Rotel) radiators cope with heat.

Rotel is much denser, but probably advantage of available service manuals and diagrams makes it possible to work on.
From what I learned, protective circuits are also analog.

 

[Sale64]

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

Your list speaks clearly for Rotel. I bought used one from Holland 2 years ago for under €1k and in combo with Vincent sa32 preamp it fullfills all my expectations in pop-rock music hearing. For classic, jazz and vocal music I stll prefer my Primaluna EVO 200.

Hello!

Couple years ago I've replaced my old and broken stereo receiver with Denon S650H AV receiver.
Since then, I've got a pair of Dali Opticon 6 speakers (2.0 setup) and use receiver to watch movies online, listen FLACs from PC and now Spotify Lossless.
Speakers were chosen to be easy load for the average power supply of entry-level AV receiver.

I do not like 'DIRECT' sound, as I mostly listed at lower volumes, so 'STEREO' sound mode in Denon and Audissey Dynamic EQ are usually engaged for listening of music.
Overally, I'm not really impressed with results, bass sometimes is boomy as I add volume and distorted guitars are a big underwhelming. The only thing I likes is highs (and that's why I've got that speakers).

My own reference is pair of Adam T5M monitors on my desk and Sennheiser HD600 headphones, both driven by MOTU M2.

I'm still under impression of possible sound improvements in a living room.
The room is ~32sqm with 2.8m ceiling, however full-throttle listening is rare and reserved for day hours.

I want to do some equipment level-up with good upgrade perspective. First of all, I would like to have a good amplifier to have a choice of speakers for upgrade. I mind Opticon 8 (liked their sound during audition in the past), KEF R7 (likes their Spinorama) but did not tried them yet, B&W 702, maybe B&W 702 or 702 or Audiovector QR7 - never heard any of them.

So having flexibility in potential speaker upgrade is a matter of the upgrade.

Another priority is longevity of the hardware and accessible repair. This includes available parts and aftermarket service if manufacturer will go out of business or will deem insane service fee to replace busted condensers or burned transistor. I don't like to expend stereo system like I'm forced to to with smartphones.

So one of the obvious solution is to split the stack into streaming part (expendable) and power amplification (repairable), apply some decent room correction, loudness compensation and manual EQ, then see if I really need new speakers after all.

Please, have a look at my power amplifier options for long-term use and share your opinion on my prejudgements about them!
Prices are for reference and relevant for my home market considering promotions, open-box or on display units.

NAD C298	€1,654.61	Affordable, universal, but zero repair perspective due to all-proprietary modules and power supply
Rotel RB-1582MKII	€1,890.78	Perfectly serviceable unit, no firmware or proprietary parts used, schematics available for download. Plenty of offers including pre-owned.
Atoll AM300 Evo	€2,493.14	No firmware, should be serviceable, but diagram and service manuals are not available. Output impedance is quite low (Dumoing is 400 per support response), made outside China
Arcam PA240	€2,340.43	Firmwares, controllers, even Etherenet, complicated but powerful class G, no diagrams of service manual available
Anthem MCA 225 GEN 2	€1,923.64	Brute-force class AB rig made outside China, moderate damping of 300, no diagrams available, proprietary controller with firmware in protection circuits I suppose
Cambridge Audio EDGE W	€2,598.11	Could be state of the art, but with very specific amplification design and lot of proprietary solution inside, I think it is expendable
Musical Fidelity M6S PRX	€2,629.79	A bit too little damping of 210, but promises 140A peak-to-peak current. Electric schemas are not available, but otherwise seems to be generic class AB similar to Atoll or Rotel, so should be serviceable in a years from now. Also no firmware.
Quad Artera Stereo	€2,125.30	Output impedance/damping and load into 4Ohm were not specified, a bad sign for me.
Audiolab 8300 XP	€1,725.53	Damping is 160, it probably breaks 'broad speaker compatibility' requirement
Vincent SP-332	€2,234.04	No information about damping or output impedance has been found.
Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400	€3,236.41	Fully expendable, but cost a double of NAD C298, probably too much power for my room with any speakers
Onkyo Icon M-80	€1,654.37	No damping/output impedance information, looks more like AV receiver inside
Parasound A23+	€2,907.57	Diagrams and service manuals are not available, didn't find the good offer.

So looks like Rotel 1582mk2 has the most potential for longevity and future service.
I can go with NAD C298 mostly due to low cost of initial purchase and also try to negotiate Atoll for it's EU origin and independent power supplies.

I can go with integrated amplifiers with no digital stuff and good repair perspectives in 15 years from now.
However most of integrates now hosts DAC, networking and other things I probably would like to have in another device, so there it no room for Hegel for example.

Please, let me know if I miss some important contenders of some of my assumptions are incorrect.

Thank you.

Your list speaks clearly for Rotel. I bought used one 2 years ago for under €1k and in combo with Vincent Sa32 preamp it fullfilled all my expectations in segment of pop-rock music hearing. For classic, jazz, guitar and vocal music I still prefer my Primaluna EVO 200 integrated tube amp.

 

[The French]

From this perspective, an A7 is not only cheaper over the same period, but also more environmentally friendly.

Not even mentionning the power consumption over the years, in favor of the A7

Plus, the fact that the A7 probably measures better than any of the other listed amplifiers.

 

[l_lama]

Not even mentionning the power consumption over the years, in favor of the A7

Plus, the fact that the A7 probably measures better than any of the other listed amplifiers.

Amount of material initially consumed and some coal to be burned for high bias are out of criteria of this research.
I mostly mind two things: broad speaker compatibility and deep repair availability. Well, I'll mind it's exterior too, probably I'll order nice wooden rack for my stuff.

I don't want 3x environmentally friendly dead-soldered expendable PCBs for the life time of one hot rig.
For Class D amps, I'm looking at Apollo premium series, their cases look pleasant, and I can order the color to match the furniture, enjoyable add-on for wife compatibility.
Measurements are not really decisive, when noise floor and distortions are close to inaudible level.

 

[l_lama]

Well, Yamaha's amplifier has very strange flaw: per owner's manual, when powered on by trigger, it switches input to 'main in' which is unbalanced, so balanced inputs os A-S2200 makes no sense in two-component setup.

Quite disapointing, I just found some good offers for A-S2200 and 6 years of warranty is very attrective.

Also learned that Musical Fidelity are proud to use SMD so probably many service cases will be board replacement instead of tracing and co

In other hands, Atoll diagrams are leaking on some DYI/Serviceman forums, so it probably no that bad from perspective of post-warranty service/repair.

 

[Mnyb]

Re damping factor , anything above 100 is good enough in practice if you have speaker cables and passive crossovers in series they will dominate the total impedance’s.

If you like a class D amp watch out for load dependencies, the bad implementations have high output impedance ie low damping factor in the treble area even if it’s a stunning 1000 or so at 1 kHz , making the fr response a bit random and speaker dependent in the treble.
Hypex or Purify based amps like the Apollon is a safe bet or others that features post filter feedback in their design.

Rotel looks good from your criteria. As class D are probably out anyway. Rotel as a brand gives me a good impression, but I could be wrong ( as any other random guy on the internet )

 

[Mnyb]

SMD designs might not be totally out of question ? Sometimes they are possible to repair ? But I don’t have the competence to tell when it’s doable