Hi, I don't have expectation, maybe a little more power. Just want to replace one of the WiiM's with different model and maybe A/B class amplifier just to test different type of amplifiers.
Only can't decide which one.
You don’t need more power unless you are clipping. If you want to get something “just to test” you should go for a tube amp…
I believe there are differences between amps in sound with real world loads, but those differences are fleeting. I was able to blind ABX the CD and DSD layer of a SACD with perfect scores because only one layer gave me the asmr-style tingles. But my ability to discern the two layers was gone the next day. Neither layer gave me the tingles.
With a tube amp, you actually get a change in sound which is also subtle. It also helps you stop chasing measurements (the upgrade train) while still trusting measurements when making initial purchase decisions (if you need your first _____, might as well get a high performance one).
The Yamaha is a good choice for its variable loudness feature. It also will impart a true difference to your listening experience especially if you listen at lower volumes. At higher volumes, probably doesn’t matter.
I personally enjoyed the journey of trying all sorts of different electronics. I learned a lot and part of me believes that I am a more content audiophile having taken the journey. People are told to spend money on experiences not things, and the whole cycle of auditioning, comparing, and even measuring (E1DA Cosmos ADC) satisfied my curiosity and was an experience itself.
But having taken that journey, I still wonder if I would advise others to have taken it. The fact that I wonder provides my answer.
I do not know if my kids will become audiophiles when they grow up. I would advise them to buy a basic setup once knowing that it has limitations and put all of their upgrade budget into an index fund or even a plain savings account. Make big jumps instead, focusing on entry level and then jumping to end-game.
End game is something Iike Trinnov or Storm Audio. Dirac ART reportedly works well even with 2 channels, and I personally find Trinnov to be superb. That’s the price of a car, which seems silly money to spend on audio, but many people own cars, and if you have a modern car with the driver assistance of pre collision/autobraking, if you can skip one upgrade cycle and keep your car twice as long, you can allocate the money toward your DSP.
Then, it’s a modern active speaker.
I have owned several class A amps (Marantz and Accuphase), tubes from McIntosh (MC2102), Sonic Frontiers, and a 300B SET, ultra precise 20,000 damping factor Kenwood L-08M, the usual Proceed/ML, Parasound, PS Audio, HypeX amps (both Monolith’s multi channel, and Marantz bridged NC500OEMs), vintage McIntosh and JBL, T-amps, etc. I genuinely believe in subtle differences but at the end of the day, the “low cost” amps in the active speaker works great and is nicely tuned.
There is a small penalty to pay in self noise with some active speakers, but the trade off at the MLP from the speaker itself is worthwhile.
I am basically all Meyer Sound now, but I would have definitely considered a JBL, Neumann or Genelec system.
The most telling part is that once you get some
reliable/repairable active speakers, it’s rare to see someone switch back to passive speakers. That tells you that the performance is real.
Once someone gets a premium DSP into their audio setup (like Dirac, Room Perfect or Trinnov), it’s rare to see someone go to a “no processing” audio system later.
Meanwhile people who are on the upgrade treadmill like to switch up amps…