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3 amplifiers

RoA

pfm Member
Having moved on my active systems (KEF LS50 Meta Wireless& B&W Formation Duo) I have 3 amplifiers here for a try out ... Audiolab 6000A, Arcam SA20 and a Hegel H95. Perhaps one or two will make up my new humble system though there are a couple more I'd like to try before making up my mind.

The above are are on three different price levels, £600, £1000 and £1600. Neither High End or even Midfi but more at entry level. I had both the Hegel H90 and 120 in previous systems.

If anyone would like to know more, I'd be happy to answer.

Pictures to follow.
 
£1000+ is hardly entry level.

What's the question, then? Best sound depends on speakers and listening level, best looks on your decor and taste, and which one your wife likes is up to her. What's the aim?
 
The absolute star of the trio is the Audiolab. - The most surprising (in a very good way) is the Arcam. The Hegel is a known quantity to me and as good as ever.

It's not straight forward and I think a fair few would be surprised in a listening session.

Only winners for me here and I am pleasantly surprised by all of them.
 
At risk of an egg-sucking lesson, and assuming you have the luxury of time, be wary of deciding too quickly - I've more-than-once been smitten by new arrivals, only to fall out-of-love over time as their initial shine is eroded and their subtle-but-intolerable faults start to nag...
 
Wise words.

There is no rush to move them on so each one has plenty time to be used. The fact that neither one of them made me want to swap them out quickly bodes well. - Fantastic amps, all of them and very 'musical'. More so than the Active systems which made me analyse the music more, drawing my attention more to certain aspects of the sound.

This is not new to me as I came from passive systems but shows (to me at least), that there is more to to music than (just) technical excellence.
 
Push the boat out and get your ears around a Sugden A21a Signature (£2195) before you make your mind up.

This amp ended my endless box swapping and faffing around with listening to loads of amps - it really is something special.
 
If you're after recommendations for integrated amps, of all the ones I've played with, a Belles Aria is the one that stood out and is staying.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. The Sugden I'd like to try, the Belles Aria was on my list. However, I emailed Belles UK (Nunu Distribution/Sound Academy) twice for information and didn't get a reply so am not interested anymore.

Regardless, I am amazed, literally at the performance of all the amplifiers I have here and could easily live with any of them for a long time.

All of them more enjoyable than either of the active systems I just sold.

Still, I will try a couple more, for fun rather than necessity.

If anything, my 'active' journey showed me that a/with higher costs come higher expectations ... which are not always met and b/ Class D is not my preferred topology.
 
Recently auditioned a rega elicit r & naim xs3, both were really good, xs3 edged it for me.

Also listened to a supernait 3 and that was special but quite a bit more money.
 
....the Belles Aria was on my list. However, I emailed Belles UK (Nunu Distribution/Sound Academy) twice for information and didn't get a reply so am not interested anymore.

Strange, that's not typical of their service. Unfortunately, I currently have their UK loaner Aria but happy to prompt them to contact you on it's return.
 
Strange, that's not typical of their service. Unfortunately, I currently have their UK loaner Aria but happy to prompt them to contact you on it's return.

you liking it yeh ? What did you have before if you don’t mint me asking ?
 
you liking it yeh ? What did you have before if you don’t mint me asking ?

It has to be about the best integrated I've come across. It is simply better than one would imagine for an integrated at that price.
Most recently I've tried an Exposure XXV, Sonneteer Alabaster, Krell KAV-300iL & Sony TAF-501ES in that system. I run a few other bits, including a Bel Canto EVO 200.2 power amp in the same system sometimes running from various sources and or Pre amps devices.

The Aria is just a traditional analogue amplifer, no dacs etc like many offer these days. It does have an inbuilt MM phono stage, which for me is just the waste of an input. It does have all the normal flexibilities of modern amps for HT integration I believe. Again of no interest to me in my system usage.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. The Sugden I'd like to try, the Belles Aria was on my list. However, I emailed Belles UK (Nunu Distribution/Sound Academy) twice for information and didn't get a reply so am not interested anymore.

Regardless, I am amazed, literally at the performance of all the amplifiers I have here and could easily live with any of them for a long time.

All of them more enjoyable than either of the active systems I just sold.

Still, I will try a couple more, for fun rather than necessity.

If anything, my 'active' journey showed me that a/with higher costs come higher expectations ... which are not always met and b/ Class D is not my preferred topology.

perhaps try another dealer like coherant , he is normally very responsive and active on forums

https://www.coherent-systems.co.uk/contact-us
 


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