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Help me find an amp (with a precise list of specifications)

ex brickie

ex brickie

pfm Member
Some of you will have seen my thread about a replacement to my all in one ATC SIACD. It will be going back to the ATC doctors soon as the input selections are temperamental.

I will probably sell it on and replace because it doesn't have a tape out facility.

Whilst boxing it up to send off I borrowed a Meridian 551 integrated amp as a back-up. On the plus side it drove my Boenicke speakers (4ohms and drop to 2 ohms) without breaking into a sweat (my ATC runs very warm). However, the sound from the 551 was not as refined as the ATC , nor as detailed (no surprise as it would have been a cheaper amp). In particular it is a bit splashy/tizzy in the treble - which is not like any Meridian tuners and CD players I've owned which tend to be on the warm side. It is also less detailed than the ATC

I've given up on finding an all-in-one that meets all my needs so I want an integrated amp that is as good as the ATC but MUST have ALL the following:

at least 3 RCA inputs (I use a tuner and CD)
at least 2 digital inputs (ideally a coax and a Toslink but two of the same can be made to work)
a tape out function (RCA)
ability to drive greedy speakers (Boenickes) but only to very moderate levels in a 14 x 12 room

Doesn't particularly need a phono stage but it would be a bonus

Please don't recommend anything that doesn't have ALL of the above. I've seen loads with tape out. And loads with digital in. Few with both. Often they are lower in the range amps - I want the same quality as the ATC - and if anything on the neutral to warm side

Ex-dem or secondhand absolutely fine. Assuming I sell or part-ex the ATC I could spend a total of £1500 to £2000. I don't mind something a few years old provided it is a brand strong on reliability

I like Rega amps but havent seen one that meets all the needs (and some of the marketing blurb says only for speakers at 6-8 ohms?). I've owned a Moon CD but not an amp so no idea whether they fit the brief.
Naim in dem rooms have always been to forward for my taste

Suggestions please
 
Linn Majik DSM/3 (the previous model). It should be able to drive your speakers fine, has all the features you desire plus a very good streamer and room correction, sounds very good… as always, if you can try before you buy, then do.

If it weren’t for your I/O requirements, a Hegel would have been idea too.
 
Typically you will find that Japanese amps have all the inputs/outputs you need. Such as a Denon PMA-A110.

You might find a used Parasound Hint 6 within budget…
 
Thanks all. My thoughts so far.....

Linn amps I've owned have always been thin sounding and far from warm. Have they changed?

I've had an old Exposure pre + 2 monos before (this was several years ago and the amps were a few years old then) - found it all a bit dull and lacking detail. Again - have they improved? What's their house sound?

I agree re Japanese amps having bells and whistles but I don't know of any recent models with the SQ of ATC, Rega etc

As I've already said, I've never heard a Naim amp that isn't too forward for me (last time I heard one was 4 years ago). Again, have they changed?
 
One of the Yamaha smart receivers? Available from Richer Sounds, lots of fans on here. They have a built in Dac so would just need a CD transport.
 
Folks - I have no idea about the Yamaha or other amps available in high street retailers but can suggestions please ensure they capture my needs for something with sound quality equal to the ATC - not just any amps which have loads of sockets? And with the grunt ability to drive low efficiency speakers

Thanks!
 
The Hegel 390 first the bill by the look of it but way too expensive

On the older Hegel 160 there’s an oddly named RCA input called ‘Home theatre max level input’. What’s that about? Does it do the same as a standard analogue RCA input? If so, I might be able to make do with 2 analogue inputs. It seems to have a fixed output that can be used as a tape function?
 
Just read a 160 review and it says the Theatre input bypasses the volume control. What are they doing?! So that option falls by the wayside …..
 
I think the Musical Fidelity Encore 225 ticks the boxes - but no idea what it’s SQ is like. I’ve heard a Nu Vista 800 which was very smooth, detailed and textured but that is a different league and price point
 
Some of the current Marantz range of amplifiers will drive your Boenicke’s and they also have tape out. I’m using the KI-Ruby which does 100w into 8 ohms and doubles into 4. My speakers are the Boenicke W5se.
 
Just had a look at the online manual for the Marantz and couldn’t see any digital input sockets on the back panel?
 
ex brickie said:
Folks - I have no idea about the Yamaha or other amps available in high street retailers but can suggestions please ensure they capture my needs for something with sound quality equal to the ATC - not just any amps which have loads of sockets? And with the grunt ability to drive low efficiency speakers

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Mm, could just do your own research. Seeing as someone on here replaced a high end Naim system with one you should perhaps lose the attitude?
 
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