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$1,500 Amp budget - Best options?

I have narrowed my speaker search down to a set of B&W 803S or 803D.

Question. What are the best options to power these speakers with amp budget of around $1500? I'll be using my Marantz 5006 as the pre. Yes, I know there are some more expensive options that may offer a bit more quality, but this is what it is and I'm sticking to it. After I get my options, I'll try to audition as much as possible.

So far I'm considering a new Emotiva XPA-2 or used Bryston 4B-ST. What else do you'all think I should be looking at?

Thanks!
rave426
sufentanil's avatar
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sufentanil
782 posts
 
There are lots of great options here. I just looked up the B&W 803D and it says nominal impedance of 8 ohms, min 3 ohms, and 90 db efficiency. Conventionally I've seen B&W's as better driven by solid-state (rather than tube) amps, so I will limit my options to solid-state, although a bigger tube amp might be just fine, too.

Just to name one, an amp that I feel is great for the price that could drive the B&W's well would be the Marsh A400. You should be able to find one used for around $1000.

Michael
stickman451
553 posts
 
Try a NAD C275 BEE. It's rated at 150 watts but can do much higher peaks for very brief periods; it drove my Magnepan 3.6's with no problems. It's smooth and even balanced with a sweet top and midrange and plenty of grunt for the bass. A good used C275 can be had for around $800.

Is it as good as my $8,000 Cary 500 monoblocks? No, but it is darn close.
tstan7777
17 posts
 
I have very little experience other than reading these boards, but I always read great things about McCormack. Don't know how they would mate with the b&w's though
sacman
125 posts
 
A Bryston 4B-ST or for $500 extra, a pair of Bryston 7B monos. I think the 7BST monos from Bryston will make these babies sing.

QN
jl35
3,966 posts
 
I was amazed at the sound of Odyssey Khartago Extreme SE on my fiends Dali MS4, amp was filling in for Thor tube mono blocks. And the Odyssey is even under your budget new.
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