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Looking for 200 watt Amp to drive Dynaudio Heritage speakers

Hi Everyone - 

BACKGROUND 


A few years ago, during Covid and after having worked for so many years without really treating myself to a sound system, I took the plunge and started purchasing audio equipment. Unfortunately, I was a terribly uninformed audio buyer and dove in with some purchases that were not terribly well considered. Oh well. 

So here we are today... I have a pair of Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers that I was considering selling.

The Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers require power to open up. Driven at 100 watts, they sound a little anemic and the treble dominates at lower levels. So they ended up in the closet for the last year with plans to sell them. In retrospect, the dealer I purchased them suggested a lower wattage amp than was advisable. 

For my primary system, I'm now running QLN Prestige Three speakers with a Conrad Johnson Classic 120 EL34 amp, LTA Microzotl preamp, Merason DAC1 and Innuos Zenith. The sound of this system is wonderful - ethereal, nuanced, great soundstage and imaging. Very relaxing combo. 

I'm thinking of cycling the Dynaudio into circulation for a few months a year to change things up. I'm looking for a 200 Watt Solid State Amp. But here's the thing, I'm getting older and lugging heavy things around - especially when stairs are part of the equation - is terribly unappealing. 50-55 pounds is pretty much my limit right now.  

I had some Pass Labs amps in for home demos and the thing was a back breaker. I think it was 80 pounds or so. My days of pseudo body building are over... so lugging that thing up and down stairs is something I NEVER want to do again. 

QUESTION FOR THE FORUM 

Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced solid state 200 watt SS amp - no more than 50-55 pounds - that I can use to enjoy these Dynaudio Heritage Speakers? Class AB or Class D, obviously. For weight considerations, I'm really open to a Class D amp, assuming it sounds good. 

Budget is $5K or under - new or used. 

In terms of what I'm looking for - and given my weight requirements - I'd say the primary thing I'm looking to avoid is overt brightness. Otherwise, I'm pretty open to what suggestions the forum might have. Thanks in advance! 
 

128x128bluethinker
mitch2
3,983 posts
 

@atmasphere - No argument on the possibility of better sounding Class D amplifiers.  I think some of the perception problem is due to the level of hype surrounding each new amplifier release, which peaked with those Hypex NC1200 amplifiers when several reviewers declared them "as good as Class A".  They were not as good as the two Class A amps I owned at the time, Clayton M300s and Lamm M1.2 Reference.  They did some stuff nicely including well-damped (maybe a little over-damped) bass, nice tone, macro impact, and smoothness, but compared to the amplifiers I have enjoyed most, they came out a little flat and uninspiring for $9K amps.  I believe I once described the sound as musicians each playing in a separate room instead of a band playing together.  There was something about the ambient sounds that was not coherent as it is in real life.

I would love to hear a pair of small, light amplifiers that overcome that issue.  OTOH, my somewhat large heavy amps sit in one spot, don't bother anyone and sound great, plus I can lift them if I need to, so I have no reason to change anything.

audio_is_subjective
52 posts
 

No one said you had to change. People said the same about the automobile, my ox cart works great. 

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,810 posts
 

@audio_is_subjective You have a cart to carry your oxen??

bobheinatz
722 posts
 

This is a old thread so I am not sure if the OP found a amp for his Heritage Specials or not.  I own the Hertiage Specials and have had a love and hate relationship with them but I really love how they sound once they have enough power behind them.  I when from owning tubes  for over 40+ years to the Boulder 866 to drive them.

 

You will never really how how they sound without a great amp.  The HS is a completely different speaker with the Boulder.  They are not cheap but worth checking out.

mitch2
3,983 posts
 

If still looking, amps I always wanted to try but never did are the Gato PWR-222 monoblocks - 250wpc.  They also offer a variety of integrated amplifiers from 150-250wpc.

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