2. amps-preamps
  3. 1046549181

Power and Pre amp HELP & Recommendations needed.

I want to switch to a power and pre setup. I have a Rotel RCD991 cd player and I have B&W Nautilus 804 speakers. I would appreciate any recommendations and advice on pre and power amp combos. I have $4000 to spend therefore I guess that means $2K for the power amp and $2K for the preamp.

I am looking at used gear. To date I have used solid state gear. I have heard several inexpensive tube preamps such as the SFL1 signature and was not impressed however I am open to trying a tube or SS preamp with a SS power amp.

Some questions I have are: Is it important to stay with the same manufacturer for synergy? Can you mix a tube preamp with a SS power amp? Advantages of tube vs. SS vs. digital power amps? Is it better to buy one powerful amp or two less powerful amps and use a biamplied set-up?

I listen to jazz most of the time at low to medium volume.

Any recommendations or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you
audioman999
krelldog
323 posts
 
Here is my suggestion- 750.00 will get you a used Adcom GFP 750. This is a great preamp. Spend 2K on a used Classe 200. Actually 2K will get you a used Krell,Levinson,etc. Spend the last 1K on interconnect and power cords. Matched with your Rotel and B&W's this would be a kick ass system.
dfarmer
20 posts
 
Well, it looks like you started building your system at the speakers and are working to the front. The Nautilus line is in my opinion a bit overkill for $4000 worth of amplification. I have the N803's with $8,000 of amplification and a $2,500 CD player.The 803's are way too revealing for the CD player but magic happens when i listen to them with my $6,700 analogue front end. The sound has always been lacking in any system I've owned where the speakers are as pricey or pricier than the front end (or amps). You would not believe how harmonic and rythmic music can be from just a small pair of $1000 2-ways with 10Gs of source and amplification wired up. If youre spending that much for N804's i don't think you'll be moved until you put about 3500 in a CD or TT front end regardless of what amps you use. you'll have volume, but no musical order and pace.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
I humbly suggest you check the archives.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I would check out a top shelf integrated at that price. I would recommend the BAT VK-300xSE or the Rowland Concentra. They both give you 150 wpc. If you need more power, then I would go seperate. It is not critical to stay in the same family for seperates, IMHO.

Regards,
John
More to discover