2. amps-preamps
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Help...Need a New Amp

My 20 yr old Adcom GFA 555 power amp just died. I have been in the process of ugrading my system over the last few years, but have not upgraded my amp. I have B&W N805s bi-wired with Cardas Cross, a Sunfire MK II sub, Bryston BP 25 pre amp, and an older Sony ES CD player. My tastes range the gamut, from classical and opera to rock. The system is used 50-50 between music and video. The question is what amp shall I buy? ...used is fine. Been reading a lot about Bryston, Classe and Krell. Looks like I can get second hand amps from all 3 around my price point of 1200-1500. Is there any amp I should stay away from from these manufacturers?....Is it better to spend more money to get more power (ie 200wpc) or a better amp with less power. I am assuming that in this price range I should notice a huge difference over the Adcom. Can anyone help?
mrrobbiem
eldarado
381 posts
 
I think you should add McCormack DNA225 ( they go for around 1500 used) to your list and yes I beleive you will see a nice improvement over the Adcom.

Good luck,

Burton
steuspeed's avatar
steuspeed
501 posts
 
McCormack is a good way to go. Some say the DNA .5 sounds better with less power. More power will generally give you tighter bass and more dynamics. If you have efficient speakers (89db and up) you don't need as much power. It depends on your listening habits too. Most listening is done with only the first few watts of power. You could match your pre-amp with a Bryston amp. Many people like these with 20 yr warranty too. Classe, Krell, Bryston, McCormack are all good, and there are many more. You might search for others that have tried many different brands of amps on B&W 805 speakers. I am sure they can help narrow your search.
telescope_trade
555 posts
 
If you can pop for $1650, you might want to look into
"Red Dragon" here on the Gon.
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