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Integrated/DAC Suggestions

Hi all,

I'm looking for some suggestions on an Integrated Amp/DAC, preferably in-one, to drive my Linn Majik 109 bookshelf speakers that are rated at 4 ohms. Source is all digital through USB: either Spotify, Tidal, or FLAC, routed into my listening room which is 15'x12'. 

The three that I'm taking a hard look at are the NuPrime IDA 8, Hegel H80, and NuPrime IDA 16, ordered according to price (1000, 1500, 2500 respectively). The Majiks at 4 ohms I think should benefit most from higher wattage, but I wanted to get your opinion on whether I could get away with the NuPrime IDA 8 which claims to output 100W per channel at 8 and 4 ohms (shouldn't it be 50W at 4 ohms?). Alternatively, the H80 is rated at 125W @ 4 ohms and has stellar reviews. The IDA 16 much the same, at 200W @ 4 ohms.

I can probably demo the Hegel but the NuPrimes will be harder in my area I think. Appreciate your insight!  

   
horndog
jl35
4,017 posts
 
I just got the H80 and I'm very happy with it. Driving 4 ohm Dali Helicon 300 speakers in a smallish room, it has plenty of power. I like having the option of analogue connections.
skoczylas's avatar
skoczylas
240 posts
 
Nice speakers but I am not very familiar with them so take this all with a grain of salt.

I have the Hegel H200 (no dac) and love it. Really liked the sound of all the Hegels I have heard, and think they have a great implementation of the dac for the price. I think you couldn't go wrong with the H80 if you like the Hegel sound. They also have a high dampening factor which it is said improves the push and pull on the speaker drivers. I think this means that whatever wattage they list would be robust rather than lean (others may correct me on this). 

The nuprime look nice on paper but I would want to be sure to hear it, see it and feel it, given it is a new endeavor by the nuforce team. Or at the very least I would want to hear from Agoners who own it or heard it for their impressions. I do not know anyone who has heard it. 

Other options are the Bel Canto integrated and Parasound Halo. I didn't like the Bel Canto sound on the three speakers I tried it on, but many people do, so you may try it. The price of the new 7i seems pretty high but perhaps you could find a demo or used one or the 5i. They come up used from time to time.

The Parasound Halo integrated also has many fans. I haven't heard this particular Parasound but in general they make great products. 

One final idea - if space or simplification is your concern for a 'one box' approach, I had the same concern and chose a great integrated without a dac (the H200) and matched it with the Halide DAC HD, which is tiny, sounds great, and has no more footprint than the USB/RCA wires. This does limit the DAC input to USB rather than optical, but it works great for me.

Good luck. 
albireo13
78 posts
 
One thing the IDA8 has a sub-out but the H80 doesn't. 
Dont know if that is important to you.

everest_audio
285 posts
 
albireo13, the latest Hegel H80 now has preamp out. The earlier ones didn't.
albireo13
78 posts
 
You're right
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