Help me power my Kappa 8.1's please!
Given your budget, you will need to get an integrated amp. Forget dual monos unless you plan to spend multiple thousands. And just so you know, An integrated amp is a combination of a basic preamp and power amp. If you used a stereo power amp or dual mono amps, then you would also need a basic preamp. |
As one member here said, "Bi-wiring may or may not make a difference, and if it makes a difference, it may or may not be better." Some speakers have actually been designed for Bi-wiring, but for the majority, it's just "audio fashion." Bi-amping done properly means you would need to bypass the speaker's internal crossover and use an external crossover. Keep it simple with one quality amp and a single run of speaker cable, you'll have less headaches and more enjoyment. Here's a good read... https://www.qacoustics.co.uk/blog/2016/06/08/bi-wiring-speakers-exploration-benefits/ I already have bi-wire speaker cables. If nothing else, it's less resistance. But I do hear a difference. It's subtle. I noticed a much bigger difference when I wired my speakers in parallel (ch A to High Fr and ch B to Low Fr) on each speaker. I did this with my cheap Sony 2 channel amp (100W per channel @ 8ohm) and ran A+B at moderate volume levels for a month or so before someone told me I was crazy to do that and so I stopped and went back to bi-wire. Its a cheap amp though and it sounded WAY better so I'm thinking about doing it again! There was more separation, and energy, especially through the midrange. I don't know the internals of this specific amp but it made everything sound better. This is why I want to bi-amp these speakers if I'm going to spend money on an upgrade... |
The Audire Otez can be found at the top of your budget. It’s not pretty, but it’s a powerhouse that sounds absolutely wonderful. Mine has dislodged McIntosh monoblocks among many other fine, higher dollar amps. This amp drives the hell out of my ADS L2030’s. While they’re more efficient and an easier load than your Infinities, I don’t think it’ll break a sweat given it can double down all the way to 800 wpc at 2 ohms. There’s one on Reverb now that I know can be had just over your budget (~$1000 + shipping). Might be able to find another one for less if you’re patient, but they don't come up for sale very often. |
Thanks @matt0404, will look into that one tonight... Any love for the Onkyo Integra A-8170 in the forum?? One came up locally on CL and it got me thinking. For $250!? Super sounding integrated amplifier. The amp is conservatively rated at 80 watts at 8 ohm per channel, and more than double at 4 ohms, and has lots of audio headroom. The amp will drive low impedance speaker loads without strain. |
