Recommendation for a highly resolving amp

My friends room is significantly larger than mine, so the comparison is really apples and oranges. I can't do anything about the tiny size of my room. Since I do not own a Roon, I don't know how to get the room analyzed. I am using Audiosensibility cables, which are considered one of the best reasonably priced cables.

I am also realizing that the needle never even goes close to the midline, which marks the class A limit of 40W. So, even though ESL are considered power hungry and my M545 is 86db, I think I could get by with around 100 W.

I would try the Sim audio 860 V 2

Your equipment is great. It’s the room that is the problem. Take your gear to your friend’s room and then see how it sounds. Or, spend and spend on equipment to no avail.

Sounds about right to me. 

The Convolution stuff I mentioned cost me $750 for the software service + $100 for a mic. I also repurposed a camera tripod for the mic. You do not need ROON to run this DSP filter. I mistakenly thought you ran ROON. Convolution also works with JRiver ($75)  and likely other streaming clients. This Convolution DSP is better than anything any hardware vendor stuffs into their preamps or other audio devices.

I did not know how to use the mic or do any measurement for my small room with big speakers. However, the instructions were clear and the guidance via email was also available. It was simple to generate that measurement data file and then send it to the audio engineer.

BTW - the Sim Audio 860 is a favorite of mine. A very neutral and clean sounding amp. Sort of like the AHB2.

I should add that I inserted a new acoustic panel to cover my CD rack and also moved the audio rack further away from the speaker. The audio rack is on the side wall of this very small room.

When I did this my 'old' Convolution filter no longer sounded good because the room measures differently. So I no longer use the old Convolution. If I were to use Convolution again I need to have the room re-measured and a new Convolution created. I am not planning to do this because my changes made the room sound good enough without the Convolution.

I will certainly consider the room treatment. Mean while, I want to go back to the amp question.

@yyzsantabarbara, are you talking about Simaudio 860 or V2? How do they compare with W8?