Looking for 200 watt Amp to drive Dynaudio Heritage speakers
Hi Everyone -
BACKGROUND
A few years ago, during Covid and after having worked for so many years without really treating myself to a sound system, I took the plunge and started purchasing audio equipment. Unfortunately, I was a terribly uninformed audio buyer and dove in with some purchases that were not terribly well considered. Oh well.
So here we are today... I have a pair of Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers that I was considering selling.
The Dynaudio Heritage Special speakers require power to open up. Driven at 100 watts, they sound a little anemic and the treble dominates at lower levels. So they ended up in the closet for the last year with plans to sell them. In retrospect, the dealer I purchased them suggested a lower wattage amp than was advisable.
For my primary system, I'm now running QLN Prestige Three speakers with a Conrad Johnson Classic 120 EL34 amp, LTA Microzotl preamp, Merason DAC1 and Innuos Zenith. The sound of this system is wonderful - ethereal, nuanced, great soundstage and imaging. Very relaxing combo.
I'm thinking of cycling the Dynaudio into circulation for a few months a year to change things up. I'm looking for a 200 Watt Solid State Amp. But here's the thing, I'm getting older and lugging heavy things around - especially when stairs are part of the equation - is terribly unappealing. 50-55 pounds is pretty much my limit right now.
I had some Pass Labs amps in for home demos and the thing was a back breaker. I think it was 80 pounds or so. My days of pseudo body building are over... so lugging that thing up and down stairs is something I NEVER want to do again.
QUESTION FOR THE FORUM
Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced solid state 200 watt SS amp - no more than 50-55 pounds - that I can use to enjoy these Dynaudio Heritage Speakers? Class AB or Class D, obviously. For weight considerations, I'm really open to a Class D amp, assuming it sounds good.
Budget is $5K or under - new or used.
In terms of what I'm looking for - and given my weight requirements - I'd say the primary thing I'm looking to avoid is overt brightness. Otherwise, I'm pretty open to what suggestions the forum might have. Thanks in advance!
@marco1 That has nothing to do with the class of operation and everything to do with how the class D amp is designed. |
@atmasphere I am not necessarily disputing you. It’s an observation on my part based on the Class D amps that I have either owned, or listened to in my systems. My point here is the more I listen to Class D amps and the more I read comments or talk to others regarding their listening experiences with Class D amps, it seems that lack of soul or engagement is a common theme more so than other critiques. This includes the most recent technologies I just listened to at the Capitol Expo, as well. Everyone’s mileage will obviously vary. |
@marco1 I get that- I've experienced that myself. I think that comes from the designer not understanding that just because the amp is high efficiency that they still need to have a really robust power supply. If its not there the amp wimps out when you turn up the volume. There's more to it than that of course. In exploring class D amps over the last 20 years, my impression is they vary in sound more than the worst to the best tube amps do. That's a pretty wide range. I've been playing triode class A amps for most of the last 45 years if that's any help in understanding where I'm coming from... |
Everyone describes what they hear based on their own impressions, so I can only speak to my impressions of the Class D Acoustic Imagery Atsah monoblocks, that I owned for over a year. Those amps were built using the very same Hypex NC1200 modules used in the Merrill VERITAS monoblocks, and in Bruno Putzeys’ own Mola Mola Kaluga monoblocks. As I wrote in these forums in 2021, the Atsah’s sounded, “dry, or at least dry’ish and lacking in that last touch of "realness," which better amplifiers are able to convey.” A similar impression was conveyed in a review of the Mola Mola Kalugas, where the reviewer for “Mono & Stereo” wrote, “All notes were there but the illusion of musicians standing in front of me wasn`t convincing at all. The music didn`t sound inviting and involving, it was just… there. The emotional content was missing and the tonal colours were somewhat bleached. For lovers of analog reproduction and concert goers the sound could also be quite fatiguing and plain boring." To me, those impressions are mostly consistent with the current comment, “lack of soul or engagement." |
