Maybe I missed it, but which Harbeth's?
Lot's of opinions about amps that will sound great with your Harbeth's, without knowing the model, or perhaps an assumption you have a version of the 40's given the stated power requirement of 200-300 wpc.
Integrated amp: Component weight
I'm an older guy with a bad back looking to spend $5-10K on an integrated amp. Before I get into functionality, connectivity, or even sound quality, my threshold considerations are price, power, and weight. My 86dB-sensitivity Harbeths do best with the equivalent of a 200-300wpc solid-state unit, I need to drive a variety of analog & digital sources, hope to keep weight under 40lbs, and want to stay away from "classic" Class D designs. Been there, done that, D simply didn't work in my system.
My question: Does anybody know of any published listing of amplifiers that compares products by weight or size?
So far, I've only found a few 15-35lb models that meet this initial filter, from sellers like Ayre, Devialet, & Bryston, and, surprisingly, even ARC. However, there are connectivity & functionality issues that make these otherwise-terrific options a poor fit.
Any suggestions?
- ...
- 112 posts total
@stuartk Yes, the Hegel is a contender, although I'm looking for something more along the lines of an H590 than a 390, in terms of SQ. Which gets me back into the 50lb range @elliottbnewcombjr Well, I have to respectfully disagree. Ayre makes a great-sounding 24lb $10K 300wpc integrated that boasts an enormous feature set. In that same SQ-class, $6-11K 150-250wpc Devialet & Bryston integrateds come in at 13lbs & 26lbs respectively. Bryston is Class AB & Devialet apparently uses a very different type of D topology that incorporates a Class A output stage. So good-sounding lightweight integrateds are are out there. Even if they're outliers. |
Marantz: This model is closer to 50 pounds and doesn’t have any preamp or sub outputs. So unfortunately not a good fit. McIntosh: A buddy of mine who is a lifelong Mac fan steered me away from this model. I’m looking for a higher-end upgrade and he felt that the output-stage design, which omits some important feature of higher-end Mac amps (I dunno, I trust this guy & you could look it up), would not make it a good match for what I was trying to do. Also, he strongly recommended upgrading to the DAC2 module, which he says is a major upgrade, but that costs a few thousand dollars and can’t be done at home by an owner. The more expensive Mac integrateds, don’t have these constraints, but they’re probably too heavy for me. So regretfully, I had to rule out a Mac solution. Somebody asked for a reference point: I’m willing to shell out $10K for an integrated, even if that means another couple thousand for an outboard DAC/streamer. So that’s why I originally looked at products like the Ayre EX-8, Devialet Expert Pro 220, & Hegel H590 or H600. The suggestion to go with separates is a good one. The only reason I’m just starting to investigate that strategy is b/c, given my other constraints, things start to get really complicated. Sometimes I think I should just simplify things & go for the 80/20 rule: Buy a suite of matched products from the same mfr & not obsess too much about sound quality. HiFi Rose & Bryston come immediately to mind as providing all-in-one solutions, and although neither is quite in the class with the alternatives I’ve been struggling with, they’re both reputed to be not that far off.
|
- 112 posts total