Will an Amp change improve my system ?


My system is WiiM pro ( a great device for $149 !) and a Cambridge CXC V2 CD transport for digital input going into a Schiit Yggdrasil+ DAC going to a Schiit Freya+ preamp into a PS Audio S300 amp into Harbeth 30.2 XD speakers. I am considering replacing the S300 with one of the following: PASS XA-25, Coda S5.5, Benchmark AHB2, or tube Primaluna EVO 400, used Rogers EHF-100 or 200, used Luxman MQ 88uc. I like my current system and wonder if an amp change would improve it significantly ?

carl292

My room is 12' X 24' and heavily carpeted. I run the Freya+ in tube mode. I forgot to mention I have a REL T/5X Sub. My cables are Audioquest, Kimber, and Cardas lower end. I had a Marantz model 8B amp  and 7C preamp running Rogers LS3/5A speakers and I loved it. Lots of helpful comments so far and I appreciate all of them. Another idea would be mono blocks like Schiit Tyr. BTW, the book Schiit Happened by Jason and Mike available on Amazon is an excellent read imo. 

I’d get another REL if I were you before changing amps, and run them off the speaker taps.

And get some good sub cables from designacable.com in the U.K. (half the price of the REL blue cable upgrade)

I have owned the following:

  • CODA #8 (own CODA #16 now)
  • Schitt Freya+
  • Schitt Yggi+ OG and Yggi+ LIM (own these 2 now)
  • Benchmark AHB2
  • Schitt Mjolnir v3

I tried the Freya+ with the CODA #8 and did not like the amount of warmth I had. I liked the AHB2 and Freya+ the best with all the amps I used with the Freya+. I was not a big fan of the Freya+ and find that the Claas A Schitt Mjolnir v3 is better than the Freya+. Though it does not have a remote.

You have a lot of warm gear piling on top of each other. I know people like that type of setup, but I find a nudge towards neutrality when having a lot of warm gear really works for me. That is why the Benchmark AHB2 is what I would use if you keep the Freya+.

The Yggi+ LIM is my warm DAC. I need it for my bright headphones, where the Yggi+ OG is too revealing.

The AHB2 can be obtained from Benchmark for a 30-day home trial. If you want to spend a lot more the SimAudio 761 amp is what I consider the next version of the AHB2.

Another option is keeping all of the existing gear and try the Benchmark LA4 replacing the Freya+. It will be a totally different sound. A home demo is another option for the LA4.

BTW - I am trying to sell my Sanders Magtech (500 | 900 @ 8 | 4) that I use with Magnepan Minis because I need a different standby setup than the Sanders uses (it is automatic). It is an excellent amp. I am thinking of the new Schitt Wutan which can be put to standby manually. The Sanders would work nicely like the AHB2 to balance out a warm setup. It is warmer than the AHB2,

 

@OP GHD Prentice's post sums up the amplifiers very well. I would also add that if you like your Harbeths, then you will like the Pass. However, if you predominantly listen to rock music or large scale classical, and depending on your room size and seating position, you might want something with a bit more power - but that needs to be real power and not just watts on paper.

My opinion: run away from benchmark unless you like highly detailed sound! Check out the newer PS Audio amps/integrated amps, much better sounding than their older stuff. In the past, I purchased the top of the line Hegel integrated amps over the pass integrated, the Hegel sounded more natural and had a lot more power. Then when I got bigger speakers I went with the newer BHK PS Audio separate amp. Even the new class D ps audio amps sound very good.
Another opinion since your all digital like I am, I go straight from my dac to my amp, no need for a preamp as long as your dac has very good volume control. When I sold off all my analog stuff many years ago, I had a $5000 preamp and when I bypassed the preamp and went straight from the dac to the amp, sq improved, so I sold the preamp with the extra set of cables.