Thanks @soix. As always I highly appreciate your support!
Currently Lampi Poseidon works as a PRE too. I also borrowed Auralic S1 streamer. So I suppose the old Arcam PA is indeed the weakest link. Any recommendations for a power amp?
System advice
I’m still a newbie to audio world, but a couple years ago I got Monitor Audio Platinum PL II speakers with XLO Signature cables (good old stuff), Arcam Alpha 9 amp & preamp and Naim CD5 XS with FlatCap XS. Sound was great for me - juicy, involving, deep. But then I was talked into having the whole stack from Naim. I replaced Arcam amp/preamp with Naim NAC XS 152 & Naim NAP 155 XS. I was told it will be an upgrade from Arcam and that having full stack from Naim will provide great synergy.
The problem is.. I almost stopped listening to the music right after this change. There’s something unpleasant in the sound. There’s a lot of details, good resolution but... I don’t feel amused anymore.
Recently I understood that there is no synergy between speakers/cables and amp/preamp. It’s like some sweetness, warm is missing in this sound..
But now I have no idea in what direction I should go. Any advice for a noobie?
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Really depends on what sound characteristics are most important to you. I know you’re looking for better bass, but a lot of amps will easily give you that. And I think you’re finding the sound a little on the bright side? Anything else? Also, where would you be buying the amp from and what’s your budget? Are you only buying used? |
After I changed the source from Naim CD XS to Lampizator Poseidon there is no sign of the brightness, even bass is just fine right now somehow. I really like what Lampi does to the sound and I would like to add more of that magic to new amp. A pinch of sweetness and roundness would be appreciated but without a loss of timing, dynamics, resolution and other things that are available in most of solid state systems. Is it possible to have it all? :-) In case of tube amplifiers I think a push-pull amp would have enough juice to drive Joseph Pulsars and provide a pinch of tube sweetness. I’ve been thinking about buying used PA. My budget would be about 6000 USD.
Any thoughts on Octave RE 320? People rave about Octave in Europe. |
Don’t know what PA is. I love Octave and would own it myself, but at 75 Wpc I’d be a little concerned if it has enough power. Also, from what I’ve read of Octave their house sound is on the neutral side as tube amps go but that may work for what you’re looking for. Personally I’d like at least 100Wpc on tap, but depending on the design of the Octave it may still work. Personally I think that Octave would sound magical in your system as long as it has enough power. Another one I would look at would be the Unison Unico 90 that’s a hybrid and was recently reviewed by Michael Lavorgna… https://twitteringmachines.com/review-unison-research-unico-90-integrated-amplifier/ |
@soix PA is short form of power amplifier, I saw it in Ayon Audio so I thought it's in common use. Sorry for that! Octave RE 320 provides, based on the documentation: "maximum output power of approx. 2 x 130 W with two tubes in push-pull mode. The performance bandwidth of the RE 320 extends from 5 Hz to 85 kHz. The pulse power can even reach over 200 watts. ". 130 WPC on pentode mode, 75WPC on triode mode. I guess you are concerned about triode mode? I suppose more triode power will require much more expensive monoblocks.
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