I'm using an ARC SP16 w phono and it sounds great. Not to pricey and they come up every now and then. Mating it with a Bryston 3BST at the moment in conjunction with SCE Harmonic Recovery System to help with impedance matching. I also swap out to Quicksilver V4 Mono's. Different sounding amps for sure, but each have their strong points. Still experimenting myself. Cables make a difference as well. Good luck with your research.
Matching an amp to the Vandersteen 3a signatures
Hello all! I just purchased a used pair of Vandersteen 3A signatures and need to find some amplification to drive them. The problem I'm having is my budget. I've seen a number of people recommending amps for these speakers such as Audio Research and and Ayre amps, but these tend to fall outside of my budget range. I'm looking for something in the $3000 or under range new, or under 2300 dollars used. This would need to cover both power amplification and linestage pre-amplification. I will be sitting about 8 feet from the speakers, and like to listen to a lot of rock and modern pop. I tend to like a detailed but relaxed, laid back sound with plenty of bass. I'd like to have some tubes in my system if possible, but realize that this might not be practical at my price point. I've been thinking about maybe a Cayin A100T or maybe a Rogue Tempest, but don't think that would provide enough power. What do people who can't afford ARC gear use with their 3A Vandies? Any advice is appreciated.