High quality amplifier and network player >200W
| Post removed |
I haven’t heard it myself but how about the Gold Note is-1000? Gold Note makes some nice gear, I do use their phono unit. https://www.monoandstereo.com/2018/12/the-gold-note-is-1000-is-growing.html?m=1#more |
I just bought the RN803 and will be returning it. It doesn't have enough power to drive my Polk 705 spkrs..Previously I had a Parasound 2250 driving them and they sounded great..With the RN803 they sound lifeless. I imagine that receiver might be fine for a pair of bookshelf spkrs but with 88db towers not so much... |
| Post removed |
To whom landed here from Google searches and might have a simmilar dillema - some explanations below. First, my rationale: I wanted clear, articluate, punchy bass. Therefore, I went for a floor-stander that goes down to 20Hz. Or at least to 25Hz. And I don't mean the 25Hz written in the spec sheet (-10dB/1m), but the one in tests, with room response at -6dB/2.5m. Further on, I looked for an amp that can sustain and control that bass. That is - at least 200W into 8 ohms which must double into 4 ohms. Also, for crystal-clear vocals and sparklinkg instruments (piano, violin, guitar), one must go for the best mid-range there is (usually only found in the reference series of speakers). Therefore, for top-notch sound in the bass and mid-range, you'd want a "flagship", "higher-end", "signature", "reference", "top of the line" amplifier and speakers, plus cabling, room treatment and good speaker positioning. Here are the finalists - partially extracted from StereoPlay's latest rank (June 2019) combined with my personal research. https://www.connect.de/filedownload/documents/118662796/610-rang-und-namen-stereoplay-2019-06.pdf Reference class A/B amps with DAC and at least 200W/8 ohm which doubles into 4 ohms (approximate MSRP prices): - Gryphon Diablo 300 (18k with DAC) - Mark Levinson Nº 585 (14k) - McIntosh MA9000 (13k) - Hegel H590 (10k) - Maranz PM10 (Class D, 10k) - Audionet DNA (10k) - Perreaux 255i (8k) - Krell Digital Vanguard (7.8k) - Anthem STR (6k) - Hegel H390 (6k) Reference Speakers that in-room go below 30Hz at -6dB/2.5m (approximate MSRP prices): - KEF Blade Two (25k) - Bowers & Wilkins 802 D3 (22k) - Canton Reference 1K (20k) - Monitor Audio Platinum PL500 II (20k) - Focal Sopra No. 3 (20k) - Audio Physic Avantera III (20k) - Dynaudio Confidence 30 (20k) - KEF Reference 5 (19k) - Sonus Faber Amati Tradition (18k) - Bowers & Wilkins 803 D3 (17k) - Wilson Audio Sabrina (16k) - Focal Sopra No. 2 (14k) - Focal Kanta No. 3 (13k) - Canton Reference 3K (10k) - Dynaudio Contour 60 (10k) - Nubert nuVero 170 (9k) - Bowers & Wilkins 804 D3 (9k) I got (May 2019) a Hegel H590 + Canton Reference 3K combo for ~9k euro (MSRP 20k) and they sound heavenly The Canton Reference 3K in-room goes just a bit below 30Hz - but for lower bass I had to spend more - much more :( The Hegel H590 best matched what I was searching for because of its detailed, neutral, crystal-clear DAC/amp and bass control. Also the lack of phono amp, headphone amp, tone controls, fancy/gloomy aesthetics and other features that I don't use/need - instead, the H590 focuses only on the things that matter to me the most: detailed sound, musicality, bass control, dynamics (it can deliver up to 2.2kW per channel into 1 ohm!), noise floor, quality DAC, basic streamer, minimal design etc. Note that I listen mostly to acoustic music - jazz, ambient, chill-out, piano, instrumental and classical in a 25 square meter room. Cheers! |
