Recommend you keep your integrated (for now) and buy a used pair of Harbeth M-40.1's. Despite the 40.1's low efficiency rating, they have a benign impedance curve and are relatively easy to drive. The 40.1's are a major step up in sound quality from the smaller Harbeth's in my experience. If you go with 40.1's and eventually feel you need more power and want to stick with solid state, you can upgrade to a JOB 225 amp ($1,700 new), a used Bryston 3BSST2 or a Pass Labs 150.5 around $2K used. I prefer tube amps and have successfully used and recommend the following tube amps with M-40.1's: VAC PHI 200 ($5.5K used) or McIntosh MC275 MKIV ($3.5K used). Once you experience sound from a good tube amp you may find it hard to go back to solid state... at least that has been my experience.
solid state amp power
Currently I have an LFD Mark IV (60 watts) driving a pair of Harbeth C7ES-3. I've caught upgrade-itis. I'm thinking about going to the Super HL5-Plus and if I do that I'm going to replace my whole system. The reason being that I want to use a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC as the source, in which case I no longer need an integrated amp. I want to try running the DAC directly to an amp. My question is then, which amp to get?
I want to use a solid state amp but I'm finding it diffictult to find an interesting amp that is not integrated and produces less than 100 WPC. Additionally, I don't want an amp that runs hot at idle. Currently I never turn my LFD over 30% volume unless I'm listening to it from the next room so, even 60 WPC is far more than I need.
If I can't find an amp I like under 100 WPC, I may try the Classé CA-D200, which is 200 WPC. Is this powerful amp going to be too loud for me at even the lowest settings?
Any advice is welcome.
I want to use a solid state amp but I'm finding it diffictult to find an interesting amp that is not integrated and produces less than 100 WPC. Additionally, I don't want an amp that runs hot at idle. Currently I never turn my LFD over 30% volume unless I'm listening to it from the next room so, even 60 WPC is far more than I need.
If I can't find an amp I like under 100 WPC, I may try the Classé CA-D200, which is 200 WPC. Is this powerful amp going to be too loud for me at even the lowest settings?
Any advice is welcome.