Nice speakers. If I were you I’d buy a NuPrime IDA-8 integrated from Audio Advisor. It’s $1095, and they offer a 30-day return policy so you can see if it makes nice improvements over your AVR, which it certainly should (read the reviews). It has a nice DAC and also a subwoofer out for your Hsu. I think you should be able to do without the bass management by playing with speaker placement (pull them out from the wall as far as you can) and adjusting your sub settings. Buy a used Bluesound Node 2i for streaming and you should be good to go. That’s what I’d do FWIW, and best of luck.
Move From AVR to Integrated?
I know this topic gets thrown around a lot, but I recently bought a pair of Ascend Acoustic Sierra 1s I love and a Hsu VTF2 MK5 subwoofer. Right now, I'm using a Denon AVR-X2600H to power them.
I hear a lot of chatter that I'm not getting the most out of my speakers using the AVR. The drawback is my room is not treated, and I like having the bass management.
It seems difficult to find an integrated with 100wpc+, ability to stream things like Tidal, that also has ability to at least EQ the low bass, and have the ability to connect to digital sources like a PS4/5. I do like the idea of a better built power source, and I will never go past 2.1 or 2.2. Most of what I do is music and TV.
Any suggestions? Ideally I'd like to stay under 1200.
I hear a lot of chatter that I'm not getting the most out of my speakers using the AVR. The drawback is my room is not treated, and I like having the bass management.
It seems difficult to find an integrated with 100wpc+, ability to stream things like Tidal, that also has ability to at least EQ the low bass, and have the ability to connect to digital sources like a PS4/5. I do like the idea of a better built power source, and I will never go past 2.1 or 2.2. Most of what I do is music and TV.
Any suggestions? Ideally I'd like to stay under 1200.
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- 87 posts total
@soix Thanks for the recommendation. Looks like a cool integrated amp. I hadn't really thought about it, but I suppose when it comes to Playstation I could connect hdmi from Playstation to TV, then coaxial from TV back to integrated amp. On another note, I'm looking at individual separate components online. Wondering if that might be an option. I'm sure I could find a second hand preamp, DAC, streamer, power amp, and could even use a mini DSP if I wanted to use Dirac. |
Those Sierras are great speakers, I had 2 pairs of them. 85 sensitivity is also fine, there is more than one way to get to musical bliss. At one point I had 250 wpc on them and they were fine, but I didn’t go crazy on the volume, :) I’d recommend an internet direct company for an integrated, more bang for buck just like the Sierra. Outlaw Audio sells one for 1K or so. 110 wpc, has a dac and a phono section, and it’s entry level audiophile. Check out the Stereophile review. It is worlds better than an avr. Actually it has a tuner section as well, but just read the review. The Sierras are an easy load, btw. A benign phase angle and a pretty steady 8 ohms, so you don’t have to worry about expensive speaker cables. |
I forgot to mention, it has sub output with bass management too, plus some kind of internet radio and wifi. Here’s a link: https://outlawaudio.com/shop/index.php?id_product=56&rewrite=rr2160mkii-stereo-receiver&cont... |
@213runnin Nice. I did consider this one. This evening I was also pricing out separate components and curious what you think. Perhaps something like: Topping E30 (DAC) - $120 Dayton Wireless Streamer - $60 Outlaw 2200 Monoblock (2x200wpc for $600) Find a decent preamp used (could do with very basic without phono, DAC, etc. Since I'd have separates. Just enough inputs) MiniDSP - between preamp and power amp, I think? If I want to keep low frequency correction and use Dirac. Perhaps that would allow upgrades over time instead of relying on one unit. Only concern is if separates play well together. What do you think? |
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