Seeking Constructive Equipment Ideas


Mid 80's I had an NAD 2200 and NAD 1240 preamp driving a pair of MG1 Maggies.  Yep, first model.  Had the setup for years. The Maggies eventually got sold due to new lifestyle (marriage). Bought a pair of Energy RC10 bookshelves 15 years ago (relegated to smaller space) and the 2200 finally quit. Replaced it with an old Adcom 535ll. Still using that NAD 1240 38 years later (with one service).

Anyways that's the backstory.  So my listening will be confined to a 12x12 bedroom in our new house. I have a Technics 1200 GR table and Rotel Tribute CD player. Thinking it's time to spend some money and looking at the Wharfdale Lintons or similar and now looking at preamp and amps. I can drop around 5K excluding speakers. I was looking at the Benchmark preamps and amps but thinking that for my limited space it's probably overkill. So I started thinking maybe an integrated is all I need? Fact of the matter is a good deal of my listening is probably going to be through headphones of which I have a pair of Senn 600 but have ability to do splurge on 1K pair as well at some point. I have already looked at some headphone amps. Most of my listening is LP or CD but also have a large Dead FLAC collection and other music files.

So just looking for some opinions on integrated and if that's sufficient for my needs and some makes. Checked out the Peachtree Nova 300 as it looked like it would do fine with the Lintons but have no idea what Class D sounds like and if I should bother or stick with an A/B. Or if I should also consider different smaller speakers.

Thanks in advance for comments.

vinyljones1

Thanks bliss. Yeah that is one thing about the Energys. They were incredible value back then and still sound nice but I always found them either a little boomy without port inserts and too bass light with the inserts. I had KEFs too years ago and really liked they seem over the top pricey for what they are offering now.

I agree with @blisshifi , listen if you can to a few speakers. Based on what you listen too, Totems, KEF's (pricey compared to what?), B&W's and Harbeth, you can check out the new KLH's.  I have a small room, so having the port in the back of the speaker was not a good match, so I went with Harbeth. I myself have a huge Dead collection (if it's not obvious). The Harbeth are very accurate, but a bit laid back however compared to the other ones mentioned. So you may or may not like Harbeth's. I think they make Jerry and Bob sound great. If you listen to more acoustic/vocals/'mellower' rock then you will like them. Death metal not so much. 

Your NAD was a Class D, I had NAD a long time ago, very good sounding. I changed over to Class A, and although some newer Class D sounds amazing, such as the new Technics integrated (NAD has some really nice stuff too), I went with Luxman class A/B (you can get a used one for about $5K) they have great headphone amps and turntable preamps built into them (keep an eye out, some integrated amps do not have phono inputs), plus tone controls, great for late night listening. Primaluna only if you want to deal with tubes, but a very good sounding choice. Rotel has some very nice stuff, I loved the CD player I had, but I do not  have experience with their other electronics.

You have lots to choose from, but choose the speakers first, they are more critical, especially in a room your size (Mine is 10x16 so barely larger then yours). Good luck.

@vinyljones1 I have the same space as you and had the Peachtree NOVA 150 in that space. The NOVA 150 and NOVA 300 are identical in the parts that I think are not very good, the preamp and DAC sections. So I would avoid it in 2022, t was not bad in the day. Saying all of that I did buy the new Peachtree GAN1 amp today. Though this is not what you need since it only has 1 input.

I have the Benchmark AHB2 monos and the LA4 preamp in my office now and it is not overkill at all. It is perfect in every way, I use a Musetec 005 DAC to add a bit of flavor to the sound. I love this setup and can easily recommend it. I may sell my 2nd extra Musetec 005 if the GAN1 is as good as they are hyping.

A one and done solution is a KRELL K-300i integrated amp. I sold mine for about $5.5K and all you would need is an Ethernet cable. It sounds incredible and it has only gone up in price since I got it. It also is an excellent power source for the RAAL SR1a earphones via a 2-channel adapter box.

At one time I had a Benchmark HPA4 preamp as my 2-channel preamp/headphone amp + AHB2 amps. I used the HPA4 with Meze Empy headphones (the old warmer model). However, I discovered RAAL headphones and out went the Meze and even the HPA4. I sold that for a profit and bought the LA4. The Meze Empy and HPA4 were very good.

Send me a DM if you want a deeper dive into the world of RAAL headphones.

 

 

 

 

Great info santa and  dead. I did not know that the 2200 was Class D. It had zero problem driving those Maggies back in the day. I actually had some small KEFs in the late 80's and really liked them. Don't remember what model but my drunk roommate fried them by blasting Slayer when I wasn't home. My music listening is Dead, Krautrock, Gong, Hillage, PFM and other prog and obscure 70s hard rock i.e. Budgie etc. so not a ton of mellow acoustic stuff. I do like to rock as they say. I may check out the KEF LS50 but I'm always flumoxed by speakers with only one speaker. I did look at the RAAL site but probably gonna be a little rich for what I really want to keep it at with the price of food etc, now. The impedance on those, holy cow. Like a direct short! Not sure of many amps that could drive those. I guess the HPA4 couldnt.  There is a HPA4 listed here for $2200 and I thought about it but not sure if I should do it unheard. I"m in Palm Coast Fl so not much shops around but Jacksonville does have a nice store. Other ten that my store options are slim without a long ass drive.

A pair of active Dynaudio Focus 10 or 30 speakers and you are done. The preamp, the dac, the amps, streamer, and of course the speakers are integrated by the Dynaudio engineers into a single system. They have 2 RCA inputs so you can hook up your TT and your turntable can either use the other RCA jack of the digital inputs. Each speakers is 390 watts and each driver has a dedicated amp.: