No amp is ever "overkill" in the sense that it will overwhelm your speakers. Better to have too much power loafing along, cool and clean than too little, clipping and frying your speakers.
Power amplifier advice?
I am thinking about buying a power amplifier. I want something with about 200 W per channel into 8 Ohms, in the price range up to about $2500. The models that are currently at the top of my shortlist are Rotel Rb-1582 MkII, Anthem MCA 225 Gen 2, and Schiit Wotan.
It is not possible for me to listen to these side by side, so I must base my decision on specs, reviews, and recommendations.
If anyone has experience of these amplifiers, I am eager to hear about their impressions and views.
My current speakers are a pair of old NHT 2.5, which are said to be quite power hungry, and a bit bright. I will probably upgrade speakers later, but I want to hear the NHT:s with a more powerful amp first. My current amplifier is an old HK6850 integrated, with 85 W per channel. My DAC (Denafrips Aress II) lacks volume control, so if I buy a separate power amp I will also need a preamp, but that is a later issue.
I mostly listen to hard rock and heavy metal, and I like to be able to crank it up so that I can hear the music while doing chores in the kitchen (no room for speakers there).
Regards,
Kaj
- ...
- 46 posts total
I recently sold my NHT 3.3s (1998 models) and the Rotel RB-1090 (2006 model) that I used to drive them. Knowing the NHT speakers pretty well, if I had to buy an amp to power some 2.5s, I would get a Buckeye Hypex NCx500 for $1150 (coincidentally, the same price I sold my Rotel for), hide it out of sight, and call it done, with $1000+ still in my pocket. Enjoy! |
Yes, exactly. Also, an inadequate amp should have the good grace to fry itself, not the speakers. It’s not the speakers’ fault if the amp can’t cut it.
|
I think I owned the Parasound A21+ (not the A21). I liked that amp a lot and it got me buying and selling a lot of amp brands. The Parasound A21+ is thicker on top than say the Schiit Wotan. Both are equally powerful. Given the brighter edge of the NHT 2.5 the Parsound maybe even a better match than the Wotan. Though I would get the Wotan on a home trial to check out the hype.
|
Great speakers will sound better than average speakers driven by a great amp. I used to buy average speakers, and then trade up, and then trade up, and then trade up... Finally, had enough, bought great speakers and enjoy them still to this day. |
- 46 posts total