Amp advice please

ne5

ne5

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Hello, I have KEFQ300 speakers and am thinking ov getting a new amp.

My current amp is an old rotel bx model, and I use an equaliser.

However, a new amp must have a built in equaliser or be able to connect to the one I have. The reason is because at my age I use a hearing aid so I must be able to tune the amp to suit my ears with the aids in.

I also want a USB connection, I currently use a squeezebox which is fine but I want to do away with all the setting up and wiring of it all via my modem, BT plug and a raspberry pi in the spare room.

I have headphones beyerdynamic DT 770 32 ohm with my tablet, my music is on an SD card in thd tablet. I really likd the tone and depth ov these phones, which are classed as studio headphones.

Could I get an amp that has the depth of these phones?
 
A few comments:-

1) Good quality equalisers, as opposed to just tone controls, are rare in amplifiers except for mostly AV receivers that have room correction and bass management modes. Connecting an external equaliser is possible, but unlike the old days when amplifiers pretty much all had a tape loop which could be used, tape loops are rare these days as few use tape. You'll most likely need an amplifier with a separate pre-amp out/power amp in facility that will allow you to connect an external equaliser. That, or separate pre-power amps.

2) I don't understand how a USB connection will avoid the use of the Squeezebox. You'll still need some sort of streamer, both for internet radio/spotify and playing any of your own files on a hard-disc. I use my Squeezebox over WiFi and that avoids all the wiring hassles, and in my home, works perfectly. If you're thinking of a new streamer and coming away from the Squeezbox and LMS, I would think carefully about that. LMS is maintained by an army of enthusiasts and is kept current with frequent updates. Too many commercial streamers get updates only whilst they're a current product, once they go out of production, updates cease, and the box becomes obsolete fairly quickly. I would be very reluctant to give up my SBT and LMS for anything current.

3) I don't understand the comparison between the headphones and the amplifier. Amps don't have depth, they just put out a biggest signal than went in, all the sound you hear is generated by the loudspeakers and their interaction with the room. If your current KEF Q300s give you the sound you like, and that compares well with the hedaphones, a new amplifier won't change that at all.

S.
 
Sorry.... going back to this.

My SB is playing up, it's old and has starting cutting out.

I dont think I want to replace it, or stream, an amp and speakers, taking input from a USB or via my tablet is an alternative that would suit me.

Some sort of tone control or equalisation would still be preferable because of my fading hearing and using a hearing aid.

I'm thinking of getting a new TV, so could get a smart TV and use the speakers with that, listening to music on my computer and speakers, and/or my headphones and tablet (like niw).

I don't mind the cost of an amp, say 500-800 quid or so just as long as I like it.

Arcam, Rotel and Marantz were all suggested by KEF on social media, but now there is nowhere do dems. Only richer sounds
 
Yes, if your Raspberry Pi has an S-PDIF output (optical or coax) then that converter will provide analogue signals to an amplifier.

Bear in mind that many amplifiers these days have digital inputs, S-PDIF (optical or coax) and/or USB so if you're buying a new amplifier, you may already have the converter built-in.

S.
 
Screenshot_20231208-152314_Gallery[1].jpg its a raspberry pi 4 computer model b 4gb ram here is a photo of it connected with an ethernet cable into the wall to the other room where the squeezebox is
 
The Pi needs to have an S-PDIF output, not just ethernet or USB.I'm not a Pi user so don't know of the specific accessories available for the Pi, but my understanding is that there is a board that provides S-PDIF. You'll need that so you can output a digital stream that the converter will then convert to analogue.

Alternatively and more simply, if there's an accessory board for the Pi that outputs analogue audio, then that's all you need.

S.
 

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