Best Power Amp/Integrated for £900

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Kevdo

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Hi,

I'm new here after spotting a for sale for a Bel Canto but I think it's already sold. Anyway, i stuck around as it seems like a good corner of the HiFi inter-world.

I've got about £900 to spend on a power amp or integrated amp but I'm at a total loss after reviewing lots and lots of different equipment.

I have Quad 22L's and I'm planning on just running a Squeezebox (no CD player or other source). I can buy a good DAC (with or without a preamp built-in) in the following month or two but for now I'm looking for a power amp or integrated amp.

I listen to all sorts, jazz, rock, acoustic, mostly folk/folk-rock stuff. I like a good musical sound, good imaging, good soundstage, plenty of detail, detailed highs without being too bright sounding. Tight extended bass. More just a natural sound without being coloured too much but not sounding too analytical.

Ive had Arcam before and I'm using an old Arcam Alpha 7r at the moment - I do like the Arcam sound.

I've considered (all secondhand):

Quad 909
Quad 99 x2( bi-amp, well technically it wont be)
Arcam FMJ A25
Primare i30
Music Hall Maven/Mambo/A50.2?
Bel Canto S300i
Arcam FMJ A38?

Any ideas on what you think would suit my music taste and requirements would be appreciated. Add more to the list if you may!
 
Any good amplifier will deliver the qualities you list.

I'd go for the Cambridge 840A/2.
Plenty of power, super clean and transparent.
Lots of inputs, useful facilities and useable tone controls.
 
For about £300 you can get a s/h MC2 MC750 very neutral pro amp that gives many an esoteric super-fi amp a run for the money.
A few ZGers have them-some pitting them against some serious class/expensive gear.
Cooky
 
Hello Kevdo,

cheers, liking the Arcam sound? I did too, was what got me first into this hobby, I was on the Alpha 5+, I would like to listen to the newer FMJ series but doesn't seem popular here in my region, Singapore;

For under 900 you say? I don't have any experience with any of your choices listed though I would like to listen to some Quads and Bel Cantos; :D Here coming from an Arcam-advocate, you could consider (surely within the 900 budget, given your exchange rate) the Onix H34 integrated? That's what I'm using now;

Compared with the Alpha 5+, it's many steps up, if you are looking for:
1. Width and Depth of stage
2. Better (of course dependent on a plethora of other things) relatively, locating--is that what they call imaging?
3. Warm, delicious mid-range
4. Decent upper extension
5. Not the final word, but good enough punch and bite for funk/rock/pop/jazz

the H34 delivers, well at least in comparison to my previous Alpha 5+, I'd strongly recommend this if you like the Arcam character :MILD:


Kenny
 
I second cooky1257 in recommending the MC2 route(I have a 650) ,what speakers are you using kevdo?
 
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll definitely check them all out and hopefully come nearer to some sort of conclusion.

Smithy, I'm using a set of Quad 22L's (not the 22L2's). I bought them secondhand for £200 (the least I've spent on speakers) - They're the best sounding speakers I've owned though, and the best finished!.
 
I quite like the Musichall amps BUT I didn't think you could get them in the UK. I've seen them in the USA (obviously) and Germany.
 
Kenny.. yeah I thought so too at the time so I snapped them up without checking the going rate. There is a set of 21L's on ebay at £220 or so at the moment so I guess I did ok.. also, the seller threw in some Wireworld Oasis 5 cable (worth £230~ I found out after a Google.).

Rob, I did see some of the Music Hall equipment, was and still am quite tempted (mambo? maven?, etc I think were the two)

I had a look at the MC2 gear, sounds great from (the little) info I can find about them. I can't find any for sale secondhand. The new prices are >£1400 so if what you say is correct, that you can pick them up for £300~, they seem like a superb bargain!
 
Kevdo said:
Kenny.. yeah I thought so too at the time so I snapped them up without checking the going rate. There is a set of 21L's on ebay at £220 or so at the moment so I guess I did ok.. also, the seller threw in some Wireworld Oasis 5 cable (worth £230~ I found out after a Google.).

Rob, I did see some of the Music Hall equipment, was and still am quite tempted (mambo? maven?, etc I think were the two)

I had a look at the MC2 gear, sounds great from (the little) info I can find about them. I can't find any for sale secondhand. The new prices are >£1400 so if what you say is correct, that you can pick them up for £300~, they seem like a superb bargain!
Click to expand...

http://www.mc2-audio.co.uk/mc1250/
and http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MC2-Power-amp...plifiers_RL?hash=item27ac73f61c#ht_500wt_1098
They are designed by 'Klark' of Klark Teknik, makers of top end studio and PA gear.
Dynaudio, Tannoy(since changed to LabGruppen), Funktion1 and Quested to name but 4 all use them in their studio monitors or fixed installations. They are very very good amps, the only downside being fan cooling.
 
Yeah I noticed those ones on Ebay but I was looking for the MC450/750's. I'll keep my eyes open though.
 
If you don't fancy the "pro" route I'd second the CA 840A recommendation - either the V1 or V2 is fine - to my ears no difference between them when using unbalanced input, I think I was talked into hearing a difference with balanced in but it was a short demo in the usual Richers demo room (if you know what I mean......). Fantastic amp for the money.
 
Cooky - That's good to know. Even at those prices I think it'll be worth picking one up at a later date even just to see what they're like, that is, if I don't buy one first. :)

Neil - I've heard good things about the 840A so I might just pop in to Richer Sounds in Glasgow and see if they can give me a little demo. Still on my list.

IAmBoy - Definitely interested, PM'd!
 
Well I just bid for a Bel Canto Evo 2i on Ebay. It wasn't yours by any chance IAmBoy?

I'm just waiting for wages to appear and hopefully have it within the next 10 days or so.

I'll let yous know how I get on with it but going by reviews etc, etc.. it sounds exactly what I'm looking for.
 

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