Used pre/power recommendations under £1000

I'd appreciate any suggestions for a second-hand pre/power combination under £1000 that would work well with an Arcam FMJ CD23 and Epos ES22 speakers, the intention eventually being to triamp.

 

You may find things like the Rotel 1075(a multichannel amp) to be useful,esp if you're intending to triamp at some stage.

The amp itself is well made and powerful,and for the current used prices,represents good value.
You could also consider some of Arcam's own pre/power amps,which also have fairly decent used prices,and would go well with your current system.

 

have a look at some old olive naim gear.
pre's 32.5, 72, 102, 112
powers 110, 140, 160, 180, 150
you may even be able to afford a *cap psu of some sort if you find a bargain. once you have the *cap you can triamp very easily.

also take a look at some of the chinese offerings.
i can reccomend vincent's sp t-100 mono blocks and i'm sure their pre is pretty good too.

cheers


julian

 

avi? you can get a pre and monoblocks for that much second hand. they sound good.

or go diy - wnaudio.com. he can supply prebuilt if you find soldering daunting.

 

I drive my epos es22s with a bridged bel canto evo4. had much discussion with folk here about this, but proof was in the listening. Bi-bridging (bridge at the poweramp and bridge at the speaker) was much preferred to bi-amping.

If you go the bc evo way, then its all about the pre, and I have dumped the pre by going direct from my Dax Decade.

 

Very interesting,but also worthwhile point about going direct from CD to power amp,via an attenuator,which I've done also,using an Audio Synthesis Passive pre.

It can make very noticeable gains in sound quality,and very easily done if you're using CD as a source.

 

I know that an evo4 is much more than a grand, but its purchase means that you dont have to shell out on extra amps to bi/tri-amp.

I understand that the AS passive enjoys good rep.

 

Why not get an integrated? At that price you will end up with a better amp in my opinion.

Passive triamping is pointless isn't it? Just get a decent amp in the first place.

 

What he said ^^^^ unless you can find an old DNM pre power or somesuch, up your budget to £1500 and the primare pre/power and amps of that calibre becoe available.

 

I know that there was a considerable improvement in what I was hearing when I added two 8P power amps to an Arcam 8 integrated, maybe the gains are more obvious at this end of the scale.

 

Densen B200/B300

not sure about the triamp thing though.

 

I'm currently using a chrome bumper Naim 32.5/110 combo. Really nice. Based on this, a good and cheap way to get to a 3-amp system could be old Naim.

 

Seconded.

 

Either Denson or NAIM will indeed work well. I have heard Epos also go VERY well with a modified Quad 405!!

 

Naim 32.5 or 62, plus NAP 140, plus hicap.

The Epos speakers were designed using the NAP 250 as the reference amplifier, and they work very well with Naim, as one might expect.

Forget about biamping, etc.

 

Bit leftfield but maybe smoother than the Naim suggestions, but still capable of good current driving into difficult loads. Meridain 501/557 ?

Mr Perceptive

 

I recently picked up an Exposure IV Dual-reg power amp and dual VI/VII psu/pre for about 700 quid and all in superb condition.

Exposure are now servicing the old gear so something like this is now a safe bet 2nd hand.

Exposure & Epos are match made in Heaven.

 

Yep, Exposure is also said to be very good with Epos. I bet Lavardin might be as well...

 

Is there enough time for Naim I wonder. I'm getting on a bit.