Amplifier for my new Focal Sopra no2

Thanks for the advices!

Will update my list wrt your suggestions and start audition.  I have lots of time for this because I would need to wait at least 1 to 2 months for the delivery (no white in stock).

Will share my findings later.  

Wow.  Great CP!  This would be on my list of connection choices, which is my step 3 and seems that it is time  to start compiling the list.

My steps are:  Step 1:speaker.  Step 2: amp.  Step 3: connections. 

Briefly read the spec of the Anthem STR and was impressed, especially the 8 bipolar transistors per channel, very promising.  

Price is really not those sky high brands. 

A longer audition list every day. 

Thanks all. 

I think in recent years various brands have spotted the demand of high quality integrated amp and therefore have launched a lot of good gear. Of course, there are also some products that are below par.  Audition would take a long time.

Besides, proper match among the components is also of utmost important.

Taking more than 2 months, my no2 has arrived. They are beautiful and perfectly fit my living room.

Finally I have Naim 272 and 250DR for their simplicity- 2 boxes only.  I also have set up a NAS for the system.  I know myself that I would seldom play discs when I have a steamer.  So far this is proved correct.  

Sound is is very good and has had met my expectations.  Lovely high (slight too much) and lots of bass (a bit too much and I did some tuning to control it).  Vocal is superb. 

I then have the Naim speaker cables to replace my aged MF.  

Currently doing other tuning like power cords and line filters.  

Sim700 was on my top lists but advices about reselling value in my area stopped me.  

Thanks, tonedaily.  Not surprised hearing Pass showed good performance.  It is a brand impressed me very much since I started enjoying the audio things thirty years ago.  

After runin and some tuning in position, my sopra has showed improvements.  Am satisfied with it very much.

Hi caphill, thank u for the suggestion.  As refer to my earlier post, have had bought the Naim 272 and 250 DR units.  Quite match the sopra and am happy with the set-up. Nevertheless, after 1yr+, I believe a better source and amplification can further boost the performance. Or in other words , the real performance of sopra has yet to be released, I believe.  

Hey caphill, you just get all the best gears in the world!  

My latest findings with regard to the weakest link of my system is the source.  Streaming, while convenient, of the 272 is not comparable to CD transport at all.  I fed the 272 via coaxial using it as a DAC only resulted in more punchy, rhythmic and special sound.  It’s just an Oppo universal player. 

Need to study, do audition and start savings...

That’s where the fun is...

Yes.  I have studied that as well and a friend, who is a big Naim fan, strongly suggests the upgrade of power supply.  His view is that sound would be more airy, rhythmic and musical.  

This upgrade path thing of Naim is both good and bad.  Audiophiles always want to try something different and new, and Naim limits them from connecting gears of other brands.  For instance, cannot connect with balance inputs/ outputs.  

Hi guys, I’m back After some serious upgrades:

Original gears:
Focal Supra no2
Naim 250 DR
Naim N272

New gears:
Naim super lumina speaker cables
Naim XPS DRNaim power cords 

Results:
Every aspects have improved!  Punchy, More musical, bigger sound stage and positions, power, vocal, highs and lows...  

I was not convinced with buying a power supply at that price (after all just transformer and capacitors?) but the outcomes prove the dollars worth

Can’t agree More. Ample current and low noise are essential to all devices.