2. amps-preamps
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Bargain power amp for PC nearfield speakers?

I just got some sweeeeet Peachtree D4 speakers designed by Michael Kelly. I am driving them with an Asus Xonar Essence soundcard and an old little NAD 3225PE integrated, wired with Kimber PBJ's and Anticable speaker wires. It occurs to me I don't really need a preamp, I can use the PC for that. So if the only analog gear I need is a power amp, why not push the envelope a little? The NAD integrated is OK, but I bet a nice power amp would sound even better.

So my question to the forum is this: What's the best bang for my eBay power amp buck? Back in the day, I remember the MOSFET B&K ST-140 receiving high praise for sounding decidedly high end and tubelike for the money. Since then, Adcom came out with the 5300/5400/5500 series, ostensibly to grab some of B&K MOSFET market. Then there's John Curl-designed Parasound amps, Rotel or maybe even an NAD.

Am I missing anything? Has anyone compared the MOSFET Adcoms with the B&K amps? Are the Parasounds worth considering? Are the NADs and Rotels in this same ballpark?

Looking forward to the outpouring of collected audiophile wisdom - thanks!
yspm
5 responses Add your response
inpieces's avatar
inpieces
199 posts
 
Hypex perhaps, has modules and also ready built amps + one pre (minipre).
dhl93449
455 posts
 
You might be sorely dissapointed by using a revealing SS amp like a Parasound with a PC soundcard. The crappy op amps and electrolytic coupling caps used by these cards will limit sound quality and a high resolution power amp will just emphasize distortion.

I would upgrade the soundcard if you can with better op amps first, and better coupling/bypass caps. I think there are a few tutorials for doing this on some soundcards.

Parasound HCA 1000-1500 power amps are good deals used. But they are not small and won't easily fit on a desk. They sound pretty darn good for the cash.
yspm OP
15 posts
 
That was what I expected, but the Asus Xonar Essence soundcard is especially designed to defeat the typical soundcard nasties, was well reviewed and actually rated listing in Sterophile's Recommended Components. Nonetheless, My fall back is the coax S/PDIF output and some nice outboard D/A converter. http://www.highrestech.com/ has some interesting items designed by Kevin Halverson. But first the amp.
yspm OP
15 posts
 
But yes, I bet I might improve the Aus even more by some strategic upgrading.
dhl93449
455 posts
 
Well, if you use your coax out and a Bryston BDA-1, that's a different story.

There still may be an issue with digital out from sound cards. Look to that site computer Audiophile.com. There is a lot of discussion there about the sonic issues of using consumer soundcards (no matter what claims the manufacturers make for them). Bryston and others building dedicated audio servers use special sound cards that avoid some of the digital pitfalls found in commercial cards like the ASUS.
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