2. amps-preamps
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Budget amp for NHT 2.5i - suggestions?

Hi guys, I just picked up a pair of NHT 2.5i towers, but I don't have an amplifier for them yet. Just wondering if you had any suggestions, especially if any of you are currently running these speakers or have had them in the past.

Apparently these speakers tend to be on the bright side, and they like lots of power to perform optimally. Some seem to use them with tube amps to decrease the brightness, but others seem happy with solid-state as well.

I got a good deal on these and am on a pretty tight budget, so I would probably buy a used amp, but I'm open to anything. Any suggestions or info would be great. Also, I will probably use my computer for music so I would have to buy a DAC as well (suggestions? maybe good amp/dac pairs?) Thanks!
105sixteen

Showing 3 responses by ig316b

ig316b
103 posts
 
If you can swing the cash, try a McCormack DNA-0.5. I have one hooked to my NHT's 2.5's and they sound awesome. This amps mates perfectly with the NHT's.
ig316b
103 posts
 
If you were to decide go that direction something you should consider would be using another McCormack 0.5 Deluxe and vertically bi-amping the NHT's. McCormack also makes a couple preamps that would work well in this situation the TLC-1 or the Micro Line Drive (MLD) that you can get for a couple hundred bucks here. Both of these are passive preamps, the TLC-1 has an additional output that's buffered while the MLD has an additional output that's an active out put but the output can adjusted +/- 3dbs. Both of these mate very well with the McCormack amps. One word of caution passive preamps require particular attention be paid to the type interconnects used because they will affect the sound. Lot of good information here on Audiogon and just search passive preamps, there also good information about this at SMc Audio.
ig316b
103 posts
 
105sixteen
Would be interesting to hear/see how your system turned out? What do you think? Drop us a line and let us know.
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