Doozy of an amp question


Still looking for my eternal love.

A forever amp. At least for now. I cannot try them out in my system as they are both beasts and it would be a nightmare getting them, paying for an audition and then returning them

I am having to go on instinct.

I have narrowed it down to two very different kinds of amps at two very different price points. And I have chosen these two because of reviews in magazines and the positive comments here and on other forums.

 

My pre is an Arc Ref 10 and my speakers are Dalis.

I am look at a tube Mc 1502 which I can afford right now or a Sim 861 for which I would have to wait to save for.

I realize it’s tube vs SS but both have their positives and a SS can have tube like characteristics which I like.

 

I’ve heard Mcintosh and liked it a lot but never heard this model.

I’ve never heard Sim but the reviews and comments about the 861 have been absolutely rhapsodic. And somebody whose opinion I trust said Sim is an excellent brand. But is this a flavor of the month model?

 

Has anybody heard both these amps. Any thoughts, opinions, advice?

 

 

roxy1927

I agree with jperry and lynn_olson. Nothing will match with your ARC preamp like an ARC amp.

There are so many BP much better then that Mc parts quality leaves a lot to be desired, I owned a audio store for years belong to many audio clubs 

what are you speakers is the 1st question how big is your room ,how loud  do you want to play it ,your speakers and their efficiency first and foremost.

the Coda 50wpc 5.5 pure class A for $6500 a Great Amplifier to start this , Coda has excellent class AB amps that have 3 power  to choose from up to 18 wpc to start into pure class A bias , what’s your budget too , Pass Labs 

some very good classD  amps using Gan Fet technologies  I have the Latest 

Very high current monoblocks  from classD audio .com  excellent and would never know what it is it judt get out of the way of the music ,and power to spare. And under $2500;can  competes with much more expensive amps. Lots of good amps out there to choose from.

 

 

 

Not a MAC fan and heard the Sim 761 the baby brother of the 861. I loved the 761 and found it similar sonically to the Benchmark AHB2 but not as sterile. I love the AHB2 but the 761 was definitely a better version of the AHB2. The 761 is very detailed just like the AHB2. 

If you want that detail, then the 861 would be the way to go. If you want Class A warmth or tube sound you are not getting it with the Sim. I have a CODA #16 which is a Class A amp. I would not mind having the 761 or 861 for my office system so I could flip back and forth with my Livingroom CODA #16.

I moved from PassLabs to Esoteric to a used ARC LS10 / D240 MkII and haven’t found a need to change until the LS10 was damaged in transit and I let it go. I’ve retained the D240 because it’s fully balanced differential design. 120W pc of musical SS clarity and musicality. They make a higher power D400 set that could even better suit your speakers. I’m not pushing this specific amp series but showing how the used ARC options can work really well when paired well preamp to amp and amp to speakers.

I use an upgraded AV preamp now to feed the ARC. Ppl won’t believe how good it sounds. At USD$12-1800 it’s an easy entry test for you to try with your preamp.

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