WOW,that’s quite a gift.The AE500’s are VERY good speakers.They are 6 ohm nominal impedance, dropping to just below 4 ohms in the upper treble I believe so they are going to need a half way decent amp..DON’T waste $ on something that can’t handle a steady 4 ohm load..
They are also very revealing & can scale up quite a way & IMO won’t be the weak link in a system with a $3000.00 amp!
I would use Google & search for "Arcam Class G Amplifier" & look at something like an "A5","SA-10" or"SA-20".. I would take an Arcam Class G over ANY mainstream,cookie cutter amp from other manufacturers...
Help a college student out! Component pairing ideas for Acoustic Energy AE500
So a friend was nice enough to gift my son with some AE500 speakers, about 87db/6ohms or so. (I don't know the impedance curve's characteristics.)
He's heading to his own apartment for his senior year in college and I need to set him up with something to power them and stream music.
Budget: I'd love to do this for $500 - $700 new or used.
Some details: I do have BS Node 2i that he can have if there are no "all in one" ideas here, and so anyone who says "That's impossible at that price" is invited to suggest integrated amps or even inexpensive separates.
A few other details:
- He won't be filling a giant space or cranking it to concert levels.
- He might want to hook a TV or play station up to the system.
- He would likely be better off with a single unit or, if the streamer is separate, just two units.
- His musical tastes vary, so perhaps just consider him to like "many genres."
Thanks for any ideas!