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Looking for a New Amp to Try, Integrated? Power?

Not sure to go integrated or power.  What would you choose? the Yamaha looks sexy, but with only 100WPC and just average 4ohm stability, might not be worth the price.  The Denon PMA 110 Anniversary is probably the best sounding machine with 4 on board DAC, however, at 80wpc, hmm.  Rotel on the the hand at 200wpc and 350wpc offers good power reserves.  

My music is not played at deaf sounding volume, just want that power reserve to be able to drive speakers to hear the fine details.  A100wpc or 80wpc is more than adequate for home usage.  But curious to know everyone's opinion, Im open to other suggestions too.  

Review the following:
Rotel RB1582
Rotel RB 1590
Denon PMA 110 Anniversary 
Yamaha AS3200
128x128webking185
9 responses Add your response
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,514 posts
 
Knowing what speakers and room size would help quite a bit. Reason we need to know the specs of your speakers to suggest an appropriate amp/integrated.

You may think you need big power but if your speakers are efficient and easy to drive than its a waist of money buying big power. for example. Could go the other way as well. 


webking185's avatar
webking185 OP
189 posts
 
Nautilus 803 are easy to drive speakers at 90db.  Wont take much to move them.  Elacs and KEF need power. as they are in the 85db specs.

Room size: 20x25

I have a KEF LS50, ELAC Unifi UB5, B&W Nautilus 803s 


russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 
Musical Fidelity M5si. Quite a bit better than what you are looking at.
boxer12
8,654 posts
 
If the "Nautilus 803's" are anything like the later 803 models (D's), they will perform much better given more power. By the specs B&W look like relatively easy speakers to drive but they still seem to shine with more power. I have 802D's & power them with a Magnus Audio MA400 amp. The combination is wonderful.  
soix
8,729 posts
 
What amp are you using now and what kind of improvements are you looking for?
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,610 posts
 
seems like the op is targeting japanese mid-fi brands... did not specify budget... 

if we are sticking with japanese solid state makers, an upper marantz would likely outperform all those mentioned, or a sony ta-a1es, not to mention accuphase or luxman which would definitely a cut (or two) above
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,165 posts
 
REGA OSIRIS

https://audiofi.net/2012/08/rega-osiris-punching-heavy/

elliottbnewcombjr
5,192 posts
 
are you using those speakers for both music and home theater?

if so, you might want a separate ’front stereo system’ (integrated with HT Bypass feature),

and an AVR with Pre-Out.

best of both worlds.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/avr-internal-2-channel-audio-mode-or-ht-bypass-external-equip...

in that case, the front integrated get’s the advantage of the 803’s higher efficiency
the AVR, enough for the center and surrounds, there you go.

you might think about changing to higher efficiency for the smaller speakers rather than buying a bigger amp for low efficiency ones.
arch2
308 posts
 
Don’t be fooled by the yamaha’s 100 watt rating. I owned the AS3000 for years and one thing I never encountered was limited dynamic capabilities. Expensive yes, but what a nice integrated. I knew I would regret selling it.
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