2. amps-preamps
  3. 168918-116061

One box do it all

Enough of separates. Too many boxes, too many cables, don't care for those anymore.

I am willing to get a simple box that will do for me:
- AMP driving Dynaudio special forty, at least 100W
- Pre Amp for digital and analog
- Needs to have phono input as I still do some 20% listening on those, possibly MC but can live with MM
- Streaming, has to be Roon Ready as most of the time I do Roon or Roon on top of Qobuz
- Budget 2500, can't really stretch it much more than that

Seems like Cambridge EVO 150 and Arcam SA30 fit the bill but I will not get a chance to listen to those comparatively and the reviews (the "honest" ones that I could find) are kind of OKish but several complaints on Arcam stability and not so convincing on Cambridge SQ. NAD C388 also come to mind but doesn't seem to have much of a reputation

Anyone here has had personal experience with those ?

Any alternative that I should consider ?

Thanks a lot for reading so far,

Mark.
marklings

Showing 2 responses by jjss49

jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
@ozzy62 

Read the OP. This doesn't come close to what he wants.

No. The OP was pretty specific with his budget and his requirements.

it never ceases to amaze me how people can type but cannot read... 😂😂
jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
for 2500 i would get a hegel h120 (list is 3000, available from retailers at 2500 or close to it)

superb sound and power, excellent build

the hegel h160 mentioned by @soix is an excellent amp, but the dac is a bit old now, newer hegels have a cleaner more dimensional dac section

you will need a phono stage though, as hegels do not have one built in

for less money, slightly less pure sound, but very nice build and form factor, i second @soix suggestion of a nuprime ida-8

the above are superior to nad, cambridge and arcam imo, you will hear the difference on your spec 40s
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