USED pre-amp + amplifier combo for B&W 802 Matrix series 3 around or under 2000?


I am looking for a pre-amp + amplifier combo for B&W 802 Matrix series 3 around or under $2000USD?

Can you help me?

photographer

A Toppping pre90 ($700). Supper neutral and hardly works with many amps (too much GAIN). Normally would not recommend this preamp but you need it under $2k and paired with a warm amp such as a used Paraound A21 ($1500) (with adjustable GAIN) will work. I once had the pre90 + Parasound A21+ and it was good with Thiel CS3.7 speakers.

This week I got the new Class A Schitt Mjolnir preamp. It is considered a headphone amp but it is also killer as a 2-channel amp. $1200

https://www.schiit.com/products/mjolnir-3

I compared it to the Holo Serene and Benchmark LA4 preamp in 2-channel. The other 2 are not going anywhere but the Mjolnir is a superstar for the price. It is now my headphone preamp connected to the Schitt Aegir 'Class A' 20-watt amp ($700).  This combo replaced a $7000 dedicated headphones amp. The Schitt combo is about 90-95% as good as the $7k amp.

This preamp will be amazing with your B&W. Schitt has the more powerful Tyr mono amp, that I have not heard, but they are more powerful than the Aegir. The Aegir can be run as mono to make 80-watts, but that may come with standard issues with using a stereo amp in mono. Dedicated monos are better.

I would consider the Mjolnir with the Parasound A21 for the B&W. The Mjolnir is a keeper and you can upgrade the A21 in the future.

 

A Peachtree GAN400 (I sold one for $1100 recently) would work nicely with that Schitt Mjolnir. I should add this this new Schiit preamp is much better than the Freya+ that I had before.

@OP. I suspect it will be a bit of a struggle at that price point. You need a power amplifier section with lots of current - and the capacity to deliver it into low impedance. Even secondhand, the budget to do that with good sound quality is a challenge. Bryston and Parasound are good recommendations. New, though I haven't hear the specific model , the Schiit Tyr looks like it will work - though it doesnt leave much in the budget for a pre.

@photographer 

You're fortunate to have choices.  Today's equipment is better and less expensive....

Now, it you pair the Mjolnir above, with an offering from Audio by Van Alstine or Odyssey Audio you will be swept into bliss and at budget ... I have a couple of pieces of Odyssey gear.  Stratos Amp is 1375, 45 Amp blowtorch:

https://odysseyaudio.com/stratos-stereo-amplifier/

I haven't heard the Van Alstine amp but it reviews very well:

https://avahifi.com/collections/power-amplifiers/products/vision-set-120-control-amplifier