thimmy118 Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 Hi everyone Just a quick question if any of out in audiophile land who has experienced and/or strong opinion on the following amps running Dynaudio Confidence C1 speakers. Wife has given me permission to 'upgrade' up to $7,000. Currently have a CayinA88T PP tube amp. Happy to move to full solid state, hybrid ss and tube or full tube. Rogue Audio Pharaoh - Direct purchase Naim Supernait 2 Sim Audio Neo340i Pathos AcousticEthos Modwright KWI200 Octave V40SE Line Magnetic 518IA Arcam A49 Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shailesh Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 I would add Gryphon to your list ; matches well with Dyns 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thimmy118 Posted October 2, 2016 Author Share Posted October 2, 2016 Thanks Shailesh but Gryphon as good as it is will be way beyond my budget upper limit even for the Atilla model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betty boop Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 definitely in the integrated units consider the musical fidelity m6500i should be in budget and with an excellent pre amp and power stage ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Hegel? http://shop.audioconnection.com.au/hegel-h160-integrated-amplifier/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jliang70 Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 I think you should not rule out pre power combo at $7000. Since your previous amp is a valve amp I would recommend Naksa power amp and a passive pre. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rantan Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 (edited) 23 hours ago, thimmy118 said: Hi everyone Just a quick question if any of out in audiophile land who has experienced and/or strong opinion on the following amps running Dynaudio Confidence C1 speakers. Wife has given me permission to 'upgrade' up to $7,000. Currently have a CayinA88T PP tube amp. Happy to move to full solid state, hybrid ss and tube or full tube. Line Magnetic 518I Thanks all. @thimmy118 A shameless plug here but I currently have a Line Magnetic 518 FS in the SNA classifieds For $3800 in mint, as new condition, you will have a lot of change left in your budget Edited October 3, 2016 by rantan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasebass Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 @thimmy118 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathro Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 That Supernait looks like an opportunity. I have been told by ears that I trust (UK reviewer) that it is a killer amp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasebass Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 26 minutes ago, dcathro said: That Supernait looks like an opportunity. I have been told by ears that I trust (UK reviewer) that it is a killer amp. Would be all over this if I had a spare $6K........ Tase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathro Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 14 minutes ago, Tasebass said: Would be all over this if I had a spare $6K........ Tase. You and me, both! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2tsui Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Currently i have moon 340i amp pair with Focal 936. The amp give me a clean powerful impression, also musical sound. It could produce 100w into 8ohm and double power into 4 ohm, so it is good pair with any high current requirement. would definitely put it on for audition . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baMarek Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 What music do you listen? What do you want to improve mostly? I have an amp with the same set of tubes and two modes as well so I assume the character will be similar. With 85dB speakers triode mode will lack ooomph and ultralinear will lack magic (of course when we are talking about amps over $5K). Regardless of your budget Naim and Arcam should not be considered at that price level IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thimmy118 Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 Well what fantastic responses. I have just heard a pair of MF with 25watt class A with a pair of Dyn C2 and it sounded good. it was too short a session to know if it is a good long term proposition. Rantan how do you find the LM 518IA? What speakers is it driving? Is it consistent with Stereophile assessment of the sound? I just want a bit more drive and a bit less tubey sound. Maybe a tad more solid state. It's a pity that Perth is not a place where there is a large number of suitably stocked audiophile shops. In fact we have lost a few and a few have shrunk to save cost. Perhaps its the weather - makes a person wanna go out and play in the sun. Many a times, I have bought amplifiers sound unheard and sight unseen and touch wood, I have been reasonably lucky. Bamarek, what amp have you got? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blybo Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Spyne~ Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 Luxman L590AX...end game? Parasound Halo 2.1, Musical Fidelity m6500i or Modwright KWI200 would be my other front runners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rogerthat Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 (edited) I have the C1s running with the simaudio 340i with balanced inputs from Bryston DAC. I also auditioned Primare pre + a32 balanced, simaudio 600i, integrated passlabs, bryston pre power combo, various class D. The C1s are a slightly warmer than neutral speaker so match well with neutral solid state. I have been trying and trying to fault this combo but can't. Nothing is missing. It's magic. Also depends a bit on what kind of music you listen to I think. Edited October 3, 2016 by rogerthat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rogerthat Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Also this seems to be a bit of a bargain if it is still available. Plenty of power and neutral solid state sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rogerthat Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Or to warm things up a bit more. (seems to be the same seller as the Bryston!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rogerthat Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 (edited) Or a class A super power Oh... I see Spyne already quoted this one. Edited October 4, 2016 by rogerthat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelw Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 (edited) Krell, Lavardin, LFD, Jadis ? Edited October 4, 2016 by michaelw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thimmy118 Posted October 4, 2016 Author Share Posted October 4, 2016 My music preference is contemporary smooth jazz (fourplay, earl klugh, Peter white, Larry Carlton) and I tend to listen to them between 8:00 and 9:30 at night with volume dialed just slightly below 10 o'clock. i am glad to hear good things about the moon 340i with Dyn from rogerthat as I am also quite keen on one of those. I would also like a unit with balance in as it would work with my Cambridge audio DAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunno77 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 http://www.lifestylestore.com.au/plinius-hautonga-integrated-amplifier.html Plinius and dyn go very well together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rogerthat Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 14 hours ago, thimmy118 said: My music preference is contemporary smooth jazz (fourplay, earl klugh, Peter white, Larry Carlton) and I tend to listen to them between 8:00 and 9:30 at night with volume dialed just slightly below 10 o'clock. i am glad to hear good things about the moon 340i with Dyn from rogerthat as I am also quite keen on one of those. I would also like a unit with balance in as it would work with my Cambridge audio DAC. Funnily enough, I have been listening to a lot more jazz (though more like Oscar Peterson) and classical since getting this combo. Before this I had pure class A and was rocking out a lot more because of the smoothed over sound (smashing pumpkins, janes addiction, pixies). This system is all about resolution and detail which makes un-amplified instruments sublime. Piano and acoustic guitar is spot on and that is not easy. I am a fan of live solo piano concerts. Regarding the balanced inputs, yes I think they are a requirement. I was not sold on the 340i until I heard it through balanced inputs. It is true balanced for the preamp stage and line level for the amp stage. It should not really make a difference with proper design but go figure. It could just have been the increased gain that I heard but I could not get the slam I wanted on the line level inputs whatever the volume (from my DAC anyway, which may be the culprit). Balanced fixed that right up. With all that gain, on this combo, below 9 is quiet listening, 9 is the sweet spot, and above 9 starts to get loud. I rarely get above 10 oclock. 12 oclock would probably blow your speakers on a bass heavy track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thimmy118 Posted October 5, 2016 Author Share Posted October 5, 2016 Man great recommendations and comments. My quick short list consist of: Rogue Audio Pharaoh (likely) Sim Audio Neo 340i (Likely) Modwright KWI200 (Maybe) Line Magnetic 518IA (subject to audition. No balance in) (Likely) Bryston 135SST (no balance in) (Not sure) Please keep them suggestions coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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