Best integrated stereo amplifier under Rs50,000

plasmoid

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I have a 6 year old marantz PM7000 integrated amplifier and am due for an upgrade. Can anyone suggest the best one out there (for hardrock/heavy metal)I will be bi-wiring a pair of wharfedale sapphire 87's.
Cd source : Nad C521i

Thanx
 
I have a 6 year old marantz PM7000 integrated amplifier and am due for an upgrade. Can anyone suggest the best one out there (for hardrock/heavy metal)I will be bi-wiring a pair of wharfedale sapphire 87's.
Cd source : Nad C521i

Thanx

I have been looking at this sector recently. I can tell you what's available in this price range:

1. Cambridge Audio Azur 740A
2. A few Nad's (352, the new 355, not sure about the 372 if it's under 50K)
3. Creek Evolution amp
4. Marantz PM7001 and PM7001 KI
5. Arcam Diva A70 (just discontinued, but still available with resellers) and also the new FMJ A18 (not sure if it's under 50K, but at 50wpc@8Ohm it should be)
6. Rega Brio 3 (again, not sure about price, 50wpc@8)
7. Rega Mira and Rotels are above 50K, I think.

Can anybody throw some light on Naim Nait 5i, how much does it cost and is it available and demo-able in India? How does it compare with the above?
C'mon the amp experts, please let us know your preference from the above lot assuming that it has to drive the hardest of speakers, let's say at 4 ohms.
 
you can demo naim nait 5i at lakozy mumbai..
The list price should be around 120k. Also one our forum member prakash has got box pack piece on sale.
Check him for audition and price.
 
Last edited:
you can demo naim nait 5i at lakozy mumbai..
The list price should be around 120k.

That is astounding! In the US, Naim Nait 5i v2 retails around USD 1000 and in UK around GBP 800. If you convert that roughly it becomes somewhere between 50K and 60K. Are my numbers wrong somewhere?

If that is the price here in India, then one may look at also the Bryston integrated. Dinyaar may know, although he owns pre and power separates, I believe.

These are then way outside the budget mentioned in this thread.
 
That is astounding! In the US, Naim Nait 5i v2 retails around USD 1000 and in UK around GBP 800. If you convert that roughly it becomes somewhere between 50K and 60K. Are my numbers wrong somewhere?

If that is the price here in India, then one may look at also the Bryston integrated. Dinyaar may know, although he owns pre and power separates, I believe.

These are then way outside the budget mentioned in this thread.

Hi Asit,
Yes i have the pre/power.

Pricing of many brands(Bryston Included) is scary. The Naim is more than double the guys budget.
I would not pay 1.2L for the Naim integrated nor would i pay 1.5(i think) for the Bryston B60.
Not familiar with his speakers but maybe an Arcam integrated will fit the bill. Avoid Rega integrateds. Nad/Rotel are average at best. Since he listens to metal/hard rock i dont know whether the Marantz would be an apt choice.
Rgds
 
Hi plasmoid,

why do you want a new amp? What's wrong with the PM7000? More power for the Wharfdales needed?
 
Not familiar with his speakers but maybe an Arcam integrated will fit the bill. Avoid Rega integrateds. Nad/Rotel are average at best. Since he listens to metal/hard rock i dont know whether the Marantz would be an apt choice.

Thanks dinyaar for your opinion. I was really waiting for it because as I can see from the forum you among a few others are experts on amps.

Plasmoid, there you have it. I'll go with dinyaar's choice of Arcam.

Today I had a bit of free time after dropping off my son for his CAB 1st division cricket match at the Kolkata Maidans. So I went to SKS traders who keeps Arcam and Creek. I had a small session of auditioning of the Creek EVO and the Arcam Diva a 65 amp. The Creek Evo is bad, plain and simple. There are some quite good reviews of it on the net, I do not know how. There are many things I did not like about it, but without going into any details let me just say that at Rs 50K the Creek Evo is perhaps the noisiest amp I have ever heard.

The Arcam on the other hand was very precise (BTW I have never heard any Arcam amp before) with a low noise floor and its dynamics quite likeable. Wherever necessary, it was also quite punchy. Very neutral kind of sound, with minimum of coloration, so it seemed. This is not a detailed review or anything of that sort. The Diva A65 was however just 40 wpc I think, but I gathered some idea about Arcam amps and the experience was very pleasant. They also look great, I think. Build quality superb.

So you can go with the Diva A70 (at 45-50K, 50wpc) or the A80 (at 60-65K, 65wpc). The store had the A65 out for demo, and I did not bother them to get the A70 out, because I really did not have the time. In any case I was not buying.

BTW, speakers used for the auditioning were the inexpensive but quite good Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 pair.
 
50K is a bit of a push for a good amp. I suggest looking in the used market.

To extend your options, i would also look at some imports from US or Europe

Musical Fidelity A5
Rega Mira 3
PS Audio Trio C100
Creek Destiny

Don't worry about Krell or Bryston - too much hype for the return on price/performane.
 
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