Help with upgrade please

[gautamz]

Having saved up quite a bit I am looking to take a major jump in the quality of my setup.

The options that interest me and currently in my budget are -
1) Pass Labs XA30.5 or X150
2) Pass Labs Aleph 3
4) Mark Levinson 331 or 332 or 336 (at a stretch)
5) First Watt F5
6) Plinius 9200
7) Cyrus 8XPd

I like my music to be detailed and accurate. I have very efficient speakers and the amp's power is not as big a concern as the quality of the sound at all levels. And that is why after reading the reviews I am thinking of the above amps.

The only reason I've not got one yet is I am undecided not having been able to audition any of the above amps. All I have to go by are reviews.

Has any one of you had the chance to listen to any of these? Would you please share your impression with me?

Also what amp (power or integrated) would you recommend within the same budget as the above?

 

[odyssey]

Which speakers do you have? What is your source and do you have a preamble?

Cheers

 

[gautamz]

I have custom speakers which are high efficiency (Am not sure but sounds as if its 93db plus).

My sources are a Rega P1 (though I don't listen to records much) and Ipod.

In my current setup I have been using an old Yamaha M80/C80, Fatman Itube and a HK3420.

I will also soon be finishing my DIY project of building a F5 and B1 - I plan to take a call on the amp upgrade once these are ready and I am sure of whether they truly sound like I hope. Till then hunting for info.

I intend to first get my source right - good amplification is pointless if the feed is not good. Given that I have been populating my iPod with high bitrate Mp3 and FLACs.

I intend to audition DACs from CA, Chord and Cyrus (Bryston gets out of my league , for now or anything else good I come across.

 

[arj]

Having saved up quite a bit I am looking to take a major jump in the quality of my setup.

The options that interest me and currently in my budget are -
1) Pass Labs XA30.5 or X150
2) Pass Labs Aleph 3
4) Mark Levinson 331 or 332 or 336 (at a stretch)
5) First Watt F5
6) Plinius 9200
7) Cyrus 8XPd

I like my music to be detailed and accurate. I have very efficient speakers and the amp's power is not as big a concern as the quality of the sound at all levels. And that is why after reading the reviews I am thinking of the above amps.

Gutamz, whats the Budget like and are you looking out for only SS amps ?

If you can source it the Pass Lab Amps are really great in design and construction.

Could you share some info on your speakers in terms of
- Floorstander or bookshelf
- No and kind of drivers and if possible what brand they are
- any crossover details you know of
- frequency extension/sensitivity, impedance
- any known quirks (eg drop in impedance below 4 ohms at any frequency )


since an amp and speaker synergy is one of the most critical synergies in audio, its very important to get the match right.

 

[pdhanwada]

All the brands you mentioned are very high end ones. I am not sure what would be price if Bought in India.

Mark levinson, Pass Labs stuff are very good. Any of those will do good job on any kind of speakers.

As Arj said, Mention the details of the speakers.

Thanks
Pandu

 

[gautamz]

I am using custom floorstanding speakers, bought not made by me. It has a 15" woofer, a horn loaded driver and horn loaded tweeter. All encased in a 5' x 2' x 2' thick wooden box. Each easily weighing over 50kg.
I don't know much more about the specs.

All I know is they simply reproduce whatever is thrown at them and do so at any power level clearly with every detail and nuance without breaking up. I know they are high efficiency because they make even the Fatman Itube's 13W sound as loud as the M80.

There maybe better speakers out there, but I don't feel I need to change these just yet.

My desire to upgrade is about getting components which will help me enjoy the music even more.

I have not yet heard any of the amps from my list - which may yet see additions and subtractions before I am done, but my budget is such that if I like any of them I can buy it.