Nad t163 with Roksan Caspian power amp?

Ras2000

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I've recently bought a Nad pre/ pro to replace my Rotel ra03 integrated because I want one system for both music and surround. I've bought a rather cheap 6 channel power amp, nad 906 to power the surround speakers. Now I'm looking for a power amp for the mains.
I bought the preamp because it was ridiculously cheap, about €35.
This is the first time I've used anything but an integrated amp, so I have zero experience. I've tried reading at much as I can on the subject.
There's a Roksan Caspian MK1 for sale. From what I've read, this was originally meant to go with their integrated amp.
How would the Caspian match with the NAD preamp? Should I rather be looking at NAD amps?
Any info on the subject would be very welcome.
 
I've recently bought a Nad pre/ pro to replace my Rotel ra03 integrated because I want one system for both music and surround. I've bought a rather cheap 6 channel power amp, nad 906 to power the surround speakers. Now I'm looking for a power amp for the mains.
I bought the preamp because it was ridiculously cheap, about €35.
This is the first time I've used anything but an integrated amp, so I have zero experience. I've tried reading at much as I can on the subject.
There's a Roksan Caspian MK1 for sale. From what I've read, this was originally meant to go with their integrated amp.
How would the Caspian match with the NAD preamp? Should I rather be looking at NAD amps?
Any info on the subject would be very welcome.
Go for caspian. Its a good amp. Things can only get better with caspian and its a good investment to take your stereo sound a couple of notches higher and the front channels of you surround experience too.

OTOH there really are very few systems that are good for surround and stereo and quite expensive.

Finally in the near future you will end up with a separate amp set for stereo.
Nostadamus Stereus Manekus Prophecius has spoken ! 😉
 
Go for caspian. Its a good amp. Things can only get better with caspian and its a good investment to take your stereo sound a couple of notches higher and the front channels of you surround experience too.

OTOH there really are very few systems that are good for surround and stereo and quite expensive.

Finally in the near future you will end up with a separate amp set for stereo.
Nostadamus Stereus Manekus Prophecius has spoken ! 😉
Thanks for your reply! I guess my main concern with the Caspian is that it was meant to be paired with an integrated amp. I don't quite understand how that works, do you connect it to the pre out? Seems a strange way to use an integrated amp. From what I've read, that wouldn't make for a very good preamp.
I'm hoping that with separates instead of an integrated amp I'll be getting a better sound for my music.
Of course the audiophile would always have separate systems. But apart from the cost, I don't have the space for 7 serious speakers. This is why I want my mains to double as fronts. So the best I can do is one preamp and two power amps. I'm guessing many have chosen this solution.
 
Thanks for your reply! I guess my main concern with the Caspian is that it was meant to be paired with an integrated amp. I don't quite understand how that works, do you connect it to the pre out? Seems a strange way to use an integrated amp. From what I've read, that wouldn't make for a very good preamp.
I'm hoping that with separates instead of an integrated amp I'll be getting a better sound for my music.
Of course the audiophile would always have separate systems. But apart from the cost, I don't have the space for 7 serious speakers. This is why I want my mains to double as fronts. So the best I can do is one preamp and two power amps. I'm guessing many have chosen this solution.
Roksan, arcam etc would recommend to connect the pre-out of the integrated to power amp and bi-amp speakers where the tonality and specs(apart from power output) of the integrated and poweramp matched. Seen many a system like this and has worked well.

One doesn't necessarily get better sound with separates. Good integrateds can sound excellent. Eg the Roksan integateds are very good.

You dont need 7 serious speakers. Good stereo speakers to double up as fronts is a very efficient way to go. All I am saying is get the caspian and let it run even in HT to power the fronts if you can and use it for stereo. Next step is to get a good pre for the caspian power amp maybe a year or more down the line for stereo.
 
Roksan, arcam etc would recommend to connect the pre-out of the integrated to power amp and bi-amp speakers where the tonality and specs(apart from power output) of the integrated and poweramp matched. Seen many a system like this and has worked well.

One doesn't necessarily get better sound with separates. Good integrateds can sound excellent. Eg the Roksan integateds are very good.

You dont need 7 serious speakers. Good stereo speakers to double up as fronts is a very efficient way to go. All I am saying is get the caspian and let it run even in HT to power the fronts if you can and use it for stereo. Next step is to get a good pre for the caspian power amp maybe a year or more down the line for stereo.
If I get a separate preamp for stereo, wouldn't i need a separate set of fronts/mains?
 
You could use a mechanical switcher between preamps.

But for now you are good with what you have.
Manek
I could also have the switch on the speakers, two amps in, one speaker out. With my limited understanding of electrics, this seems a better place to switch, a stronger signal would be less fickle. But electronics has never been my strong suit.
That way I could keep my Rotel integrated for the time being. It's not a bad amp as integrated goes. And definitely sounds better than the NAD 906 t163 combination.
 
I could also have the switch on the speakers, two amps in, one speaker out. With my limited understanding of electrics, this seems a better place to switch, a stronger signal would be less fickle. But electronics has never been my strong suit.
That way I could keep my Rotel integrated for the time being. It's not a bad amp as integrated goes. And definitely sounds better than the NAD 906 t163 combination.
Yes speaker switches are available and are used in many demo rooms.
 
Yes speaker switches are available and are used in many demo rooms.
Your prediction came true. I just bought the Caspian preamp, what a lift in sound. This is the sound I've been chasing.
I've come to the obvious conclusion that you shouldn't let your stereo signal anywhere near a surround system.
I'm sure there are many who will frown at my solution, but I've taken the front outs from the surround pre/pro and fed them into the stereo preamp. This requires some adjusting of levels when I use the surround, but that can't be helped. I'm not too fussy about the sound quality of the surround, my source being streaming and downloaded vids the quality is not that good to begin with.
So now I have what I wanted to achieve, great stereo and decent surround.
 
Your prediction came true. I just bought the Caspian preamp, what a lift in sound. This is the sound I've been chasing.
I've come to the obvious conclusion that you shouldn't let your stereo signal anywhere near a surround system.
I'm sure there are many who will frown at my solution, but I've taken the front outs from the surround pre/pro and fed them into the stereo preamp. This requires some adjusting of levels when I use the surround, but that can't be helped. I'm not too fussy about the sound quality of the surround, my source being streaming and downloaded vids the quality is not that good to begin with.
So now I have what I wanted to achieve, great stereo and decent surround.

Glad I could help ☺️
 
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