Amp upgrade once again, pls help

[Zubkabera]

I know I've asked this before but now I have narrowed down my choice to four amps and really appreciate your honest and insight help in picking the right amp for my taste of music. Since I am planing to buy these second hand hence audition is not an option and your advice is my primary source.

Here I go again

After many years of listening I feel my Rega Brio need an upgrade, I
miss separation of instruments in fast and complex tunes and whole
midrange sound blotted, but funds doesn't allow me to go for a new amp
instead I am thinking buying secondhand,

I have narrowed down my options to these which I will be using with B&W 685

Roksan Kandy MK3

Cyrus 6 or 8

Primare A20

Naim Nait 5i

I mostly listen to dance, house and pop and
some classical, i will be using it with DacMagic via SQ3 mostly
losssless or 320KB ripped files. sweet treble, deep and punchy yet tight bass is a must and vocal should sound like you are standing in front of the singer. I know too much to ask but I know there is one magic amp on ebay

which can do justice to my music taste and take me to seventh heaven of Music Nirvana.

 

[matthewpiano]

IMO with those speakers and your taste in music you should be looking at a NAD C352 or C355BEE. The strong current delivery of the NAD will really grip the 685s without breaking the bank.

 

[Zubkabera]

frankly speaking 7 year ago when I bought Rega I auditioned NAD too and prefered the Rega over NAD, at that time I was not into dance and house music hence Rega was brilliant in pop, vocals and delivering sweet treble in simple music. Since then my music taste evolved and my ears got fine tuned hence I now feel that separation of instruments in complex electronic music and midrange in rock and fast songs is not so detailed as I wish.

 

[Zubkabera]

TEAM WHF can you please help me with this as you are the best in business I promise will not bother you on stereo amp for next 3 years

.

 

[matthewpiano]

For a cleaner sound than the NAD but with more of what you are looking for, go and listen to the Cambridge Audio 840A.

 

[Zubkabera]

In past I compared CA 640 not the 840 and decided improvement didn't worth spending over Rega, secondly my impression about Cambridge Audio Amps was they are not in the same league as Roksan, Cyrus and Naim. I apologize if it offend any CA users.

This also brings me to second interesting question which is has the technology advancement recent few years come to a level where a recent 5 star budget amp can bean a 5 year old Amp which was at that time 3 times the cost of current budget amp? for an example a 5 year old Naim Nait, Cyrus 6 or Roksan Kandy III can still beat new generation Rotel RA04 or CA 640 in the budget of 300-400.

 

[matthewpiano]

Zubkabera:
In past I compared CA 640 not the 840 and decided improvement didn't worth spending over Rega, secondly my impression about Cambridge Audio Amps was they are not in the same league as Roksan, Cyrus and Naim. I apologize if it offend any CA users.

Nothing for anyone to be offended about. The CA amps are every bit in the same league as the other brands you mention. The brand just doesn't have the same snob value.

 

[bretty]

Hi,

I would discount the Cyrus amps. I've only just got rid of my Cyrus and although they definitely will give you the realistic vocal reproduction that you want, they wont give the deep bass. Dance music and rock music, for that matter, sound very thin when played through the older Cyrus amps.

Similarly, Naim are not known for their deep bass, so i'd say swerve them.

I haven't heard the Primare.

The Roksan Kandy, I listened to last year, and I think would be your best bet out of your choices. Very good amp, with plenty of power. Doesn't have the vocal clarity of the Cyrus, but it's no slouch in the department. It has the bass you need for the genres of music you listen to.

 

[Zubkabera]

Thanks bretty for your valuable advice I also had that impression that Cyrus and Naim may not suite my genre of music , hence that left me with two option Primare and Roksan I was more inclined towards Roksan for more power it has and being consistent product of the year award winner for so many years. I will go with that I hope it will work well with my B&Ws.

 

[the record spot]

Harman Kardon HK990 amp and the NAD C375 would be two new options I'd recommend going new. Not reviewed by WHF, the HK amp is a big beefy thing, but gets a lot of respect elsewhere. The NAD only took a 3 star review in WHF, but does well elsewhere. I'd be looking at the pair of them. An Arcam Alpha 10 would be worth thinking about too I think and it can take a power amp as well.