One for the WHF team

[admin_exported]

Good evening.

I am considering a new amp and have (with the help of some here and obviosly the reviews) got a list together, of the nait xs, arcam a38, the roksan caspian and primare I30 (the shop with the primare aslo stocks the music fidelity stuff too). I know stockists of all that are within an hours drive of Brighton for all but the caspian. I know that the team rate the caspian as the best buy. My question to you is that would i be missing out on something so hugely better or different to the amps listed if i dropped it from my list due to geographical challenges! I would obviously love to demo the Roksan but am struggling to fins somewhere close ish which would give me a chance of a home demo. I want to home demo all of them by the way.

ps: could we not have best buys for amps between 1500-2k, 2k-2.5k and then 3k plus? I think the jump between the roksan and plinius is a bit large maybe?

Thanks as always

 

[Simon Lucas]

You're dead right to want to demo them at home. The Arcam and Primare divide opinion a little on these forums, but if it were my money I'd be trying to decide between the Roksan and the Naim - you really need to hear the Caspian if at all possible. It does a little bit of everything, really.
We gave a Best Buy Award to the Cyrus Pre vs2/ PSX-R/ 8 Power amp at the end of last year - it's £2000 or so and I think they stock it at Sevenoaks on Western Road.

 

[Anonymous]

Simon Lucas:You're dead right to want to demo them at home. The Arcam and Primare divide opinion a little on these forums, but if it were my money I'd be trying to decide between the Roksan and the Naim - you really need to hear the Caspian if at all possible. It does a little bit of everything, really.
We gave a Best Buy Award to the Cyrus Pre vs2/ PSX-R/ 8 Power amp at the end of last year - it's £2000 or so and I think they stock it at Sevenoaks on Western Road.

Which would be the best for dynamics?

 

[d_a_n1979]

Personally at that price bracket you're looking at; i'd be going for the Cyrus set-up all the way!

The Primare amp is superb but for clarity and detail as well as all out soundstage; i dont think the Cyrus can be beat!

 

[Anonymous]

Its a real shame taht i cant stand to cyrus looks to be honest as i wont consider them base on this alone, as i want it to fit in to a deree with my existing av kit etc. Although i guess i could put the units side by side........

I have neat motive 1's and gathering from the reviews of these speakers, would the cyrus geara be a little bright?

Thanks fellas

 

[matthewpiano]

I know what you mean about the Cyrus gear Gander. It looks cheap and nasty, even though its actually pretty well built in the places where it really counts. The silver looks like someones used a spray can in a garage...

 

[Anonymous]

So i ave seen the divided opinion on the arcam on here, but whats the divide on the primare?

 

[John Duncan]

The Arcam blokes hate it

 

[Anonymous]

aha, complete opposites then?

 

[Anonymous]

Camden in london is the nearest place to brighton that sells the roksan! How very annoying!

 

[Anonymous]

Moorgate Acousitcs were doing the Cyrus PreVs and 8 Power together for 899 last time I checked!!

 

[Anonymous]

Naim go well with Neat, according to the Naim forum, anyway.

 

[John Duncan]

Gander:aha, complete opposites then?

Actually no, they're both about equal*

*some are more equal than others

 

[Anonymous]

right. Well it looks like i can demo each one but the roksan which is a bit annoying. If its such a great amp why is it not stocked in way more stores??