Right, after months (nay years, well, two anyway) of demos I've discounted the Caspian, Primare, Creek, Cyrus, Naim, MF, Exposure...

So it'll be either Roksan Kandy, Leema Pulse, Cambridge 840V2 or Arcam A32.

The speakers will be standmounted affairs: PMC DBs, EB2, ProAc or ATC SCM11s. My Arcam CD73T will remain for the forseeable, so whatever amp I choose has to synergise with the cdp.

Any views or comments welcome.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Interesting short list, PP. I really like the CD73T. It will probably go with all of these amps, but I'd definitely like to hear what you think about synergy, since I have it too.

What Proacs do you have in mind? I just bought a pair of Response 1SCs. If you look around you may find some at a good price. They sound fantastic with everything I've heard them with. I'll be running them with an Arcam A85 to begin with but may upgrade later. Hence my interest in your amp plans. ;-)

Best of luck with you search!

Hedgehog
 
Cheers, Hedgehog.

I'm getting pretty frustrated with all this listening to different brands. At first it was informative, now I'm just fed-up.

I loved the sound of the Creek Evo II and Caspian but they just don't offer enough inputs. The leema Pulse is fantastic but system matching could be tricky.

My shortlist is based on sound, connectivity and system matching. Sometimes I just feel like scrapping the idea and just sticking with my very old Alpha 7, Wharfedale E20....
 
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Anonymous

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The K2 is a superb amp for the money. Combine that with some PMCs and I think you'll have a good allrounder. A DAC would be the obvious next move from there. For me, I'd have a Caspian over the K2 if it was close in price.
 
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Anonymous

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Sonus Faber or Dynaudio speakers. Densen amplification.
 
igglebert:The K2 is a superb amp for the money. Combine that with some PMCs and I think you'll have a good allrounder. A DAC would be the obvious next move from there. For me, I'd have a Caspian over the K2 if it was close in price.

Yeah, the Caspian wipes the floor with the Kandy, but I would need to invest not just a DAC but also a headphone and phono box. Factor in that the Caspian s/hand is around £900 and it starts to become slightly unpalletable.
 
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Anonymous

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my 192 goes well with the pulse, i have a saturn on home trial at the moment and although it sound nice i dont think it gels with the pulse aswell as the arcam
 

shooter

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I used to be indecisive about hi-fi, now I'm not sure.
emotion-21.gif


Go for it, its a nice combo and the Leema has it all, even lips.
emotion-1.gif
 

JoelSim

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shooter69:I used to be indecisive about hi-fi, now I'm not sure.
emotion-21.gif
Go for it, its a nice combo and the Leema has it all, even lips.
emotion-1.gif


I'd go for the Leema.
 
shooter69:I used to be indecisive about hi-fi, now I'm not sure.
emotion-21.gif
Go for it, its a nice combo and the Leema has it all, even lips.
emotion-1.gif


emotion-14.gif


Absolutely - I've also sat inside my sonic comfort zone for so long that I'm a little pensive of making the cardinal sin: To get it wrong. And like some members, gawd bless them, they change their kit almost as often as I change me socks.
emotion-3.gif
 

JoelSim

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plastic penguin:
shooter69:I used to be indecisive about hi-fi, now I'm not sure.
emotion-21.gif
Go for it, its a nice combo and the Leema has it all, even lips.
emotion-1.gif


emotion-14.gif


Absolutely - I've also sat inside my sonic comfort zone for so long that I'm a little pensive of making the cardinal sin: To get it wrong. And like some members, gawd bless them, they change their kit almost as often as I change me socks.
emotion-3.gif


Funnily enough I may just upgrade my amp shortly...
 
JoelSim:plastic penguin:

shooter69:I used to be indecisive about hi-fi, now I'm not sure.
emotion-21.gif
Go for it, its a nice combo and the Leema has it all, even lips.
emotion-1.gif


emotion-14.gif


Absolutely - I've also sat inside my sonic comfort zone for so long that I'm a little pensive of making the cardinal sin: To get it wrong. And like some members, gawd bless them, they change their kit almost as often as I change me socks.
emotion-3.gif


Funnily enough I may just upgrade my amp shortly...

LOL

Funnily enough that wasn't aimed in your direction...
 

Sorreltiger

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I'm really interested in this, as I've recently bought a Pulse to go with my (old) Arcam CD72 and Quad 12L2s. I am incredibly impressed with the Leema amp, which IMO outperforms the A85 which I owned until going down the AV route. There seem to be incredible reserves of power, so that you still get the full dynamics of a cymbal crash during a really loud climax. There isn't any constriction or attenuation.

I was considering a CD upgrade, however, with a second-hand CD192 a possibility or one of the Regas - there are some good deals around on ex-demo Saturns. Perhaps you could expand on your home demo experiences, Paul?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Well PP, you keep coming back to the Pulse so that sounds like the beasty for you. What about the new Pulse with inbuilt DAC?
 
igglebert:Well PP, you keep coming back to the Pulse so that sounds like the beasty for you. What about the new Pulse with inbuilt DAC?

I do make reference to the Pulse quite often, but I just have a hunch system matching might be slightly awkward. Regards the new MKIII version I haven't read anything about it. Probably because it is a little beyond what I want to spend. Anyway with all those inputs is a built-in DAC necessary?
 

SteveR750

Well-known member
I would have thought that a Cyrus or a Nait would be a better match with the laid back Arcam? But since you have already discounted the former, then +1 for the Kandy. I preferred it to the both the Cyrus 6 and 8XP and the Nait.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
PP, I'm a bit confused about what the awkwardbess of system matching with the Leema consists in. If you're in the market for new speakers all that needs to match with the Leema is the CD73T, right? If so, a demo with both should reassure you or rule it out. And if the two gel, you can choose the speakers that go best with them (from your short list). Am I missing something?

Hedgehog
 
SteveR750:I would have thought that a Cyrus or a Nait would be a better match with the laid back Arcam? But since you have already discounted the former, then +1 for the Kandy. I preferred it to the both the Cyrus 6 and 8XP and the Nait.

I have a love-hate experience with Naim: on a home dem with Arcam and MA speakers it was 'orrible. Just over year ago I heard the same amp (Nait 5I) with ATC speakers and (just after Xmas) XS with Cyrus and Spendors and it sounded wonderful.

Regards the Cyrus, I heard the 8VS2 with my old kit: the detail is exactly as WHFIs reviews, and the ability to pick out female vocals was exceptional. Alas, something with the sound didn't sit comfortably with me. And the OH hates the look.

The Kandy for me, like yourself, just sounds more of an accomplished all-rounder.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
in my opinion and it is only mine the saturn is a little warmer and for some music is a little better than the arcam but i dont feel it is as open and revealing as the 192. i was alittle dissapointed with the saturn ,if it had the detail of the arcam and the extra warmth i would be making the change but i like the open sound of the arcam .plus it would cost me about £400 to change not an option. in short the saturn would be a change in sound not an ugrade imo
 
Hedgehog:

PP, I'm a bit confused about what the awkwardbess of system matching with the Leema consists in. If you're in the market for new speakers all that needs to match with the Leema is the CD73T, right? If so, a demo with both should reassure you or rule it out. And if the two gel, you can choose the speakers that go best with them (from your short list). Am I missing something?

Hedgehog

You're right - my comments about system matching is comparative. I heard the Pulse side by side with the Caspian with my CD73 with Spendor SA-1 and MA GS10 speakers but in my medium-sized living room I'm concerned that the Pulse maybe a little overpowering (but I could be totally wrong and end up with egg on my chops) whereas the Caspian in a retail environment seemed a little more forgiving...

...Hence why I'm slightly divided.
 
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Anonymous

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one of the things that impressed with the pulse is its ability to sound good at low volumes .my nad was a nightmare untill you went above 1/4 volume . how big is a medium sized living room ?
 

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