Stereo amplifier recommandation for pair Monitor Audio Gold 300

[Freeke]

I'm looking for a matching amp to pair with my Monitor Audio Gold 300's ( price range 1500-3000 EURO location Belgium )

all suggestions are welcome!

I was first planning tot keep them connected to my 36y old Sansui AU-919 but i'm afraid i might nog get the full potential out of them.

i'm currently looking at: Marantz PM11S3 / Rotel RA-1592 ( with integrated DAC ) / Denon PMA-2500NE but 2nd hand devices ( recent models) are also an option for me.

integrated good DAC en MC phono would be nice but ultimately good control of the MA Gold 300's would be the main cause.

I like to hear from you !

 

[Gazzip]

I'm looking for a matching amp to pair with my Monitor Audio Gold 300's ( price range 1500-3000 EURO location Belgium )

all suggestions are welcome!

I was first planning tot keep them connected to my 36y old Sansui AU-919 but i'm afraid i might nog get the full potential out of them.

i'm currently looking at: Marantz PM11S3 / Rotel RA-1592 ( with integrated DAC ) / Denon PMA-2500NE but 2nd hand devices ( recent models) are also an option for me.

integrated good DAC en MC phono would be nice but ultimately good control of the MA Gold 300's would be the main cause.

I like to hear from you !

Have you considered Arcam, which are a good match for MA due to their smooth sound? The A39 plus an outboard DAC could be a good pairing with a built in phono stage, but as always you need to listen to it with your speakers/sources, and if possible in your own surroundings...

 

[Al ears]

I'm looking for a matching amp to pair with my Monitor Audio Gold 300's ( price range 1500-3000 EURO location Belgium )

all suggestions are welcome!

I was first planning tot keep them connected to my 36y old Sansui AU-919 but i'm afraid i might nog get the full potential out of them.

i'm currently looking at: Marantz PM11S3 / Rotel RA-1592 ( with integrated DAC ) / Denon PMA-2500NE but 2nd hand devices ( recent models) are also an option for me.

integrated good DAC en MC phono would be nice but ultimately good control of the MA Gold 300's would be the main cause.

I like to hear from you !

Amplifiers with an integrated DAC and a MC phono stage are a little thin on the ground, are both of these necessary?

....and welcome to the forum.

Which turntable and cartridge are you looking to connect to this amp?

Perhaps an amp and a separate phono stage might give you more choice.

 

[Al ears]

Further to my last post I would strongly recommend you try to audition the Primare i22 amplifier with the optional DAC board but you would have to buy a separate MC photos stage.

 

[ellisdj]

MA always demo'd their speakers with Moon kit - at the shows I saw them at.

I bet they wont anymore - I bet it will be Roksan - however there is a Moon I5 on the auction site, no idea how good it is - someone else might know.

I remember hearing a Moon I7 I think it was at WHF towers with PL300 and Cyrus CD6 spinner - at the time it was very impressive

 

[Leeps]

FWIW, the new Peachtree Nova 150 / Nova 300 (or soon-to-be-released Nova 500) ticks your boxes of phono input and digital inputs. Whether they suit the Golds is another matter. I owned the Gold 50's in the past and found them too laid back, so I'd not personally match them with an amp that feels similarly mellow.

The new Peachtrees lack the tube buffer of old, so might have a little more get up and go than their predecessors.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Further to my last post I would strongly recommend you try to audition the Primare i22 amplifier with the optional DAC board but you would have to buy a separate MC photos stage.

Agree, although I'd push further for the I32.

 

[ellisdj]

Further to my last post I would strongly recommend you try to audition the Primare i22 amplifier with the optional DAC board but you would have to buy a separate MC photos stage.

Agree, although I'd push further for the I32.

sorry confused between 2 threads - coffee not kicked in yet

 

[Al ears]

Further to my last post I would strongly recommend you try to audition the Primare i22 amplifier with the optional DAC board but you would have to buy a separate MC photos stage.

Agree, although I'd push further for the I32.

I was going to suggest this however this and the addition of the media board would push him over his maximum budget, would it not? Unless they are available for a lower price in Europe compared to UK.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Freeke

Hegel Music Systems H160 amp/DAC/streamer and the new ROST amp/DAC/streamer are also worth a look. There is great control and synergy between Hegel amplifcation and Monitor Audio loudspeakers. In fact the first pair of Gold 300's we sold were with a H160. Fwiw, please take a look at our FB page where you will see pics. of the Gold 300/H160 sysyem and some of our other clients Monitor Audio/Hegel combinations.

Btw, an add on phono stage will be required and Pro-Ject Audio Systems Phono Box DS works a treat with Hegel amplifiers.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Freeke]

Many thanks for all the info you guys, i'm going to look into these brands this weekend ( not sure if they are easy to find in Belgium/Europe )

Kind regards

Frederik

PS: it looks like the primare i30 was better received than the new i32 here on whathifi ( 5 stars vs 3 stars ), is it worth to look at a secondhand (2007 ) i30 and save money for external DAC + cables ?

 

[insider9]

Many thanks for all the info you guys, i'm going to look into these brands this weekend ( not sure if they are easy to find in Belgium/Europe )

Kind regards

Frederik

PS: it looks like the primare i30 was better received than the new i32 here on whathifi ( 5 stars vs 3 stars ), is it worth to look at a secondhand (2007 ) i30 and save money for external DAC + cables ?

Yes, it is. But I'm biased towards Primare as I'm using their amp and think it's marvellous.

 

[Al ears]

Many thanks for all the info you guys, i'm going to look into these brands this weekend ( not sure if they are easy to find in Belgium/Europe )

Kind regards

Frederik

PS: it looks like the primare i30 was better received than the new i32 here on whathifi ( 5 stars vs 3 stars ), is it worth to look at a secondhand (2007 ) i30 and save money for external DAC + cables ?

If you can find one cheap then yes, however I wouldn't put all your faith in WHF reviews as I disagree with them on this one. You would also need those extra boxes, DAC and phono preamp instead of the integrated card in the new amp.

 

[DocG]

Hi Frederik,

Where in B. do you live? I might be able to suggest some shops...

 

[Frank Harvey]

I was going to suggest this however this and the addition of the media board would push him over his maximum budget, would it not? Unless they are available for a lower price in Europe compared to UK.

Yes it would, but sometimes some things just have to be said! If it was me personally, I'd actually be looking at a Pre32 and A34.2, but I showed a little restraint

 

[Al ears]

I was going to suggest this however this and the addition of the media board would push him over his maximum budget, would it not? Unless they are available for a lower price in Europe compared to UK.

Yes it would, but sometimes some things just have to be said! If it was me personally, I'd actually be looking at a Pre32 and A34.2, but I showed a little restraint

Now you are talking, sod Xmas we will live on bread and water so we can aquire said combo..... ;-)

 

[Squall Leonhart]

I was able to test my Marantz PM8005 with Monitor Audio GX50 and the sound was very nice. I would expect the PM11S3 would be a perfect match for Gold 300.

You have listed mainly Japanese brands so I would also recommend checking out Yamaha AS2100 or AS3000. Also any Luxman or Accuphase integrated should be good but these brands seem to be hard to find in some countries.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Yes it would, but sometimes some things just have to be said! If it was me personally, I'd actually be looking at a Pre32 and A34.2, but I showed a little restraint

Now you are talking, sod Xmas we will live on bread and water so we can aquire said combo..... ;-)

It'll also stop any extra pounds being added round the waist

 

[DocG]

My last post seems to be invisible! I can see the preview in the 'My posts' section, but I can't open it, nor does it appear in the thread. What a wonderful site this is...

New try...

I saw this second hand PM14S1. It's there for two months now, so you might be able to haggle a little...

Then again, as tradition goes, we're supposed to suggest things that are (a little or a lot) over the stated maximum budget! So I urge you to look into Devialet. The D120 has all the inputs you need, plenty of power and that SAM protocol for your Gold 300s. Believe me, SAM turns a pair of speakers into something rather special. I've used my D120 with KEF LS50s and now (temporarily) with B&W CM7s, and both combinations are very addictive indeed.

A second hand D120 should be out there for 3000-3500 EUR, less than that if you're willing to buy abroad.

Have a closer look. It's worth your time... *diablo*

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

Quote : "I was first planning tot keep them connected to my 36y old Sansui AU-919 but i'm afraid i might nog get the full potential out of them."

I don't see why. The AU-919 has lots of power and deliver lots of current too. He's probably well suited for those speakers, and probably, a better choice than 60% of the actual high-end hifi market. But with 36 years, he surely needs a good refresh. Does the Sansui don't have a phono preamp onboard ? I would clearly privilege this kind of gear before even going to look at an entry Roksan, Audia, Accuphase or McIntosh for double the price with two third of the performance.

 

[DocG]

.

 

[Freeke]

a PRE30 + A32 combo (for 2300 EUR / 2450 USD ) would that be interesting? ( and a good match fotr the MA Gold 300 )

'ill have to save some extra money to get a DAC/CD solution ...

 

[Nathan]

For speakers that good I'd go with the Roksan Blak amp. I've got one with the silver 6 speakers. The Gold ones are simply awesome

 

[DocG]

a PRE30 + A32 combo (for 2300 EUR / 2450 USD ) would that be interesting? ( and a good match fotr the MA Gold 300 )

'ill have to save some extra money to get a DAC/CD solution ...

That A32 looks very impressive. I think it'll drive any speaker you care to try (except maybe Martin Logan ESLs).

The P30 is an old model and it lacks a prepreamp. But it has plenty of line level and digital inputs (so no need for a separate DAC -- you might need a CD-drive if you're still spinning discs).

 

[spiny norman]

Roksan, maybe?