Question What £5,000 amp?

[Forkbeard]

Hi Guys, I am not looking for recommendations, just subjective opinions. I am about to spend £5,000 on a Yamaha A-S3200. If you were about to spend £5k on an amp which amp would you go for and why and what speakers would you partner it with?

 

[Al ears]

Hi Guys, I am not looking for recommendations, just subjective opinions. I am about to spend £5,000 on a Yamaha A-S3200. If you were about to spend £5k on an amp which amp would you go for and why and what speakers would you partner it with?

The question is why are you spending £5000 on the Yamaha and what speakers do you plan to use it with?
Nobody can answer your question about speakers as we know nothing about your listening room, it could be a barn....
My money would be on a Luxman L-507uXII

 

[Forkbeard]

The question is why are you spending £5000 on the Yamaha and what speakers do you plan to use it with?
Nobody can answer your question about speakers as we know nothing about your listening room, it could be a barn....
My money would be on a Luxman L-507uXII

The question is why are you spending £5000 on the Yamaha and what speakers do you plan to use it with?
Nobody can answer your question about speakers as we know nothing about your listening room, it could be a barn....
My money would be on a Luxman L-507uXII

Well actually that wasn’t the question because I wasn’t looking for recommendations, I was just interested to know what people are spending their money on but fairs fair 😁, the reason I am buying that particular amp is because I have had a Yamaha A-S1100 for a few years and I absolutely love it so when Yamaha brought out the A-S3200 I felt it was time for a change and when I listened to it I was blown away by the sound, and who couldn’t love those VU meters 🤣. My partnering speakers are Monitor Audio Gold 200’s.

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi Guys, I am not looking for recommendations, just subjective opinions. I am about to spend £5,000 on a Yamaha A-S3200. If you were about to spend £5k on an amp which amp would you go for and why and what speakers would you partner it with?

Same as above, depends on speakers. For my tastes, it would be sh Naim pre-power - a Nac 282 and Nap 250dr, but I'd also look at Accuphase, and I've also been reading great stuff about a brand called Moonriver Audio - and if they sound as good as they look (and reviewed), they're worth very serious consideration.

 

[Al ears]

Same as above, depends on speakers. For my tastes, it would be sh Naim pre-power - a Nac 282 and Nap 250dr, but I'd also look at Accuphase, and I've also been reading great stuff about a brand called Moonriver Audio - and if they sound as good as they look (and reviewed), they're worth very serious consideration.

Agree with you on Moonriver 404 Reference, was interested myself but so difficult to get to audition.
PS:- I don't think you are going to find a new Accuphase for £5000......

 

[Forkbeard]

Same as above, depends on speakers. For my tastes, it would be sh Naim pre-power - a Nac 282 and Nap 250dr, but I'd also look at Accuphase, and I've also been reading great stuff about a brand called Moonriver Audio - and if they sound as good as they look (and reviewed), they're worth very serious consideration.

I must admit I have heard very good things about Accuphase, perhaps I will go and audition one.

 

[Al ears]

Having thought about it I dont think I could justify a £5000 amp to power £3000 speakers, but that's just me.

 

[Forkbeard]

Having thought about it I dont think I could justify a £5000 amp to power £3000 speakers, but that's just me.

But think of the future, that just gives you another excuse to go and spend some more money and upgrade because, as we all know, the perfect system has not been invented 😁

 

[Al ears]

I must admit I have heard very good things about Accuphase, perhaps I will go and audition one.

Excellent amps but they start at around £6500. Would love to own an E650

 

[12th Monkey]

I'd be looking at nearly new NuVista on the bay of E, I think.

 

[Gray]

......and who couldn’t love those VU meters

There must be a market for someone to stick a couple of meters in a fancy box.
Sold as a plug-in for any amp for a bargain £1,150.
(+£60 for Russ Andrews' burn-in' service).

 

[Mark1970]

Just saw some on Ebay france...cheap ones from about £30 and quite nice looking ones for £180 !!

 

[Al ears]

There must be a market for someone to stick a couple of meters in a fancy box.
Sold as a plug-in for any amp for a bargain £1,150.
(+£60 for Russ Andrews' burn-in' service).

Nah! waste of space on an amplifier but useful on a tape deck

 

[Gray]

Based solely on a review I read, I think the Hegel H590 might be good. Then I remembered that one is £9000, so I'll need to save for an extra week.

(To be honest, I couldn't justify 5 grand in a semi-detached house).

 

[manicm]

I understand you may want the retro looks, and sound - it’s not the last word in clarity but still good though.

At this level I’d look at the Supernait 3 or Denon’s PMA-A110, for starters as well. And they’re under budget.

 

[plastic penguin]

I suppose the pertinent question is what £5k to match the Monitor Audios? Other than Yamaha, I would look at Arcam A49 (only available s/hand now), Leema Tucana Anniversary - one of the best sub-6k amp I've heard, based on the MKII version I owned.

In addition Creek Voyage i20 should be a cracking match, as should be Cambridge The Edge.

With all the above you could look at speaker upgrade such as Monitor Audio Platinum range.

Luxman is a good shout from @Al ears but would guess Monitor Audios wouldn't be a great match. I would look at Wilson Benesch or Harbeth 5HL.

All depends on sources. If you have vinyl few at that price come with built-in phono stages, so factor in a budget for that.

One thing I do know for sure is you are unlikely to pick up a poor amp, but synergy is crucial.

 

[Vincent Kars]

I would look for an amp with as low distortion as possible.
An amp based on the Purifi Eigentakt like https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/purifi1et400aamplifiers

 

[Al ears]

I suppose the pertinent question is what £5k to match the Monitor Audios? Other than Yamaha, I would look at Arcam A49 (only available s/hand now), Leema Tucana Anniversary - one of the best sub-6k amp I've heard, based on the MKII version I owned.

In addition Creek Voyage i20 should be a cracking match, as should be Cambridge The Edge.

With all the above you could look at speaker upgrade such as Monitor Audio Platinum range.

Luxman is a good shout from @Al ears but would guess Monitor Audios wouldn't be a great match. I would look at Wilson Benesch or Harbeth 5HL.

All depends on sources. If you have vinyl few at that price come with built-in phono stages, so factor in a budget for that.

One thing I do know for sure is you are unlikely to pick up a poor amp, but synergy is crucial.

I'd be interested to know why you consider Luxman and MA not to be a good match - with apologies to the OP

 

[Gray]

I would look for an amp with as low distortion as possible.
An amp based on the Purifi Eigentakt like https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/purifi1et400aamplifiers

Yes and for the same reason I think NAD's C298 could be a good value power amp at 'only' £1700.
Match that with a decent pre/ streamer.....might be a better way to spend £5k.

 

[Al ears]

Yes and for the same reason I think NAD's C298 could be a good value power amp at 'only' £1700.
Match that with a decent pre/ streamer.....might be a better way to spend £5k.

Wot? No VU meters?

 

[manicm]

With a 5k budget I don’t think I’d give NAD a first look. Try Music Fidelity.

 

[jjbomber]

Leema Tucana Anniversary - one of the best sub-6k amp I've heard, based on the MKII version I owned.

+1 for the Leema.

However, under forum rules, I must totally ignore the OP and say something totally irrelevant. So I'd go for active speakers instead!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Guys, I am not looking for recommendations, just subjective opinions. I am about to spend £5,000 on a Yamaha A-S3200. If you were about to spend £5k on an amp which amp would you go for and why and what speakers would you partner it with?

Funnily enough last Sunday I brought home a pair of Monitor Audio's 5G Gold 200's to use during this lockdown period. Current system is - dCS Network Bridge > DENAFRIPS Ares II > Sugden Audio A21 SE Signature > 5G Gold 200. This system sounds mighty fine

Btw, 5G Gold 200's also work well with amps such as Sugden Audio's Masterclass ANV-50 and ATC's SIA2-150MK2

 

[Forkbeard]

Agree with you on Moonriver 404 Reference, was interested myself but so difficult to get to audition.
PS:- I don't think you are going to find a new Accuphase for £5000......

I was looking at the Accuphase 800 which looks great but way out of my price range at 15k

 

[Forkbeard]

I'd be interested to know why you consider Luxman and MA not to be a good match - with apologies to the OP

I was wondering that too,