Best amp on a budget?

[Cubeman]

Hi all,

I'm looking to upgrade my system with a new amp.
I now use a Beresford TC-7520 DAC to listen to my Flac files I stream from my Mac using Cog and Airfoil.
Budget is around €500,- for something to replace my Onkyo TX-SV535 receiver.
Speakers are Acoustic Research Status S50 floorstanders, between the DAC and the receivers sits a Monster 250 Interlink and between my Airport Express and the DAC sits a Beresford Optical cable.
Speaker cable now is standard 4mm Oehlbach stuff, nothing fancy yet but this might change when I upgrade some more.

I have been looking at The Marantz MP6003 and the Rotel RA-04 for starters, but the the feeling came that you guys might know a bit more about what is good and what isn't.

I'm fairly new to hifi so just asking the experts

Thanks,

Martijn

[speakers-1989]

Try and look out for a 2nd hand NAD C272 poweramp. Its a great amp for the money.
I had a C272 once, and it drove my father's Martin Logan Quest Z speakers with great results!

Good luck on your search.

[Themis]

On solid-state, the Harman Kardon HK-980 is a serious alternative to the Marantz, imho.

[Cubeman]

Now that you mention solid state, I also thought about a Chinese tube amp as they aren't that expensive.
I fact I would love a tube amp, but price of a good one is about the only thing that's keeping me from buying one...

[Themis]

Now that you mention solid state, I also thought about a Chinese tube amp as they aren't that expensive.
I fact I would love a tube amp, but price of a good one is about the only thing that's keeping me from buying one...

http://www.miniwatt.com.hk/

[Cubeman]

http://www.miniwatt.com.hk/

I have been thinking about that lovely little amp but I in wouldn't know if it has sufficient power for my 6x4 meter living room.
My speakers have a 92dB sensitivity and have a impedance of 6 ohm but I have no idea how hard they are to drive for such a little amp

[DSJR]

Seriously, don't look at the mass marketeers. They seem to me to always be review fodder, rather than decent examples of amplification.....

For new solid state on a budget, please look at Rega amps. Well made, great service and an honest reproduction standard, if a little brightly lit for some on here. Cambridge are good too, but lack the "cachet" of other brands and their absolute straight-down-the-line truthfulness puts lovers of romance off a good bit..

Can't you use the little Mini-Watt at a couple of hundred notes and then save for a Croft Micro25/Series 7? Just a thought, but these are so good, you won't need to look at amps again unless you want some bling in your setup.....

[Ashmore]

Cubeman

I am not an expert but I'm going to make a suggestion anyway.

Consider good second hand. You can buy something that looks new and (obviously) your rmoney will go far further.

I've just got rid of an RA-05 (basically an 04 with a remote control) and have replaced it with an older Arcam A85 for less than than the Rotel cost me new. The Arcam is a significantly better amp in every respect.

Simon

[The Vinyl Adventure]

I have no real authority to recomend it but these beringer a500 pro amps get a lot of bice stuff said about them!

[Themis]

I have no real authority to recomend it but these beringer a500 pro amps get a lot of bice stuff said about them!

Good power amps, indeed. I forgot these, thought the OP needed an integrated.