Power/integrated amp reccomendations.

[Mikeandvan]

Mike I don't know if it helps but I had tried lots of Naim amps over about 20 years and never 'got' the Naim sound at all and I always wondered what all the fuss was about....however I tried one last time a couple of months ago and this time I really 'got it'...

I think the current Naim sound is nothing like the Naim of old. You mentioned your Naim to "exhibit traits of harshness" and that's exactly how I would have described the Naim's I had in the past but my current Naim amps have absolutely no harshness, in fact nothing could be further from the truth, so it might be worth trying something newer from Naim, you might be very surprised. My current Naim's are the XS2 and the Supernait 2 but I am pretty sure a newer power amp would also be much the same sound wise

If not I have had a Sugden A21 on home demo a couple of times and they are very good indeed, quite sweet sounding

Personally I would not go the Cyrus route as I've always found them rather thin sounding, loads of detail but not rich enough for my taste..

Don't know if any of that helps at all

It does thanks.

[Yomanze]

Is that the integrated, stereo or monoblocks?

The integrated. HiFi News preferred it to the Naim Nait XS2 & Rega Elicit R.

http://www.hifinews.co.uk/news/artic...und;1495/20185

[Scooby]

People have already mentioned the Sugden A21a and Sonneteer Alabaster. I've had both and would recommend either, although I think the Sonneteer is slightly more "loveable". If you did want to go the power amp route, the Sugden is also available as a power amp.

[oldius]

Sounds to me like the Nakamichi PA5 would be the right cboice and they do come up within budget from time to time.

The PA7 is a more expensive choice but again a nice match with your preamplifier.

[Mikeandvan]

People have already mentioned the Sugden A21a and Sonneteer Alabaster. I've had both and would recommend either, although I think the Sonneteer is slightly more "loveable". If you did want to go the power amp route, the Sugden is also available as a power amp.

I read a review of the Sugden and it said it was a tad warm, well it said good things too, might be a too far from what I'm used to, which is Olive Naim. Then again I might like it, who knows.

[Mikeandvan]

Sounds to me like the Nakamichi PA5 would be the right cboice and they do come up within budget from time to time.

The PA7 is a more expensive choice but again a nice match with your preamplifier.

Yes, I see you have the ca7 pre amp, which means remote control! But they're even rarer right? Yes a PA-5 would be nice, I just bought a Sony ta -670es, so I'll use the nak as phono stage into the Sony for now. It was cheapish - £145, and will bridge the gap between finding a decent power amp, I would like to try a pa-5 or 7 one day.

[walpurgis]

Sugden amps are consistent in price, so if you bought one, tried it and decided against it, you'd sell it on at the same price you paid. Not much of a risk.

[Mikeandvan]

Just got a Sony 670es, not bad so far. I also just got a Nakamichi, as some of you are probably bored of hearing. Is there a way to use the Nak as a phono stage connected to the sony? Do I just connect it to the aux? But from what output of the nak? Ta.