New integrated amp

[rmcin626]

Just to move away from previous post on the Yamaha, after a listening session yesterday with the Primare i32 and r32 phone stage which I enjoyed although over budget, just received an email with an offer on Exposure 3010 integrated with a MC phono stage included which is much closer to budget but would a round trip of 200 miles to audition. Really need to make a decision on this.

[walpurgis]

I hate long drives, but 200 miles to pick up a piece of equipment is not so bad. I've done it a couple of times (London to near Bristol last time). I reckon there's likely to be less traffic where you are, so maybe not too much of an ordeal.

[struth]

Could be a nice day out Robin. Start early and enjoy trip. Have lunch enjoy music relaxed, and decide if its wortth the price to you.

[rmcin626]

I hate long drives, but 200 miles to pick up a piece of equipment is not so bad. I've done it a couple of times (London to near Bristol last time). I reckon there's likely to be less traffic where you are, so maybe not too much of an ordeal.
Nice quiet piece of road the M8 Geoff, probably more about the fact that it's a nightmare to park in Edinburgh

[rmcin626]

Could be a nice day out Robin. Start early and enjoy trip. Have lunch enjoy music relaxed, and decide if its wortth the price to you.
Sounds like a plan Grant

[Bigman80]

Take the train. Always a better journey unless there is disruption.

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[rmcin626]

Take the train. Always a better journey unless there is disruption.

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Then there is option of wine with lunch

[Bigman80]

Then there is option of wine with lunch
Yes indeed. No traffic either.

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[rmcin626]

Might just stay with the Scandinavian influence and replace the Copland csa8 with the primare i32 and the r 32 phono stage and sod the budget

[eisenach]

rmcin626
Might just stay with the Scandinavian influence and replace the Copland csa8 with the primare i32 and the r 32 phono stage and sod the budget


I've bought a Pre32 and a r32 this year. The system has never sounded as good. The r32 was a big step up from the little Rothwell stage I had before, and the Pre32 is miles better than the Tag Mclaren PA20R that it replaced.
Budgets are never good, anyway ! I remember from my childhood how once a year children's programmes were cancelled to be replaced with a boring old fart talking about stuff that wasn't even interesting. I thought maybe he was going to do a programme on little coloured australian birds, but no such luck.

[rmcin626]

Rega elicit and Aria phono stage plus the moon 250i amp and moon phono stage are scheduled for next week.

[struth]

good test for the rega

[rmcin626]

good test for the rega

Yeah should be interesting

[vinyljunky]

I have a primare r32 it bested the aria I use a krell 300il the r32 to my ears was more open dynamic and detailed and suited my zyx r100 Yatra cart more not much in it though

[struth]

Yeah should be interesting

My big sony integrated wis a nice amp too, so no harm in going the integrated route, but think it wise to have an external phono. I'm using an American one, and am delighted with it tbh. Dont seem to use the sony now even though I like it, and with buying 2 more amps its chances are sinking lol. Might have to consider moving some on some day....... well, maybe..... lol

[rmcin626]

I have a primare r32 it bested the aria I use a krell 300il the r32 to my ears was more open dynamic and detailed and suited my zyx r100 Yatra cart more not much in it though

I nearly bought the primare combo but decided to listen to a few more before spending my hard earned cash

[rmcin626]

My big sony integrated wis a nice amp too, so no harm in going the integrated route, but think it wise to have an external phono. I'm using an American one, and am delighted with it tbh. Dont seem to use the sony now even though I like it, and with buying 2 more amps its chances are sinking lol. Might have to consider moving some on some day....... well, maybe..... lol
I would prefer one box but will settle on the best sound and value to my ageing ears Grant, whatever that turns out to be.

[Gomers]

Have you given up on the Exposure ? That would be my choice without hesitation. I've just bought another Exposure to replace the same model I stupidly sold 6 weeks ago. Tremendous products.

[rmcin626]

Have you given up on the Exposure ? That would be my choice without hesitation. I've just bought another Exposure to replace the same model I stupidly sold 6 weeks ago. Tremendous products.

Not completely Nick, but I need to go through to Edinburgh to hear the Exposure, so trying the Glasgow stores first - I miqght be happy with the Rega or the Moon

[DSJR]

Since this is a general amp discussion and as Marco says I can as long as it's not trolling a single-make discussion, I'd like to briefly put a shout in for the NVA AP50 or even AP70, which with their phono stage will fit your budget. Maybe someone up north owning similar would be willing to do you an open house so you could listen to something if you weren't prepared to stump up the readies on a sale-or-return basis?

The Rega amps need an hour or so to fully come on song, so hope the dealer doesn't just pull it off the shelf stone-cold.

Moon? How easy would it be to sell on later? I blame some of the mags for this, that only have a very few thousand circulation (HFW is reportedly down to a couple of thousand now and HFN around triple this worldwide). They rave about all sorts of little known crap and this stuff ends up very quickly on the used market for a fraction of its selling price in my experience.

[rmcin626]

Since this is a general amp discussion and as Marco says I can as long as it's not trolling a single-make discussion, I'd like to briefly put a shout in for the NVA AP50 or even AP70, which with their phono stage will fit your budget. Maybe someone up north owning similar would be willing to do you an open house so you could listen to something if you weren't prepared to stump up the readies on a sale-or-return basis?

The Rega amps need an hour or so to fully come on song, so hope the dealer doesn't just pull it off the shelf stone-cold.

Moon? How easy would it be to sell on later? I blame some of the mags for this, that only have a very few thousand circulation (HFW is reportedly down to a couple of thousand now and HFN around triple this worldwide). They rave about all sorts of little known crap and this stuff ends up very quickly on the used market for a fraction of its selling price in my experience.

David, I will not be stumping my readies for anything unheard which includes the NVA. Personally I have not bought a Hifi magazine in years, went from buying 3 or 4 regularly to none so no idea what is flavour of the month although from the website it's clear What Hifi are keen on Rega.
I am listening to The Simaudio Moon amp because that's the only other amp they do in the price range apart from Naim.

[hifi_dave]

You don't appear to be offered much of a selection.

[rmcin626]

You don't appear to be offered much of a selection.

Loud and Clear, stock, Naim, Linn, Rega and Simaudio, the two I have mentioned plus the phono stages. were their suggestions.

[Gomers]

Not completely Nick, but I need to go through to Edinburgh to hear the Exposure, so trying the Glasgow stores first - I miqght be happy with the Rega or the Moon

Ok Robin. I'd strongly suggest you do so, I'm besotted with Exposure amps, so much so that I sold the one I had, IDIOT 😔

I'd really started to miss it the last few weeks as it was the realisation that it had provided me with immense listening pleasure, it just did everything more right than anything I'd previously had. Bought another one last Friday. Bear in mind, I'm talking here about the Malaysian built 1010 integrated budget job 😄 That'll do nicely, can only imagine how good the 2010/3010 series are 😲

[rmcin626]

Well today was another demo day in Glasgow, we listened to my Copland csa8, Rega Elicit and the Simaudio Moon 250 all using the Rega Aria phono stage. Both the Rega and the Moon improved on my amp and to be honest I liked the presentation of the two amps the moon being slightly more forward in presentation to my ears.
I could happily live with either, the Moon probably has a couplie of extra features over the Rega. Towards the end we were discussing my future plans, streaming, nas, etc.
the dealer suggested that the Moon neo ace might be worth considering, which has lots of built in features in an all in one box.
The Neo ace does have a mm phono stage included but I listened to the vinyl via the Rega Aria and then streaming from the in house NAS, both of which sounded good. Bit of a curve ball at the end of the day but the Moon Nea ace, Rega Aria and a NAS combination would tick a lot of boxes for me although I have blown the budget again.

[rmcin626]

Finally made a decision and decided on the Primare i32 and r32 phono stage, which arrived on Thursday. Sounding great with turntable just have to work out why the drawer on Marantz dr6000 cd recorder keeps opening or it might be a replacement CD player required.