Our favourite amplifiers - The real bargains!

I discuss with Ian White, Editor and Chief at Ecoustics, our favourite integrated and steaming amplifiers below £1,000.
Link to my Patreon
/ abritishaudiophile
Link to Ecoustics website
www.ecoustics.com/
Link to manufacturers webpages
Iota VX SA3
www.iotaenterprises.co.uk/pro...
NAD C316BEE V2
nadelectronics.com/product/c-...
Cambridge Audio AXA35
www.cambridgeaudio.com/gbr/en...
Rotel A11 Tribute
rotel.com/en-gb/product/a11-t...
Audiolab 6000A
www.audiolab.co.uk/6000a/
Rega IO
www.rega.co.uk/products/io
Rega Brio-R
www.rega.co.uk/products/brio
Bluesound Powernode
www.bluesound.com/products/po...
Yamaha WXA 50
uk.yamaha.com/en/products/aud...
Time stamps
Intro 0:00
Iota VX SA3 3:43
NAD C316BEE V2 4:41
Cambridge Audio AXA35 6:24
Rega IO 7:15
Audiolab 6000A 8:24
Rega Brio-R 9:19
Audiolab 6000A (Ian) 9:43
Rotel A11 Tribute 12:48
Availability issues 15:10
Yamaha WXA50 16:44
Bluesound Powernode 18:23

[@tellthemborissentyou]

Thank you, I really enjoyed that discussion.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@MatijaTurk4]

Rotel A11 Tribute is pure and warm. Amazing.. Just now listening vinyl, and I'm impressed.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@androwerks6665]

great review! Cant wait for part 3 :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Andro 😊👍

[@yvesboutin5604]

Very interesting and useful conversation ! Thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Yves 😊👍

[@alas8estrenamos]

Congratulations for the post and for the channel I have a Cambridge AXA35 and an AXC35 Preciously I had another Sony ES equipment and the difference is more than considerable

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching 😊👍

[@Monkeyseemonkey79]

What are the key differences?

[@alas8estrenamos]

@@Monkeyseemonkey79 Its dynamics, musicality and sound space

[@Monkeyseemonkey79]

@@alas8estrenamos For which one? You prefer the ES?

[@jonlarmour8667]

Always enjoy your real world videos Tarum 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jon 😊👍

[@jsmorton674]

Enjoyed your latest show very much Taran, mainly from the academic, conversational and update on products viewpoint. Living in Halifax, Nova Scotia I have historically tended to gravitate toward ownership and enjoyment of Canadian products from Bryston and Simaudio to very satisfactory effect; this probably more by happenstance than careful planning. In any case it's all about the music reaching our respective ears and of course the audiophile hobby itself. Keep up the good work!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Js 😊👍

[@michaelknibbs]

One thing I’d add as a benefit of the Powernode N330 is the arc HDMI input for TV. Playing TV through a stereo pair (sub if needed) is terrific. And the hipass on the sub is cool. Good choices here guys. Nice work.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Michael 😊👍

[@DmitryFomin]

Well, my TV has SPDIF output for sound, so for many TV this is not a problem at all

[@markcarrington8565]

Interesting conversation chaps. Good to hear Rotel can still impress in the budget space. On Rega availability, nothing has really changed in all the years they’ve been in business. My second turntable was a Rega 3. I purchased it from WA Brady & Sons in Smithdown Road, Liverpool in 1982. Demonstration comprised a 5 minute comparison between the Planar 2 with wood surround and the all black Planar 3. Pointless really, if you had £150 in your pocket, it was the only choice you were going to make. So having done the demo, you would go back down stairs and your name would go in the book, with all the others, to start your six month wait for your turntable. It was a different world but some things don’t change it seems.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Mark. Great anecdote 😊👍

[@uselessoldman7964]

Dec 1985 was my 21st and I wanted a deck so I went to the HiFi shop although the Rega3 was nice I liked the Revolver in red with the Linn tone arm. Still have it still own it still use it to this day and I still love it like I did when I first got it. I have upgraded everything else including the stylus but to me I can't fault it in any way. Just bought one off eBay last week for £110 including postage in mint condition (same as mine but in black) a Rega 3 same era your looking at over £200 and with the early arm its a massive risk since spare parts for the tone arm are rare and expensive so its usually a swap out for a later and significantly more expensive "upgrade". A second hand Rega with the RB300 trade for just over £200 a real bargain and they keep their value, for now.

[@erics.4113]

I'll second the endorsement for bluOS. Absolutely love the node. Just works. Feels well built and it sounds great and just disappears into the system as you'd want.

[@johnsmith1474]

I am trying to figure out if I can use the BluOS with my older hifi setup, which I run from my PC right now with SPIDF and Winamp. Seems I cannot, it just searches for players and never gets past that. You must be able to clarify for me? It needs some hardware specifically?

[@erics.4113]

@@johnsmith1474 yes, it requires hardware. BluOS is the operating system that runs on bluOS devices such as bluesound node and some amps like certain NAD that come with it. I can see how that's confusing as it's not strictly an OS or app but a hardware ecosystem as well.

[@malcatron]

@@johnsmith1474 BlueOS is actually the operating system that runs on the audio streaming hardware, e.g. Bluesound Node or NAD C658 etc. The app that you downloaded is just the controller for such compatible devices and is of no use without purchasing a BlueOS device.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Eric 😊👍

[@amex5056]

I have the Audiolab transport with the Rega dac and Rega Brio amp . A fantastic combination. The Audiolab transport adds precision and detail the Rega Brio adds weight a richness Sound wise it just sounds so right. I have tried many systems over the years this just sings along with great drive and enjoyment.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@colinvannbohemen11]

Damn fine combo!

[@fedrichorlandineumann3062]

Absolutly agree ,now i used Audiolab 6000a in pre with 8300 monoblock, end kef r3....my best set up ever ( copland ,micromega ,sonus f. ,canton, musical fidelity ecc ecc)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Fredrich 😊👍

[@thebingaling1105]

Some great amps here, I was looking at a couple of these but managed to get a Roksan K3 for similar money. Absolutely love it, big upgrade from my Quad Vena 2 Play.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Tom 😊👍

[@ayewhite333]

I have the 6000A Play and agree with everything said here. I love the fact that it can be used as a preamp only

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊

[@fletchermunson6225]

Thank guys. Great program. In my kicking around, I personally liked the Yamaha S801 for under $1000. Seemed to work well for me. But then I'm odd. I had an IOTA here and didnt care for it and everyone else does.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thanks for sharing Lee 😊

[@kjbiz]

Stagger Lee is a madman and he shot my Billy D. Bayo go get him or give the job to me….just had to

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@kjbiz The bullet went through Billy and broke the barter's glass. heh.

[@mauricecanham687]

Great video Tarun and great guest/conversation regarding amps on the market. I recently upgraded to a mid range Denon PMA 1600Ne. Sounds fab, with all the inputs I need, including asynchronous DAC and mm/mc phono inputs and tone controls. It offers the option to bypass tone controls for the pure sound if desired. The thing weighs a beastly 17.5 kgs suggesting quality and lots of quantity of product, all for £1300. So very happy so far.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Maurice 😊👍

[@cameronkrause4712]

I did exactly the same, it has a really good phono stage too. And it has a usb input as well. However, it did cost more than any of the amps the Tarun is looking at here.

[@mauricecanham687]

@@cameronkrause4712 yes. More pricey but fits into the mid range of Tarun's reviews... I wrote this here hoping that the PMA 1600 might be Included in the mid range price category 😊

[@mtiken]

This is a very good session Tarun. You rock my friend.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 👍😊👍

[@MH-rl9ep]

The mode feature of the Audiolab (pre,power,integrated) lets you add a signal processor/tone control like the Schiit Loki, so that’s invaluable for me, as most integrateds lack tone controls these days. Don’t need them most of the time, but for certain recordings, it’s nice to have the option.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Indeed. Thank you MH 😊👍

[@gokhanersan8561]

“If” I had the Schiit Loki when 6000A was at home, I would’ve used it to boost the amp…and who knows…maybe I would’ve kept the 6000A. Audiolab produces uncanny detail, and it is a gorgeous piece of industrial design.

[@ronb6333]

On the audioLab 6000 a if I wanted to use this as a home theater bypass out of my Marantz home theater receiver. Can I also add a power amp and just use the audio lab as a preamp?

[@avro66]

Great interview with someone great products tarun, hope you will be reviewing some headphone amp dac combos and headphones in the future, massive amount of interest in these things myself included, I have used a lot of marantz kI equipment in the past, plus some rotel, very interesting amp that Ken worked on with rotel, it's had some great reviews along with the matching cd player.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Paul. I would like to get into headphones at some point 😊👍

[@BoredSilly666]

Look forward to part 2.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊👍

[@treyhorn5645]

Great Convo. ❤️

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Trey 😊👍

[@laika25]

Adding to previous comment: streamer /amp, that is. Love it!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is great 😊

[@johnsmith1474]

If you want some views, start a series (so you have an ongoing topic) on excellent classic used equipment. In this way you could teach about technologies and how they've changed including interesting ergonomics. What people who would love a hifi at low cost need for information is a general "ok list" of perhaps 100 amp solutions that are satisfying kit that one can be proud of owning. Along with that some celebration of the cool items of the past. If need be you could also use the used presentations to suggest that newer is better if that's your stand.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for the suggestions John 😊

[@kirkaparty4143]

Great Video and discussion. Please consider one for $1000 to $2000 range as the second tier. BTW as far as I know, Exposure products are not available in the USA.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Kirk. The next tier will be circa £1k to £3k 😊👍

[@nealewatson3937]

Thanks great listen

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Neale 😊👍

[@johngardner9227]

I really enjoyed this video, thank you

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you John 😊👍

[@jeremyr722]

I’m really lookin forward to that “mid-tier” video. While I already know what my plans are regarding phono amp upgrade, I’m still very unsure about the main amp. I’ve had my Cambridge axr100 and will probably stick with that for a good while, as I’m quite happy with it. Nonetheless, I’ll upgrade at some point

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jeremy. The £1k to £3k price range will be in the next one 😊👍

[@erics.4113]

I'm very curious about the mid-tier as well. I'm also incredibly curious about your axr100. I have the cxa61 and no longer use its DAC or Bluetooth or really any of the 'cxa'-ness of it other than as a basic integrated and wondering how the extra watts do on the axr.

[@jeremyr722]

@Eric S I really can’t speak to the power increase over your amp. I have a pair of 97db sensitive speakers so power wasn’t my motivation for buyin that axr100. Mainly I bought it for its very smooth sound, as I’m very sensitive to brightness

[@masterchef6694]

This was great, really relatable discussion. You probably do some similar with separates power amp & dac if possible. I realise this may not appeal to all your viewers so may not be worth the effort. Maybe you could conduct a poll.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I hope to get to them in time 😊👍

[@paznewis107]

Thanks Tarun 🙏😺

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching Paz 😊👍

[@kjbiz]

Great discussion

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you buddy 😊👍

[@rlkoller8606]

Only the Iota VX SA3 has a sub-out, which I find desirable. Appreciate you ABA

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@gokhanersan8561]

I didn’t hear Rega, Iota or Cambridge. But heard most other amps. While not “perfect” with my Dynaudio Emit10s, the Rotel a11 tribute performed the best so far. Since Dynaudio is power hungry, I boost the treble and bass to get a fuller sound out of the speakers. Then, I add the 4-band Schiit eq, which makes the sound “creamy.” Satisfied for now…until I upgrade to Burchardt s400mkii:)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Gökhan 😊👍

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I hope you get to hear this Rotel tribute. I wonder how it compares to the other amps you heard in this price range. Since Amazon scolded us for trying too many amps, we gave up and kept the Rotel :)

[@frenchvinyladdict]

My system that I gradually put together is composed of both vintage devices and newly ones i.e., a good ol' Marantz receiver model 2230 + a newly upgraded Thorens turntable TD 115 with the Exact cartridge (the yellow one) from Rega + a Rega 'new' phono preamp model ARIA that are highly qualitative products in my book.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@IrenESorius]

Thanks Tarun,, 👍‍‍😎👍‍‍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Irene 😊👍

[@johnhallworth4959]

Great channel Taran, very informative, knowledgeable and clear reviews in a real world setting. What do you think of approaching Exposure and comparing the 5010 pre and mono blocks against your own? May result in an upgrade for you?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you John. I hope to do that at some point 😊👍

[@EclecticMusicMan]

Glad my Brio was listed, was considering changing to Audiolab 6000 as it has more detail but I am concerned it might sound lean with my setup.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I would look at amps further up the Rega range or an Exposure 2510. Best of both worlds 😊👍

[@gregsmall8774]

The audiolab is a lean amp selling mine had it for 4 months

[@chrisyeong7996]

Looking forward to parts 2 and 3

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Chris 😊👍

[@bjwal6]

Tarun would you say the powernode sound is basically equivalent to other 80wpc NAD hypex amplifiers? Several reviewers have said it’s basically an NAD C700 without the screen, and I would assume sounds very similar to the c368, but I could be way off?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I would have to look into it but I expect a lot of similarities with the C700 as fas as amplification is concerned. The C368 May have fundamental differences in architecture of the Hypex power modules and power supply.

[@sylvio1980]

Great content, good format, pleasure to listen to guys discussing audio gear ! Did you have a chance to check out Heed Elixir amp ? Thanks, keep up the good work 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Silvio. I hope to get to it in time 😊👍

[@usefulrandom1855]

I got the A11 Tribute brand new from Richer Sounds for £430, very pleased with it, especially as most of the reviews speak highly and that's at the £700ish price point so I think I got a real bargain.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@PhilipJohannessen]

Having a really hard time picking an amp in this price range! Would you pick the Cambridge AXR100, Bluesound Powernode or Audiolab 6000A Play for driving a pair of Sonus Faber Lumina II's and some outdoor speaker yet to be purchased as zone B? I play music from Spotify and vinyl exclusively. Thanks for any advice.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t heard the Lumina so not sure 😊

[@jamesmundin8713]

I’ve got the lumina 2’s and I would recommend the Rega brío at that price point

[@MrJueKa]

thanks for sharing, very interesting content 😊👍 one question: is the Bluesound Controll App the same as the BluOS ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jürgen. Not quite, the app is what you download to interface with the BluOS operating system 😊

[@MrJueKa]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thank you ... Best wishes ! ... Cheers !! 😃🍀🍻

[@devaplan]

I would always go down the pre owned route. I have a Bel Canto DAC 2.5 with an S300 power amp. Fantastic potential end game combo. I also have the latest Brio ( Pre owned) in my office system

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@820SHAY]

Hi excellent reviews Do you think rotel a11 tribute is good for ls 50 meta? Or audiolab 6000a?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I haven’t heard the Rotel but I would pair a tonally warmer amp with the LS50 Meta. Traditionally Arcam and Kef pair very well together 😊👍

[@gokhanersan8561]

We tried the Arcam with our warm Dynaudios, and the sound got blurry. I can imagine Arcam to work well with revealing speakers like KEF. Rotel accentuates the 6khz sibilance region (that I have to tame with an eq). It could potentially be fatiguing with KEF.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@gokhanersan8561 Arcam regularly use Kef speakers in the demos and shows 😊

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@abritishaudiophile7314I felt that would be the case. Arcam also has some muscle behind it. KEF owners should rejoice !

[@AgentPepsi1]

Another great episode!! ☺☺☺

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you AP 😊👍

[@AgentPepsi1]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 ☺☺☺

[@fredthefatboy]

It’s reassuring when you find that your own views are reflected by yourself and others especially when the audiophile journey for my part only started in 2019. As a complete novice I am encouraged to delve deeper and further now. I also think the Yamaha WXA-50 is an amazing product and I’m surprised to hear it is discontinued, that’s a real shame. I also have at home the WXC-50 as a streamer, and think this is excellent too. Oddly the unit has two separate DACS, and it's useful to note that as a results of this the coaxial input sounds better than the optical input! I favour the Yamaha over the Bluesound Node 2i, I found the Node 2i too fatiguing particularly with jazz trumpet. Listening to Wynton Marsalis’s Django and Melancholia would always end up giving me a headache. However much I tried, I could not get my home setup to agree with the Bluesound streamer. Some amplifiers I’d like to give a shout out to are Creek’s Evolution 50/100 (discontinued last year) and Quad Vena II Play. Creek Evolution 50's crop up on the second hand market from time to time but they do get snapped up quite quickly. I find the Creek’s tonal quality of - richness without loss of detail - suits the range of music I listen to. The Quad’s provide even more detail to my ears, and perhaps they give an insight into what audiophiles mean when they talk about the “separation of instruments” in a recording. They are both quite different amplifiers but I like them each for different reasons. There are some other amplifiers under the one grand mark that I’m interested to hear and know more about and they are the Croft Valve integrated amplifiers and the Nene Valley Audio amplifiers. Valve amplifiers will always have that nostalgic allure from my youth, but from the little I’ve heard of modern valve amplifiers, they do not sound like the valve amplifiers of yesteryear. Also NVA sound like an interesting independent British Hi Fi manufacturer, and there was a lot of fuss over their late proprietor’s views over recent years and I've been curious to find out what the fuss was all about.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Fred 😊

[@malinyamato2291]

hi audio dudes,,,, is Rotel A11 Tribute weaker than Rega Brio ? I have B&W 705 S2 speakers and need to decide between those two.

[@ScotPeacock]

Great video, thank you. I would be very tempted to go for an Audiolab 6000a Play. However, the lack of a USB input bothers me. Is it possible to get as good quality playback over WiFi?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Depends on the implementation 😊

[@romainmarchese9935]

12 years ago I was able to compare a NAD C352, with a ROTEL RA 06se, and an ARCAM A28fmj and my attention was mainly focused on the musicality,… the ARCAM A28 fmj came out ahead of the NAD C352 which was more powerful but less sparkling, ..and the RA06 se from ROTEL, I also compared the A28 fmj ARCAM to an old CAMBRIDGE AUDIO A3 i, an excellent integrated, but my choice remained on the ARCAM….

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing your experiences Romain 😊👍

[@StevePilgrim2013]

OFF TOPIC (though mentioned in passing): You said the Acoustic Energy AE1 was one of the great innovations in audio when you were interviewed by Randy M.(cheapaudioman). In the late 80's, early 90's I was still listening to Celestion SL600 & missed the significance of the AE1. Can you point me to an article or video where you said more about that product. I'm in a lengthy search for new speakers to build a system around. Really interested in the AE1 & the Proac speakers. Thanks. I enjoy your videos.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Steve. Link to my AE1 review… kzbin.info/www/bejne/paqTmGVumsaKfNk

[@sniddem1508]

Really like this channel, very balanced and informative. A review/comparison between Marantz model 40n and Roksan Attessa would be awesome. Cheers!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I have enquired about both 😊👍

[@sportsmachinerr1401]

I have the Rotel A11 tribute and have to say it sounds great, a very balanced sound. My question is I have it paired with some aging AE Aegis Evo 3's and was wondering, are these holding the A11 back? Would I benefit from upgrading to newer speakers and if so what.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t heard those speakers 😊

[@sportsmachinerr1401]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the reply. I just pulled the trigger on some mint pre-owned Focal Aria 926's and I can't wait to hear how they compare as the price difference is substantial.

[@nivaldosiqueira5178]

Hello!! Congratulations on the review!! I would like to know what would be the best combination for the KEF Q150. Would a Cambridge AXA35 or ARCAM SA10 or REGA BRIO deliver the best of the Q150 to my ears? Thanks!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. The SA10 and AXA35 are a very good match but it all comes down to personal taste 😊

[@nivaldosiqueira5178]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks!!

[@p.b.9694]

Hello, many thanks for the valuable content. I own a pair of Q Acoustics 2050i and I am looking for an amplituner for them. Would you be so kind as to recommend something that would suit them best, f. ex. Audiolab 6000a play, Cambridge Audio CXA61 (this price range). In the near future I want to add Rega Planar 2.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you PB. I haven’t heard the CXA as yet but the 6000A is a good option for the Q Acoustic speakers 😊

[@tentontarantula7750]

Hope you get your hands on that Rotel Tribute. It’s also often quite discounted now so pretty much a steal if you’re just looking for a bare bones, audio above everything amp. Plays nice the latest Node too.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@nd011]

Great to see the Yamaha WXA-50 getting a thumbs up! I have the WXC-50 (music streamer preamp section, without the class d amp) and i think it sounds great. I don't know why its been so overlooked by reviewers in favour of the Bluesound product, but it is so much cheaper than the Bluesound. I'm not saying its as good as the Bluesound, but its great for the money.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing Neil 😊

[@masterchef6694]

Exactly, i don't how good it is as compared to competition but it's very versatile and deserves mention if not for the dac but atleast as a streamer.

[@DomRivers67]

The little £130 WXAD-10 is routinely ignored too, good DAC, Bluetooth 5.0 and full support for most of the major streaming services for peanuts, bring any old amp up into the 21'st century....might as well not exist.

[@nd011]

@@DomRivers67 agreed, I have one of those too, in another room. Great device, sad to see Yamaha have discontinued it.

[@lonniefarmer7067]

Thanks!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thanks too 😊👍

[@shan-junlu8238]

Hi Tarun, What do you think would present good synergy with slightly darker than usual Dynaudio speakers from the list of sub £1000 amplifiers? I've heard that the Audiolab 6000A / Iotavx SA3 or PA3 / Musical Fidelity amps make a fantastic pairing. Kindest Regards, Shan-Jun

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Generally, Dynaudio speakers usually respond well to amps with a bit of power. Synergy will be down to the specific speaker and amplifier 😊

[@shan-junlu8238]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I watched your video on amplifiers, and I listen at low to medium listening levels as my room is 4m x 4m. The advice I recall was that you liked using your Hegels for lower volumes of listening because you wouldn't require significant Watts. And that the Exposure setup with the power amplifier were what you used for higher volumes of listening. Would the Dynaudios still need significant wattage to sound their best? I probably will need to go into a store and listen around for comparisons between sound quality for 50-100w and 100-150w performance in a smaller room. From a video I watched by PS Audio, it seems this might have something to do with the amplifier needs a 'loudness' function or some kind of computer/DAC equalisation software to make up the difference in perceived bass/treble roll off.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Shan-Jun, it is not as straightforward an issue as it may appear as watts are only part of the picture. Dynaudio speakers tend to work well with amplifiers that have a decent amount of “real world power.” Wattage just reveals how loud an amp will play with a given speaker. The control an amplifier has over the speaker is more complex. For example, how the amp deals with the swings in speaker impedance. Dynaudio speakers have traditionally paired well with Hegel amplifiers 😊

[@shan-junlu8238]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 hi Tarun. Unfortunately, as I graduated fairly recently, I find it extremely difficult to justify the Hegel as a purchase. I was considering Class D amplification as an affordable solution. Second hand Bel Canto, XTZ Edge, Hypex Ncore, etc. But without a real life listening experience/frame of reference, I’m unable to compare amplifiers like the Audiolab 6000A/Iotavx PA3 against Class D until I actually visit a store and figure it out for myself.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@shan-junlu8238 I totally understand. I was in a similar position for many years when I first started working. It will depend on which Dynaudio speakers you have but the Audiolab 6000A is probably a good place to start 😊👍

[@MaxZappa1]

The Rega Brio is now on offer throughout the UK at £549, this is a price reduction of £151. I ordered one yesterday, seems like good value to me.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That is a good deal 😊

[@MaxZappa1]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Well Tarun, the Rega Brio arrived and I have to say I do like its presentation. The sound I would describe as the warm side of neutral, with good instrument separation, excellent tonality and good dynamics. I have paired these with a new pair of Graham Audio BBC LS3/5a, which arrived just a few days before the Rega Brio. After about 40 hours the speakers are opening up and I like what I'm hearing. The LS3/5a provide surprising bass for their size and are very impressive, even on complex classical music. As you might expect, given the BBC lineage, the speakers shine with voices, acoustic and jazz ensemble material, but are not embarrassed by rock, dance or electronica. At £1854 a pair the Graham Audio LS3/5a appear expensive and they are, but they are definitely not going back. Great work on the channel, the best on youtube in my estimation. Rock on!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@MaxZappa1 thank you Nige. Very kind and great to learn about your experiences 😊👍

[@markgriffiths6540]

Just fixed my re-capped Arcam 8R (had to swapout the MOSFETS) - bi-amped with a 8P (also re-capped) - the A11 will be on sale soon - has some nice features but just does not nearly as good as the old kit.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@rickc661]

Outlaw Receiver - $ 1000. and has EVERYTHING. 110 w ch using the old, conservative mid '70's rating for instance. Digital and RCA inputs. good phono / DAC... not sure of the exchange rate. looks great as well.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎 thank you Rick 😊👍

[@mden2490]

Thoroughly done thank you! Will the Bluesound Powernode( latest version) drive the Wharfedale Dentons 85th anniversary speakers? Do you have to be mindful of clipping with this or does it have good headroom with most speakers 8ohm-4ohm?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. That depends on how loud you want to play, room size, etc.. However, most people should be able to run the Powernode with the Denton 85s without running the amp into clipping 😊

[@mden2490]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you for the response! You will be happy to hear… that I decided to upgrade my second smaller system and went with the Q acoustic M20 speakers (because of your review), and paired it the Bluesound Node (gen3) music streamer. I will connect it to the M20’s via audioquest evergreen RCA’s ( get the best sound quality vs Bluetooth ). Lastly, I could not find the audioquest speaker wire that you mentioned, so I went with the Elac sensible (banana plug) speaker cable. You mentioned if we wanted to connect a subwoofer we really need to be careful so as not to affect the great sound from the speakers. Did you audition these with a subwoofer? Which micro-sub would you recommend? I am going to hold off on purchasing one for now, as I made not need it. As always, thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@mden2490 thank you for the update MD. I sued it with my REL but I think the Q Acoutics 3070s is should be a well priced match for the M20s 😊👍

[@mden2490]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you. I will take look at that sub as well as the Cambridge Audio Minx X201?

[@NathJPearson]

Great discussion here. Really helpful. So I'm searching for great partners to drive the LS50 metas. For under £1,000 initially, otherwise I'd go out and buy the ls50 wireless ii. I went for the Meta's so I have the ability to upgrade amplification as I have it on good authority that the right amplifier with ls50 meta will surpass the ls50w ii, but I may have to spend out to get it. Will the bluesound drive them sufficiently? I've heard the meta's are power hungry beasts.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Nathan, the LS50s do like power. I am not sure I would choose the Powernode to drive them 😊

[@dab9742]

You should try some Cambrige amps, they are very musical, and should have a prominent place in your selection ! 😉

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I have. Have you seen my review of the Cambridge Audio AXA35 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o5rPgYt9nNWigJY

[@spoonssimpkins7053]

Still rocking my Arcam Alpha10 and 10P with B&W DM 603 S3 All picked up for less than a grand second hand! Though I have to change from an Arcam Rplay to a Cambridge CXN v2.....still, for the money not sure I can get much more bang for my Buck!!??

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Nice system and two brands that work really well together. Well done 😊👍

[@hodler3340]

Hi what are your thoughts on the rotel RB 1070 with the rotel RC 1082 have a chance to pick tem up together for 950 AU obv 2nd hand

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Unfortunately, I haven’t heard them for a long time 😊

[@fattnersgeekfile5478]

great video , ok dollar for dollar whats the best integrated amp ( tube or Ss) for klipsch La Sacalas … thankyou for you help ( I ps listen to vinyl and sacd /red book )!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t tried the La Scala’s 😊

[@CovertOperative]

Tarum - as Ian owns the 6000A and 6000CDT, as I do, could you ask him which warm sounding bookshelf speakers works wel;l with that pairing to compensate for the 6000A's cool/lean tonal balance - many thanks. Excellent vidoas as always.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

No plans to speak with him in the immediate future but I am pretty sure he uses his Wharfedale Denton 85. Check out our latest podcast on speakers 😊👍 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqG6lWenipyqqNU

[@CovertOperative]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks. The Denton are slow top to bottom. How about the bookshelf version of the Ophidian Mambo 2 you reviewed? The Mojo 2 features the same dual 4.5 inch midbass drivers and the same 1 inch SEAS tweeter. The midrange tonal balance should be similar to its bigger sibling.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@CovertOperative it should be. Worth a try 😊

[@Matthiasvshorts]

I am really torn between the Audiolab 6000a and the Iotavx Sa3Pa3 for my Klipsch rp-600m speakers. Any advice will be appreciated👍🏼

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Unfortunately, I haven’t tried them with the RP 600M. It will be a choice between the extra refinement of the Audiolab Vs the great power and dynamics of the Iota stack 😊

[@shan-junlu8238]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 , would refinement equate to detail here? And would great power = oomph, with dynamics being the agility/speed of the technical aspects of the sound?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@shan-junlu8238 I am not sure what you mean 🤔

[@shan-junlu8238]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I think I'll need to go back and watch an older video where you describe what terms like refinement and dynamics mean.

[@stuartsmith3804]

Thanks again for the reply just seen your review on the arcam sa10 and it's a great price now how would rate that for me thanks

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@dfalekulo9138]

Hey Man. Im not a true audio file yet but getting there. I always wondered why I would get half bitrates on my av pre Pro, Marantz av7702 at 24/96 streaming through an nvidia shield. I consequently learned about mqa unfolding to maximise the bitrate, however not sure what device to get on a budget. Rather than getting another streamer and a dac, is it possible to get just a Dac like the ifi Audio zen dac v2? No idea how I'd configure it though. Uk also. One website said optical from TV to dac and dac usb to nvidia shield

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I am not sure why you are not getting the full bit rate 🤔

[@dfalekulo9138]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 AV receivers do not unfold (96 > 192 only 44.1 > 88.2 or 48 > 96 - these first unfolds happen within the apps eg tidal) MQA as MQA as a decoder is not supported by pretty much any receiver or cinema pre pro. Has to be a DAC with MQA license. If it was lossless flac file at 192, it would work but Tidal is MQA as standard, unless you know of any other streamers then Tidal is all i have

[@aceofspades6667]

I got the Rona too around New Years. Had a fun cough for about 2 months.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Me too 😩👍

[@yumidad]

Just got the Cambridge CXA81 £999 so it qualifies and very happy with it as for price hikes i paid £600 for the PS Audio Sprout now it goes for £800.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for watching and sharing Bob 😊

[@simianinc]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Was the CXA 81 not deemed to be meet your criteria to make your list?

[@erics.4113]

I'm rocking a cxa61 occasionally. I like most of it but the bass is a bit muddy in contrast to something like the NAD C316 Bee V2. Shame really, because the top and midrange of the cxa61 is something special. Note that I'm using high level out to a stereo pair of rel t7x and am mostly confident it's the Cambridge mucking about in the low end that is making it sound this way. Through floorstanders and bookshelves that extra bass weight is more welcome, but when I feed that signal to those subs they show how the Cambridge is messing with the bass. At least that is what it seems like to me. I'm new. What do I know lol

[@roybertalotto6355]

Missed one...I have the NAD and recently, on a whim, bought the Sound Artist SA200ia ($450)...Weighs twice as much as the NAD. Huge toroidal transformer. Amazing imaging and sound stage. 100 w/ch.....Simply a fantastic integrated amplifier.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎

[@dextercool]

Excellent discussion - getting down to brass tacks.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Declan 😊👍

[@romainmarchese9935]

First : NAD C316 v2 or bee / REGA brio / Audiolab 6000A / Rega io

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Romain 😊👍

[@goodsound4756]

Would like to see also recommendations for power amps.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

We may do one on pre power combinations 😊

[@hugobloemers4425]

Nice overview. I hear a lot that this entry level is offering lots of bang for the buck but I would love to have that quantified and to know if that is really the case. Does this mean that the law of diminishing return on investment is getting ever more brutal? Or does it mean that every sector is moving up in quality and that soon we can expect entry level audiophile amplifiers to overtake the mid level sector of 10 years ago and the mid level sector is surpassing next level up? Also, how does it compare with vintage amplifiers? My current amplifier is a Luxman L210 from the early '80's. I often wonder how much I would have to spend to get an upgrade from that when buying new. If you conciser that I bought this amp for 130 Euro (prices have been creeping up) it becomes unfair. But if you would do an inflation correction on the price when new, that would really allow you to quantify if new amplifiers are offering more value for money than in the past. It may be very difficult to do this but it would be very interesting.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Hugo. I think you have to look at things on a case by case basic but generally Hifi has improved over the years and the most accessible gear in particular has seen the greatest improvements 😊👍

[@hugobloemers4425]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 If the most accessible gear is what has seen the greatest improvements, for electronics we probably have to thank Texas Instruments for that because of their wide portfolio of integrated circuits and application notes for every imaginable electronic audio product.

[@jatinshilen]

Could you review Benchmark AHB2 someday? Id like to know your opinion on that one.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you Jatin. I appreciate the suggestion 😊👍

[@romainmarchese9935]

Rotel A11 tribute and Nad c316 v2 are my two fav ,…

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 👍

[@DougMen1]

The Cambridge AXR85 is only $50 more than the AXA35, and has 85W/channel instead of 35, as well as an FM tuner and Bluetooth, and, IMO, sounds as good or better than the 35. The Audiolab 6000A is now $1199, a $200 increase. Also, the Yamaha A-S301 and A-S501, at $350 and $550, are awesome sounding amps for their price, as are the more expensive 701 and 801, which are both still under $1000. The NAD 328 and 338 are also great options under $1000, as well as the Cambridge CXA61, Marantz PM6007, the Arcam SA10, and the Denon PMA600 and 800. And, don't forget the many great sounding Chinese class D amps from Topping, SMSL, Loxjie, and Aiyima. The Aiyima A07 is $80 and has received rave reviews far and wide, as have the SMSL and Topping amps priced around $300, like the SMSL DA9 and Topping PA5. The Topping MX5 is $300 and has an ESS Sabre DAC, with USB, Coax, and Toslink digital inputs, as well as RCA and balanced TRS analog inputs, Bluetooth, a headphone jack, and uses the excellent Merus class D chip

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing DM 😊

[@Paris-gi9un]

Great video and very nice conversation! Do you have a recommendation for my MISSION QX4 ? I'm building a system and I'm looking for an integrated for best matching in order to bring the full magic out?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Rory, I haven’t heard the QX4 😊👍

[@garybartlett7690]

Hi Taryn I’m enjoying your videos. I would welcome your thoughts on the combo of Audiolab 6000 and Kef R3.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. I haven’t tried that combo but the R3s work well with Arcam and Hegel amps 😊

[@garybartlett7690]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the feedback. This combo is sold by Sevenoaks among others and although both are good products in their own right my concern was that the Audiolab might be lacking in power for the R3s.

[@keithwood4031]

Hi Tarun, any plans to come over for Munich High End 2022 (May 19-22)?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Keith, not this year but would love to at some point 😊

[@keithwood4031]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 OK Tarun, in this current covid climate I fully understand but don't leave it too long, remember there's a wonderful original 1929 HMV Gramophone awaiting your perusal, along with some unusual (dare I say rare?) vintage amplification. You're welcome to visit anytime. Take care.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@keithwood4031 I would love to come and see that 😊👍

[@stevelympany3203]

Advice please (anyone here!)? I'm going to upgrade my marantz all-in-one box. I feed it via a chromecast TV (= CCTV), through my TV. I understand the CCTV doesn't have a dac. So if I got a 6000a, will it be "hampered" by the chromecast? Does the CCTV have audio limits, or does it stream all audio, er, without modifying data ? (sorry, I'm a bit of a newbie). Thanks, S

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Steve, I think you will be pleasantly surprised as to how good the Chromecast will sound connected to the digital input of out Audiolab 6000A 😊

[@stevelympany3203]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 thank you very much! And thanks for your channel. Most enjoyable. Cheers!

[@cmalc8]

I owned the Audiolab 8000A the year it came out, and currently use phenomenal Chord amps and also a Brio in a second system. I'm just here to give this opinion: The Rega Brio is the biggest bargain in HiFi amps today.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@jameschan2404]

Hi Tarun, any thoughts about Quad Vena II ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi James, I never seem to get anywhere with IAG.

[@romeroflores7576]

Q: I have two Audio Technica LP120 turntables and a Numark DJ-m6 mixer. Can i plug in the RCA wires from the two turntables in the NAD C316 BEE or should it go in the DJ mixer then the NAD? Appreicate your advice... Thanks🎶🎶

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Does the LP120 have a built in phonostage?

[@romeroflores7576]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 It does include a built in phono amp.

[@romeroflores7576]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 It does include a built-in phono amp.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@romeroflores7576 yes, then you can connect to the RCA inputs of your C316BEE 😊

[@leonvanderlinden6929]

I chose the iotavx over NAD and Cambridge almost a year ago. Pairs nicely with my wharfdale diamond 11.3's.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That’s a nice system 😊👍

[@jorgenavas6704]

Hello! The channel is very good, with which speakers do you recommend the Rotel a11 T and the Audiolab 6000A? greetings from Argentina! 

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

That depends on the listening environment, what you are trying to achieve and personal taste 😊

[@jorgenavas6704]

​@@abritishaudiophile7314Gracias muy amable!

[@jorgenavas6704]

​@@abritishaudiophile7314 muchas gracias!

[@PauloFerreira-hh6zv]

For those who have a standalone dac and streamer, which amplifier should you choose between the Rotel A11 Tribute and the Audiolab 6000A?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Hi Paulo, ideally I would look for an amp that doesn’t have a built in DAC if you are happy with your external one. This may mean increasing the budget a little but you will get a superior amplifier. Something like the Audiolab 8300A 😊

[@PauloFerreira-hh6zv]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you very much Tarun. I'm counting the days until the Venus II review😄.

[@PauloFerreira-hh6zv]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Is the Audiolab a neutral amp like the Rotel A11 or is better not pair it with brighter speakers like the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G. I ask this because I have seen suggestions of stores selling Wharfedale Linton with the Audiolab 6000A or 8300A, which is a speaker with a dark/warm sound.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@PauloFerreira-hh6zv the Audiolab has a slightly cool, analytical sound than has good synergy with the Wharfedale Linton’s 😊

[@PauloFerreira-hh6zv]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you Tarun. I'm looking for an amplifier for my Totem Sky Tower speakers. I had the Rega Elicit-R, but I sell it because I thought it was too bright a set to listen to music in digital format. Now I'm in doubt if the room could have also given the impression that the Sky Tower and Elicit set sounded brighter than it actually is, although I have read some reviews warning that you should be careful with the type of speakers to pair with Elicit. If you had to choose a class AB integrated amplifier to pair with Totem Sky Tower, which one would you choose?

[@colingreen5354]

Hi Taran .What's the best amplifier and speakers for a budget of £1500 ,will Be playing vinyls .Bit of a minefield on what to get .Want quality sound for my budget. Any help would be greatful. Colin

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

It depends on many factors. In the U.K. i would take a look at the Rega Brio and some speakers from, Wharfedale, Q Acoustics or Acoustic Energy 😊

[@colingreen5354]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 Thank you ,will check those out .And your channel really good and informative, especially for a newby like me. Keep up the good work pal

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@colingreen5354 thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@DmitryFomin]

Thank you! But why don't you review AudioLab Omnia on higher ESS chip? Or AudioLab 8300A. They are not very pricier, but could be more suitable for harder speakers, uh?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I hope to review some IAG products in 2023 😊

[@DmitryFomin]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 And since you liked IOTA VX, maybe you'd like to consider Emotiva TA-1 as well 🤔

[@flavolinton1398]

Great video! But where is part 2?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Coming soon 👍

[@Ematjaz]

How would you compare Marantz PM700N with these amplifiers?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I haven’t tried 😊

[@premajwani1290]

Tarun can you suggest me one blutooth adaptor for my marantz pm 6006 now days CD are not available in india i will be thankful to you.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I don’t use Bluetooth adapters due to the generally poor implication and lossy data transfer. I would a cost effective streamer Prem 😊

[@Niels133]

Had the Audiolab, it sound harsch. Would go for the Cambridge.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊

[@borlach321]

In the U.S., I've noticed that higher Rega amps are all on back order from the North American distributor. Is this the case in the U.K.? A bit frustrating. For exapmple, the Elex mk4 and Elicit mk5 are over 1 month wait.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I am not sure but I think it has been the same over here 🤔

[@juliend8638]

I would like to understand ? a WARMER SOUND ? it's more mid-range , less bass and high frequency ? like an inverse U ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

It is generally a reference to over tonal balance but the specific region that contributes to a warm or rich sound is the lower midrange, between 100 and 300 Hz 😊

[@christopherwilson6825]

Great !! Video nice setup . Why is "Danny" from "Gr research" calling out all reviews? Saying that he has to take you all to school . He has video out talking about it .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊👍 I am sure Danny is a good guy but that was a misguided video.