First off, your Infinity SM115 is very efficient - meaning it doesn't need a lot of power to go loud. So an integrated amp with about 20W to 30W per channel will be good for it.

Power rating: 10-175Watts
Frequency Response: 35Hz-27kHz + 3 dB
Crossover Frequency: 900Hz/5500Hz
Efficiency: 100dB SPL, 1 Watt/1Meter
Impedance: Compatible with 4 to 8 Ohms
Drivers: 10"Polypropylene-Coated Woofer
1" High Output Polycell Tweeter
Cabinet Finish: Black Ash
Dimensions: 12" wide x 21" high x 12" Deep.
http://www.audioreview.com/mfr/infinity-sy...34_1594crx.aspx

My recommendation is - get a used integrated amplifier - like a NAD or Cambridge Audio

http://www.mudah.my/li?ca=9_s&th=1&q=integ...lifier&cg=0&w=1

http://www.mudah.my/NAD+3020+Integrated+Am...ner-5998453.htm
NAD 3020 (20w per ch) for RM650 OK deal, great sounding amplifier. The NAD 3020 is one of the most revered amps

the luxman L1 (35w per ch) looks interesting for under 300
http://www.mudah.my/Luxman+L+1+Integrated+...ier-6039838.htm
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/6698.html

for RM250 the Denon PMA250 might be a good option
http://www.mudah.my/Denon+PMA+250III-5658393.htm

If you are adventurous, you can go for one of those Tripath amps - even at 15w per channel it will sound sweet with these speakers. check this one out http://hllyaudio.com/tripath-amplifier/top...dac-ta2024.html

This post has been edited by SiriuslyCold: May 17 2010, 11:05 AM

you're welcome. there's one thing I didn't mention... you have to go out there and listen, listen, listen .... to as many systems as you can. try the shop in Sungai Wang (CMY or something) they have a Naim setup with Usher speakers playing outside so you don't even have to go in. just to get a feel of the sound, you know...

I think the amp section will be similar; the one in my link is also a Topping, but it has a USB DAC built in.

now if your primary source is your computer, I would recommend the one with the USB DAC - otherwise you will have to depend on the DAC on your PC sound card (not sure of the quality).

More importantly though, the computer environment is somewhat electronically noisy and could affect (distortion, etc) analog audio that is being passed to your amp. Sending digital audio to an outboard DAC isolates the analog audio from this electrical noise. Plus the chip in the outboard DAC is probably better than the one on the soundcard...

Anyhow, you can do this in two stages - just get the amp only and connect using the headphone out first; later on you can add a USB DAC (or replace your first amp with a amp+DAC)

whichever you get I would like to listen to the Tripath amp with your speakers... I think they will match well.



This post has been edited by SiriuslyCold: May 19 2010, 12:26 AM

as far as the Tripath amps went, the lower powered ones sounded better than the higher powered ones. Not sure what the situation is with Tripath currently, but you rarely see implementations above 25Wpc.

check out this rundown on the different amp types/modules
http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/tripath_amps_e.html

as for how much power you really need - lets say you are sitting 2m (~6ft) away from the speakers, and you want to listen at ~90db*, this calculator says only 1W, even allowing for +3db peaks. Even if you want to listen at 100db (not advisable for long periods) it still only needs 8w per channel. So 15w or 20w from the amp is more than enough...

so, it boils down to whether you want a built-in DAC, or whether you want to just use the headphone out for now and get a DAC if and when you feel like it.


___________________________________________________________________

* how loud is 90db?

Whisper 20dB
Normal Conversation 60dB
Busy Street Traffic 70dB
Vacuum Cleaner 80dB
Large Orchestra 98dB
Walkman at Maximum Level 100dB
Front Rows of Rock Concert 110dB
Threshold of Pain 130dB
Military Jet Takeoff 140dB
Instant Perforation of Eardrum 160dB

more reading about amp power levels, decibels and limits

This post has been edited by SiriuslyCold: May 19 2010, 11:45 AM

congrats! now the waiting

the price seems quite reasonable actually - more so when compared to the 30-year old NAD 3020 in the earlier post.

When it arrives, are you going to invite us to come and listen?

that will be something like 400hrs

I hope your source files are decent (not 128kbps MP3s haha) if not it's time to rebuild your library

This post has been edited by SiriuslyCold: May 19 2010, 09:47 PM

well I may have been exaggerating ... slightly. about 100 hrs would do fine


sorry, 128kbps is sh!t. especially if you have a good amp and speakers, all the artifacts will be heard very clearly.

Disk space is cheap nowadays, just encode as FLAC and you can put your CDs in storage. However, if you insist on having MP3s they should be at least 192kpbs VBR; which you can convert from FLAC quite easily to put on a portable device.

It's going to be a good sounding system, so long as you feed it with a good source

so, has it arrived?

good things come to those who wait