well 2k for speakers and amp cant take you very far. But if you look for 2nd hand unit, u could probably find gem. B&W for rock, pop is fine and quite a good budget, considering the 601 inherits some of the design philosophy from 8series. however the b&w sounds metallic, due to the use of metal tweeters. in others words, if you want those sweet warm sounds of vocal, stay away. Well HIFI sifus call this colorations.

well some one point out, before u decide on the amp, make sure u have checked your purpose.
1. room setup, or hall, acoustics
2. preamp or integrated
3. source
4. cables
5. then only look into the amp.


I guess why naim is good in terms of attack, dynamic response may lie in the transient, settling and signal path impedance. Naim follower is just like cult.

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can anyone comment on the harbeth vs proAC vs Sonus faber vs Rogers vs atc??? difficult speaker to drive i guess

This post has been edited by ccschua: May 18 2008, 11:57 PM

It seems u are running the opposite, unless u have lots of $$$, else i suggest u get a good speakers. Amps are expensive, second hand amps costs less, but, electronics can fail, tubes can fail. for speakers electronics i.e. cross overs to fail, i dont really know off.


I dunno what warmer sound u intend to get. but garbage in garbage out, means u spend peanuts, u get peanuts. another way is to save enuf $$$ and invest on the unit that u later wan.


its up to you. british products are more 'warm' or mid like u say. it depends on yr budgets.

I am now using a ciplak amp to drive my 602 S3, pasar malam dvd player and a china made DAC. I am very happy with it. Recently I changed the tubes to Mullard, and I feel more warm and substance that the Mullard brings and I am also surprise by the wider soundstage, and the bass slam (the base attack is not as strong as telefunken tubes). Well that 2xECC82 tubes are not cheap. I wanted to get telefunken, but $$$.

I just found out that my DAC comes with volume adjustment. I am wondering to use following setup

dvd player -> ZERO DAC -> Class A Power amp -> speakers.

This post has been edited by ccschua: May 19 2008, 02:12 AM

what do you sound terrible, are u using pre out to amp or not. I am using the digital optical cable (stock cable with the DAC). I just roll the opamp to a more tube like sound, still trying to hear out the difference. the feeling is less fatigue.

There is no way to make zero as the pre amp. I audition the Krell using my soundstage 1.5 tube as preamp. Marantz as transport to the DAC. no problem in the sound. My tube give superb sweet and warm voice. However when playing Rock song, the setup is gone. the Krell is unforgiving with its source. the bass slam, is loose and weak, and everythings seem to be congested. (wanted to shut my ears). Now i experience the problems with tube amp.

when the preamp is changed to B&K, gosh, the control is turned back. Janis Ian breaking silence is breaking hell lose. well. vocal seems seems sweet but not as mellow if u listen to tube.

its kind of hard to match vocal and rock..



I mean if u read back previous post, invest in your amp last. why?

EPOS and KEF and WF and MS and MA are all around 1K range +-. perhaps u can look into those british brand.

This post has been edited by ccschua: May 29 2008, 11:45 PM

Well if I were you, I will do proper study first and then ask some relevant questions. What u have provided 'all types of songs' will be too general. I would recommend you to buy used unit, and u can visit hifi4sale blog.

http://hifi4sale.blogspot.com/

check thestar hifi review.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 4 2008, 08:08 PM

If you like vocal with sweet and warm sound, you want to try tubes. Tubes give you the air of the female vocalist. Put in those old school Mullard tubes or the Amperex Holland bugle boy and let her sings.

This post has been edited by ccschua: Jul 16 2008, 11:54 PM

Tube sound is distinct. U will either like it or hate it.

Nowadays tube amp are getting more affordable. Look at Little Dot, Cayin (the Spark).

The choice of CD player is like pulling you back to the mini compos. Even a Zero with some OPA tweak will beat the hell out of the 5001.

As for the amp, it is nothing spectacular. and the speaker i have not come across.

If u choose properly, often not by the package as advertised, u can get more value. look at the hifi4sale thread, very good gear at second hand price to get by.