I’ve looked into it. It seems like a good piece. My local hifi shop has used first gen for about $750 but maybe would spring for the new one.
I’m thinking speakers might be the way to go this year, and then maybe a new integrated or start collecting some separates next year.
My advice is to do a lot of research (and listening to, if possible) speakers to find the best model(s) for your taste and needs. Buy them and then save up for an ideal amp to drive them, using your current amp in the mean time. Upgrade sources last, again getting the best you can afford. You’ll be able to hear how good they are because you’ve already got great speakers and amp. Speakers are the beginning and the end, in my opinion.
I just went through a whole upgrade cycle over the past nine months, replacing everything but my amp, which completely outclassed my previous system. I only intended to upgrade speakers, but once i did i understood that upgrading sources and also moving up higher in the line of speakers would be good moves. This turned out to be correct, and speakers were the key.
Ok, so what's it going to be? Not knowing what your listening room's dimensions are, still, here's something to consider (although it's a little over your budget of $1.5K): the Philharmonic Audio BMR Monitor. (Check out the options and $$$ at Philharmonic Audio.) Dennis Murphy's creations are well respected and doesn't nearly get the same press as the bigger players in the market. His mods are well received as well; indeed, I sprung for his entry-level Affordable Accuracy Monitor (basically a Parts Express/Dayton Audio BR-1 with his crossover and choice of stuffing) last year when they were still available. Heck, I've been thinking about splurging and get the BMR Monitors as well! Unfortunately, my Magnepan MMGs just don't fit the rooms I have now in TX.
I’d have to vote for Lintons. Too bad you missed this years sale with stands for the original $1500 new price. I snagged some in red mahogany. GORGEOUS. Sound great being driven by too expensive gear (see sig). I don’t think they’re the weak link, although I may be fooling myself - I haven’t heard >$2000 speakers with my current system. They are fun as hell, look great, and give me all the audiophile goodies I desire. I don’t find them lacking in any aspect. They seem to sound great with Yamaha 801 as well, although maybe can find used or refurbed/demo 1100 or 1200 at some future date.
I’m not familiar with those speakers, but i have no reason to doubt you. But upgrading an amp to better suit a pair of speakers only makes sense if you know that they are ones that work great for you and which you’ll want to stick with for a long time. Besides “move up, two words jumped out at me from the OP: “detail” and “inspire.” From my layperson’s viewpoint, the biggest places to increase detail are in the extraction stage of it (turntable/arm/cart/phono pre) and at the reproduction stage (speakers). I tend to view speakers and amps as a unit. Certain pairings work better than others, particularly when power and sensitivity are considered. But more importantly, i think speakers tend to have more of a voice than amps do, which is why when upgrading an entire system i think it’s a good idea to think of what kind of sound qualities you like, what sort of music you listen to, what sort of room you have and what is visually appealing and then buy the best speakers you can based on all of that. That’s where “inspire” comes onto play. You want speakers that are so good amd well suited to your situation that they will inspire you to get the best amp to drive them and the best sources to feed them. Then it’s a relatively simple matter to do some research and find amps that are suitable to drive what you now consider your own personal ultimate speaker and which have whatever features (if any) you’re looking for. Sources are last, not because they are unimportant, but because they are the least dependent on the particulars of a person’s room, except maybe in terms of footfalls or something. I guess where this falls apart is if you’re deciding between a tube-based system and solid state. If the former, then you’d pick your amp first and then speakers that would work with them. Sources would still be last. If i may make an analogy: better sound isn’t a ladder, it’s a jungle gym due to all the variables. So if you’re going to climb up, it’s best to have a sense of where you want to end up. If you want to end up at the top of the north end of the jungle gym, you wouldn’t start at the bottom of the south end. You’d start at the bottom of the north end, right? I mean, you can get there either way, but one way is more direct.
Interesting. I thought at this price range, noise was negligible to the point of really not being an issue.
One would be forgiven for hoping and assuming so, since there are $200 Yamaha and Denon receivers at BB that are essentially silent. But unfortunately that is often not the case, even at much higher prices than the Arcam and Elex-R. I’ve tried $3K+ integrateds and amps that turned out to be noisy garbage.
The Arcam seems a good deal, compared with the “new” price. They make nice amplifiers (as well as CD players and AV gear). I’ve owned several in the past but don’t know the SA20. Their sound is quite distinct. They last for years. Is there any chance you could either borrow the amp to try at home or take your deck and speakers to the dealer, to see if you like it ?
