Moved house = new gear required!

[luckiestmanalive]

Well, three years of having a separate room for listening to music (shared with the boys' sessions on the PS3) has come to an end. We've moved to a less spacious house and now there is only one lounge. However, I've made just the right amount of unhappy noises to be promised a new toy to take care of all the inputs we now have.

Here is 'the situation' (ie Mike) with the inputs:

- Rega Apollo CD player (analog),
- My Sky HDi (HDMI + coax),
- Apple TV (HDMI + optical),
- PS3 (HDMI + optical),
- ProJect Debut III turntable (analog),
- Sony TX-K661S tape cassette deck (analog),
- Fisher FM-550 tuner (analog).

The obvious piece of equipment to bring them together is home theatre receiver but I've been there and don't want to go back, hence my post in this area of the forum! At the moment, I am feeding the digital sources separately for video and sound. I have an older LCD TV with only one HDMI input so I have a cheap switcher to choose from the 3 sources. Given the age and questionable pedigree of the panel, I don't care about any video degradation this might throw up.

However, the sound is another matter. I have two optical sources and one coax source - this is not good because my Assemblage DAC can only handle one of each sort so I have to change the optical plugs for the PS3 and Apple TV.

The tt and the tuner are connected to my Plinius 2100i as they should. This means I have only four inputs used - 3 analog sources + 1 for the DAC.

Question is, should I get a new DAC or do you think I should perhaps change the amp for a shiny, new Perreaux Audiant 80i? The Audiant has the right number of optical and coax inputs and has enough analog inputs with one left over of each (USB + HT input). Or perhaps you can persuade me to go back to an HT amp even though I don't intend to fill the room with any more speakers than I have and I cannot bi-amp my Audio Sparks?

Constraints? The puzzle must solve the input issue and must not be more than one new box and the cost cannot be more than $3K.

[Phred]

The Audient is a nice piece of kit - recomended as it is a nice sounding 1 box solution.
Perhaps it is the synergy of having DAC,Pre and amp all in the same box?
Unfamiliar with your speakers but expect 80 real watts will drive them well

[Ernie]

BelCanto have a product that ticks the same boxes as the Audiant. For a bit more there is a new Krell integrated that may not have all the connectivity issues covered but it's a new Krell for less than $5K, if memory serves me well.

[M ZXR]

The Audiant may not have the grunt you need. I've heard it shut down on the small Theophany speakers at a surprisingly lowish volume. Rotel are to release a dac shortly, it may suit?

[Michael Wong]

BelCanto have a product that ticks the same boxes as the Audiant. For a bit more there is a new Krell integrated that may not have all the connectivity issues covered but it's a new Krell for less than $5K, if memory serves me well.

Less than $4k and enough power a plenty.

http://www.audioreference.co.nz/product/krell-s300i-integrated-amp-2x150w-wipod-connectivity-0

[Ernie]

Less than $4k and enough power a plenty.

http://www.audioreference.co.nz/product/krell-s300i-integrated-amp-2x150w-wipod-connectivity-0

Yes, I was trying to keep my suggestion low-key, although I get the feeling a new DAC would solve the problem. The Bel Canto E1-C5i DAC/Integrated Amp might not match the Plinius on welly.

I'm not sure a HT receiver will quite do for what you want to hear, although one would provide you with an abundance of connection.

Why compromise anything if you are happy with the current amp.

[luckiestmanalive]

That Krell integrated looks great but it doesn't meet the brief (not enough inputs) so its out. The Bel Canto C5i looks promising. It won't take all my analog sources but if I opt to send the output of the Apollo via coax then I'm only down one and I could do wihout the tuner, I guess.

Thanks for the heads up regarding possible lack of grunt regarding the Audiant. Its not something I thought I would need to worry about. My Plinny's max output is only(!) 100W per channel and I've never even got close to 12 o'clock on the dial - after a lot of listening at different volumes I found 10 o'clock to be the sweet spot. In its new situation even 9 o'clock is too loud for most other family members!

[Ernie]

I never think of watts as a volume thing. Even though more watts does help the dB output. It's more like what those extra watts do for holding the woofers in for nice toight bass.

[Dunnersfella]

From what I understand, the new Theophany (M5 replacements) run happily on the Audient... whereas the older M5's are far trickier to drive. But it certainly runs the M3's and M4's of old, so I doubt power is an issue...
See if you can get a demo, because for 3k, it would certainly tick all the boxes.

[reddog]

The Audient sounds very nice , is very versatile and great value.

[luckiestmanalive]

I never think of watts as a volume thing. Even though more watts does help the dB output. It's more like what those extra watts do for holding the woofers in for nice tight bass.

Are you talking about dynamic head room? If the dial is at its minimum then I presume there is close to 0 watts being output but at its maximum then full output is attained (I expect it to be near the maximum continous rating)? There would still be some headroom at that point for dynamic peaks but if you operate your amp at less than max volume don't you allow more dynamic headroom or does available headroom remain in the same proportion?

[reddog]

The Audiant in theory can drive your speakers 19db plus your speakers efficiency...so if they are 89db plus 19db = 108db.

[chopper]

I've heard Theophany m3's and 4's on the Audiant. They sounded bloody awful (to my ears at least)