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Budget amp or receiver for small computer audio system compatible with PSB Image B6 speakers

post #1 of 4
5/4/11 at 4:32am
Thread Starter 

I have so far:

 

MacBook Pro

PSB Image B6 speakers (90db sensitivity)

 

I want to add:

 

amp or receiver to drive the PSBs in bedroom

Dac (like the HRT MS II)

 

For one thing am torn between just buying an amp or a receiver.  Don't plan on setting up a 7.1/7.2 home theater setup, just the two PSB B6 speakers in my bedroom.  Want to listen primarily to lossless files from the MacBook Pro + Internet radio.  Will probably run my cable box audio and my blu-ray audio into new amp/receiver. Of course an A/V receiver would have HDMI connections that an integrated amp would not have.  But only have the two components in the cable box & blu-ray anyway.

 

I unfortunately know more about general consumer brands like Yamaha, Onkyo, & Denon than brands like NAD or Cambridge Audio. Have been recommended amps by NAD because of their match with my PSB speakers, but does anyone know any alternatives?

 

Can buy small NAD amps like their C315BEE/C316BEE or the NAD C326BEE for $400 or less.  Need to conserve outlay as much as possible, so leaning maybe toward the smaller ones.

 

Ideas?  Any alternatives?

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post #2 of 4
5/4/11 at 9:28pm

MSII into C326BEE. I own the first and have heard the latter, although not with your speakers - you should be very happy.

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post #3 of 4
5/5/11 at 12:02am

Try virtue audio T-amps. Small but big sounding IMO. In your price bracket as well.  

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post #4 of 4
5/5/11 at 10:58pm

Given your two primary sources (blu-ray player and MacBook Pro), I think an AV receiver may be the better way to go. What sort of blu-ray player do you have? Absent something pretty special, an AV receiver may be the better option for converting audio from those optical disks (i.e., HDMI from blu-ray to receiver). Furthermore, with the right adapter plug for your MBP, you have an optical out to the receiver . . . so no need for a dedicated DAC unless the money is burning a hole in your pockets.

 

Going with product that I know something about, the Onkyo TX-SR608 should work well (I have the TX-SR706). If you consider the cost of a dedicated DAC, the 608 should be within your budget as the NAD C326BEE alone is more expensive than the 608. You may get some better ideas over at AVS Forum as I don't know the relative merits of similarly priced receivers from other vendors.

 

Also, you will want a display for configuring an AV receiver, and you will need the display for playback of some SACD (DSD), DVD-A and blu-ray content (even if all you want is audio). The need for a display came as a nasty surprise to me.


Edited by MtnSloth - 5/5/11 at 10:59pm
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