[Glank27]

Was pretty convinced that i was gonna get the NAD C375BEE as my dedicated stereo amp to extend with my Marantz/B&W 7.1 combo HT.

The new Marantz dealer in Malta just informed me that he can deliver me a Marantz PM-KI Pearl Lite, which is my targeted Marantz integrated amp. A new possibility is the Yamaha A-S2000 (or A-S1000 being so similar).

I have read several reviews on the net about all of these amps. All are well spoken of. The PM-KI Pearl Lite received flawless reviews, as did the Yamaha, whilst the NAD is a great choice too, although "What Hi-Fi?" rated it only 3 star.
Anyhow, most reviews all end up weighing the performance in view of what the rival makers do with amps in same category. So actually i might be reading a great review on the Pearl-Lite in order to compare with say the NAD or Yamaha, which maybe are not in the same league or category. I only have the opportunity to audition the NAD, and sadly only on bookshelf speakers, so its quite useless.

I have to rely mostly on what reviews say, and honestly although i know that all are great amps, i cannot say if i am comparing like-with-like. As an example, a BMW 320 is a great car. A Ferrari 430 is a great car too; but they are not in the same league, making the Ferrari far superior performer.
Am i considering same class amps? Power is not much of an issue as in this case the NAD power blows away the Marantz and Yamaha. I listen mostly to rock music but also like most kinds (instrumentals too, with quite to loud musical parts), so i need an amp capable to perform in most musical situations. I like a muscular feel, with a solid bass and clear fine treble, but not with excessive tonalities that will make bass boomy and more movie-like rather than music wise. Am i on the right track?

[BlueWizard]

Your price range seems to be around £1000 for the amp. And the Yamaha AS1000 and AS200, and the NAD C375 are in that price class. Oddly the Marantz Pearl Lite is only about £700. Based on price, the Marantz PM8003 is slightly higher than the Pearl Lite at about £750, though I did see it as low as £575 at HyperFi.co.uk.

Another quality amp to consider, though only 60w/ch is the Rotel RA-1562 for just a trace under £700. Though less power, I've been lead to believe the Rotel 1500 series amps are well above amps like the Rotel RA-06SE, which has more power and a lower price.

Don't base your decision on power alone. Lots of power is nice, but a little less power much better controlled is to an advantage. Some of the very best amps out there only have a modest amount of power.

Next, can we ask specifically what speaker you have, or what speakers you will be using with this amp?

Next, do we understand right that you are going to try an integrate this amp with an existing AV system?

Given your general description of what and how you listen, I would say you are on the right track. The Marantz, Yamaha, and NAD should all suit you nicely. But, we really need to know specifically what speaker these amps will be driving.

Also, we need a declaration of budget? From what you have said, I would guess we are in the roughly £700 to £1200 range. But can you go as high as £1500. An alternative might be the Marantz PM 15S2.

If you are down on the lower end, you might want to contact XTZ and inquire about shipping on the XTZ A100 D3. All indications are this is an outstanding amp with tons of power, and five digital inputs. Priced at about £625.

Here is the source in the UK -

XTZ Class A-100 D3 Integrated Stereo Amplifier Silver and Black | Integrated Amplifiers | Amplifiers | Audio Sanctum

Here is a link directly to XTZ (Sweden) -

Class A100 D3 Black/Silver - XTZ | Sound in balance

There is currently a discussion going on comparing the XTZ A100 to a Arcam A28 costing nearly twice as much -

XTZ A100-D3 vs. Arcam A28 + rDAC

The testing and the discussion aren't finished yet, so well worth checking back on that discussion periodically.

Again, in this price range, I don't see how you can go wrong with any of the amps. The only thing that can refine the selection more is to hear all the amps on the same speakers, and see if one amp appeals to you more than the others.

Steve/bluewizard

[Glank27]

thanks steve for the reply. It was quite a surprise to read that the pm8003 is actually superior than the Pearl Lite. must read more on this subject as i firmly thought the Pearl Lite is of a superior category from the traditional PM amps.

My budget is around 700-800 sterling for the amp and 200-250 sterling for a cd player (no sacd as i have a Marantz Dv-9500 sacd player). I am very interested in a Yamaha A-S1000, CD-S1000 combo as they are very well spoken of and i think they will perform very well with my B&W DM603S3.

How important is choosing a high-end CD player for a great amp? What detrimental would it be to attach a introductory cd player to such an amp?