Looking for an alterantive to a NAD C355 amp

So far on my list :

same price region

Creek - Evolution
REGA - Brio
Marantz 7001 KI
Yamaha AS 700

The question remains - those will sound different - but do they sound better with my KEF IQ 7se speakers in a pretty large room ?

Or do I need
higher priced candidates like

Marantz 8003
Yamaha AS 1000
etc. ?
If you have, heard or owned some of these amps I'd like to get your input...it helps if you know how the 355BEE sounds - powerful, strong, fresh, fast - does everything right, but only sounds really really great with some records and at higher levels - I am looking for something powerful enough to fill spacious room with a great soundstage, definition, strong bass and smooth highs. Whatever it does - it should have an addicting sound - like the NAD 325bee - but with more guts.....Am I simply asking too much for that kind of cash ?

 

IMO it's not really the amp but the recordings. If the amp sounded bad with all records that would/could be the amp. It could also just be the synergy between your equipment. Is it possible to borrow or audition another amp in your system before buying anything?

 

Try before you buy is not really an option.- I rely on the web and look for the best deals I can get. Money is too tight to pay more than what is absolutely necessary in these days....
I heard good things about the REGA - spartanic but with character and the Creek seems to be in the same league as the 355 but also with a more individual, finer accented sound - is this true or just marketng / reviewer talk ?
I am fan of the Yamaha sound and most likely will replace it with the AS 700 if I am not convinced that the Creek or Rega will actually deliver a more pleasing sound. with the same oomph if asked for..

The only possible solution would be ordering in germany at a higher price, but with the option to return it if not 100% satisfied and in return get another amp..

 

I've never heard the Yamaha (can't even find it on the web). But I would think the Creek or Rega is a step up in sound. I have older Kef Q5's which are almost the same as the newer IQ 7's and I use a Consonance a120 integrated that I really like. It is a hybrid with a tube in the pre and a solid-state power section for a nice combination of smooth and oomph!
IIRC didn't you recently get the NAD? Maybe you need to let it break in and give it a chance. The NAD also has tone controls so maybe you could use those for inferior sounding recordings (thats why they're there right?)

Good luck and happy listening
Mike

 

Although they may each have a different sound, most of these look like horizontal moves and not real improvements to your system. The Rega would actually be a step backwards based on how you run your setup. The Creek will provide marginally more power and current than your NAD, but only has a single pair of speaker outputs.

Knowing that you currently use the A & B speaker outputs to run your KEF’s in what you call a “bi-amp” mode (and will likely continue to do so), your best solution is to buy the much more powerful NAD C272 amp which was designed with the same gain to work in synch with your integrated amp in a true bi-amp mode and would therefore not starve your speakers of the current they need. Of course, if you like the distortion of being underpowered, then go with the Rega.

You could also just purchase a much higher powered amp and use the NAD as a pre.

 

I`ve been delaying upgrading my amp,
the main factor is wich room in the house will end up being my listening "domain" if I end up in the larger room I leaning toward a used Brytson for the smaller room I may just check for deals on one of those new NAD 326BEEs.I heard someones` Rega Mira 3 and didn`t get into the sound of it.Gotta hear a Cambridge again though

 

Go for the used Bryston. Which model are you looking at?

 

Honestly I forget wich one,a friend has one and I liked it instantly.maybe look more into his

 

3B, 4B?

 

A used Bryston would be a real step up. that is true - It's hard to find something better than the NAD C 355 BEE for under 1000 €uro.

2 amps that will definitely sound better than the NAD I'd is the small Hybrid Vincent with 100 wpc or that Yamaha AS 1000 - that ais only sold in Europe and japan i think and in canda.
The question is how the smaller AS 700 sounds in comparism - it is even the strongest from the bunch AS 2000 for1600 € AS 100 for 900 € and the AS 700 or 450 share the same chassis and same Topart Technolgy, symmetric build and great Phonostage - The AS 1000 even won this years EISA 2008 awards for the best Stereo in the 1000 € range
Here is a link for you :

http://www.stereo.de/index.php?id=389

the brand new AS 700 looks exactly the same, but comes without those wooden sides in silver and black.
http://www.hifi-regler.de/shop/yamaha/yamaha_a-s_700-100002207-si.php#
ALPS / TOP-Art Technique / Headphone Amp & Phono MM input / 2 speaker pairs / add Pre-Amp out loudness and Record Choice - the whole enchillada
90 Watts @ 8 Ohm and even 160 Watts @ 4

 

Baron...I haven't heard the three Yamaha amps. However, you can look at their product prochures at the following Yamaha Canada websites:

http://www.yamaha.ca/av/stereocomp/AS700/AS700_Brochure.pdf

http://www.yamaha.ca/av/stereocomp/AS1000/AS1000_Brochure.pdf

http://www.yamaha.ca/av/stereocomp/AS2000/AS2000_Brochure.pdf

The insides of the AS1000 and AS2000 look pretty much the same, while, the AS700 looks different. These may or may not affect their sound. But based on their construction, it seems to me that the AS1000 and AS2000 are a cut above the AS700.

 

Of course they are - the question remains - how will that affect the sound ?
I love the sound of my Yamaha Receiver ....

 

Have a look at the Rega Brio. Its really a good sounding unit! I listened to one a few weeks ago with some Dynaudio speakers and it sounded really good!

 

I've always like the VFET Yamaha B-2 for sound....

 

Liked to hear the REGA Brio III of course, but i will replace it with the YAMAHA AS 700 !

AUDIO and Steero Magazine both reviewed the AS 700 amp + cd player in their march issues and liked them a lot - Audio was very funny with their final rating -
' Esp. the amp has the potential to become a classic. It is too well eqiped to be an insider's favorite, sounds too good for a Design Item and is too cheap for High End; yet it is affordable, you can get it in your next city and listen to your music in wonderful quality for many years to come - A real great HiFi product...' Funny
Reached the same 85 point / Top Class rating , the NAD C355 bee received...
The MM Phonostage gotan 80 % rating - but I wil use the V-LPS anyway - that reached 95 points in this months AUDIO mag...
(They reviewed the complete V-series products and a prototype of the upcoming V-PSU power supply)

Stereo liked the build quality and described the sound as 'a mixture of fast + dynamic with broad and strong basics, which is very hard to find and must be appreciated'.

Even comes with a special audiophile Power Connect Cable for the european market.

List price is 589 Euro for the amp and 459 for the CD player....

Wonder how much i will get for the C355bee on friday...

 

That Yamaha doesn't look bad...

 

Not as good as a Bryston, but much better than the NAD and there was one sentence in the audio review i read today - 'this amp can be played very loud for hours, in fact this is the Yamaha amp that is the strongest we tested so far and can be played louder than any Yamaha before , simply because you don't have the impression that it plays loud !

 

That's cool...sounds like a winner.