1. Home
  2. amps-preamps
  3. 124912-2238

Integrated amp recommendation around 3k (I need more power!)

Hi everyone,

Yep, another of those "which amp would you recommend" questions.  My system is settling in very nicely recently.  I've bounced around with speakers quite a bit, but I keep returning to little Harbeth P3esr.  They fit my room well and sound beautiful. However, they have a sensitivity of only 83db.  Right now, my system is comprised of the following:  VPI Traveler Turntable w/Clearaudio Maestro V2 cartridge, Croft RIAA phono stage, and the LFD LE V integrated.  As nice as the LFD is sonically, it just falls a bit short on power 65wpc into 8ohms) with the little Harbeths.

So, I'm looking to move to a more powerful integrated amp.  I'm certainly not a headbanger (or I'd have different speakers), but I would like to have ample headroom and current to maximize the P3s.  I'm looking at a budget of around $3k, used or new.  As I have an all analog 2-channel rig, I don't need a DAC, subwoofer outs, tone controls, balance, etc.  Heck, don't even care about a remote.  Just good, clean, dynamic power. 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

Best, Scott
smrex13
sbank's avatar
sbank
2,038 posts
 
Let me play devil's advocate here...What do you expect a more powerful amp to do for you driving those? The 5" plastic cone woofer doesn't reproduce anything at all below ~70hz and rolls over a bunch of even mid and upper bass. The Stereophile review hints by mentioning "gravitating to small group recordings". Probably because midrange is great w/these and they can't do powerful. As a replacement for the BBC monitors when Harbeth lost the license, they are more of a studio monitor than a full range room filler.
Borrow something to test your theory or do an in-home demo before you spend. Cheers,
Spencer 
timlub
1,649 posts
 
Coda fits the bill.... Unison 3.3 or a newer CSI or even Newer CSIB... All are very similar,  If you can find a Unison,  it will be more like $1100,  the CSI/CSIB will tap your budget,  but in all cases, your looking at 300 into 8 ohms and 600 into 4.... These are all nice sounding units. 
Good Luck,
Tim
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
+1 sbank
I use mine with a 70 watt amp and it is plenty. When you double the power it will give you only 3 db more. The Harbeth is not a headbanger type of speaker. But of course more power will do no harm.
Happy hunting!
Yogiboy
smrex13 OP
423 posts
 
@sbank - I understand your point.  I don't expect to drive them to head banging levels or to reproduce kick drums.  However, it does seem that the amp runs out of steam before I'm even able to generate peaks of 80db at the listening position. 

@yogiboy - you are running w/tubes, right?  
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
smrex- Yep!
More to discover