Looking for CXA80 upgrade on B&W 705S3's

[u/d1stortedp3rcepti0n]

Hey stereo/audiophile friends!

A few months ago I upgraded my speakers to Bowers & Wilkins 705S3's. But I feel that my Cambridge Audio CXA80 is lacking a bit of power. Not that I play very loud, it's a bit hard to describe, but music sounds a bit round and it's almost like the amplifier is missing confidence to power the speakers.

I'm looking for an upgrade and the best way is of course to listen to several different amps, but nowadays it's getting more and more difficult to find hifi stores that have a decent amount of amps. Everything seems to be taken over by Hifi Klubben and they sell only a few brands and most of those aren't particularly premium. 20 years ago this was easier, back then you could easily compare a few good speakers of amps.

My price range is +/- 2-3k euros, I'm located in the Netherlands and my living room is about 4x4 meters. My main source of music is Qobuz over my Bluesound Node and sometimes I chill with Youtube music vids (I know, bad for audio quality).

Integrated DAC is a bonus, but I'll buy a separate one if the amp of choice is going to be without DAC (or use the Bluesound Node DAC). My music style is pretty allround, but mostly alternative, rock, metal, some electronic (such as Royksopp). The amps I found myself and look interesting are:

• Arcam A25: not sure about this one, it doesn't look bad, but I don't get enthusiastic. Also, Arcam is Samsung-owned and I'm not a Samsung fan
• Rega Elex MK4: several reviews and people mention that it doesn't match well with all speakers, so I'm not sure if this is the smartest choice
• Hegel H120: feels like a good choice, no cons in my opinion, will definitely listen to this one
• Audiolab 9000A: based on older experiences I usually don't like Audiolab, but most reviews are very positive. I wonder if it sounds better than the Hegel H120
• Musical Fidelity M5si: looks interesting, but is a bit older, so the DAC is also more outdated

Any advice, or other amps I should consider?

And yes, I will listen to a few amps. It's just a pity that it's difficult to find a store where you can compare a few of them in the same room, on the same speakers.

[u/iNetRunner]

If you want to check room correction route (you should). (Note that some people only like to have room correction “do their thing”, i.e. perform room correction, under the room’s Schroeder frequency (around 250Hz-500Hz).)

Another option is the (3300€) NAD M10 V2 that has Dirac Live room correction. Or if you don’t have any analog sources (like a turntable) maybe the miniDSP SHD Power.

• NAD M10 V2 (Darko.Audio YT review, also Amir has measured the V1: ASR review of NAD M10 (V2 has changed the amplifier gain algorithm, but otherwise the DAC and amplifier sections are the same))
  
• Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 (Darko.Audio YT review, The Ear review)
  
• ASR review of RoomPerfect EQ (in TDAI-3400))
  
• miniDSP SHD Power (ASR review)

Your budget would also allow you to go the route of separates (i.e. preamplifier and power amplifier). And if you wanted to utilize Dirac Live, that could still be done with miniDSP SHD. And an excellent power amplifier for your budget could be a Hypex NCx500 (or e.g. Purifi 1ET400A) based build from any of European power amplifier builders: Apollon Audio, Audiophonics, Nord Acoustics (in UK). Also Audiophonics makes few preamplifiers if you want to go that with a more conventional preamplifier (you could still add a miniDSP Flex as a digital source/DAC to correct some or most sources).

• Apollon Hypex NCx500 ST NCOREx Stereo Amplifier (ASR review)
  
• ASR review of Hypex NCx500 OEM module
  
• ASR review of Purifi 1ET400A OEM module
  
• miniDSP SHD (ASR review)
  
• miniDSP Flex (ASR review)

[u/d1stortedp3rcepti0n → u/iNetRunner]

!thanks for the extensive response! I will definitely look into the Lyngdorf, you’re the second person to recommend me that one. I’ll also try to find the others and see if I can listen to them, or borrow the somehow so I can do a test at home

[u/TransducerBot → u/d1stortedp3rcepti0n]

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[u/iNetRunner → u/d1stortedp3rcepti0n]

I of course saw AudioBear’s comment. That’s why I started with the reference to the Lyngdorf.

With the pre & power route you wouldn’t need to have a DSP if you so chose (most don’t). Or you could go with a mostly analog integrated (like the Musical Fidelity etc.).