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Help with amp choice for a beginner HiFi system

Posted by sineast (A) on March 28, 2024 at 10:51:09

This is my first post, so I'm a beginner in this forum as much as one in the hifi world. I hope I'm posting this thread in the right place.

I would like so much to get into the hobby so I started planning on how to assemble my first system. I did a lot of newbie research, learning the basics, trying to develop the sense for what I would prefer.

I decided to make a choice on my amplification first. After that I will consider speakers and a DAC. My budget for the pre/amp, speakers and DAC is around 1600$.

I will be doing most of my listening near-field while I work and the speakers I would prefer atm, based on the reviews would be QA 5020s, Lintons or Sonus Faber Lumina IIs. I will be playing music from my PC mostly via USB.

I wanted to go separates at first, but after looking at the options on the used market I had to include integrated options too, later to be upgraded with a dedicated DAC.

I have 3 options for amplification that I like, all of these are priced very similarly, around 850$:

1. Musical Fidelity M3si (+ DAC I would buy later)
2. Standalone Rotel A14 mkII without a separate DAC
3. Topping Pre90 preamp + Wadia A102 power amp (+ DAC I would buy later)

What should I choose? My goal is to have the most value for my budget first and develop my listening tastes over the next few years.

Something tells me Wadia + pre90 is the way, it's hard for me to explain why. I think I'm getting the most value that way and I also have a lot of flexibility in the future with separates. The negative is that there are only a few Wadia reviews.

I need some guidance. Can anybody share any info/experiences on the Wadia amp or the Wadia brand? Im rather informed on the Rotel and M3si but have no clue how each of these 3 options compare to each other.

What would you choose?

All and any ideas are much appreciated! I'm losing sleep over this and I need to make a choice and make peace with the call. Thank you.

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