![]() However, we do wish that the A-9110 - the budget model in this range - included some sort of DAC. This is easily a top budget pick, and it also helps that it comes with a wide range of connections, including a phono stage. For an amp that costs just over $300, you're getting audio quality that is just staggering. ![]() Most of them are to do with improved amp circuitry, and circuits that reduce the length of time it takes for the audio signal to travel from place to place. While the casing has undergone a slight redesign, the biggest changes are internal. The original A-9050 featured on this list previously, and the new Onkyo A-9110 makes some significant improvements. Onkyo's A-9 series has been a firm favorite of ours for some time. What We Don't: It would have been nice to see even a basic DAC included. What We Like: A stunning budget model with huge sound. Read our in-depth reviewīest Budget Stereo Amp Under $500 3. However, none of that changes the fact that the Cambridge Audio CXA61 is one of the most enjoyable amps we’ve tested this year. ![]() To be fair, if you’re prepared to put up with a few extra annoyances, like the reliance on a USB dongle for Bluetooth, then you can probably save yourself some money and buy that amp instead. At $999, it’s $400 more expensive than the original CXA60. However, it doesn’t have the raw power and energy that the Carina has and we just couldn’t help feeling that the price was too high. You could make an argument that the CXA61 amplifier could beat the Peachtree Audio Carina in the number one spot. If you do want something with a slightly more neutral presentation, try the Parasound NewClassic 200 Integrated or the CXA81 - an 80 watt amp from Cambridge with slightly more restrained sound. This certainly isn’t an amp for those who enjoy reference grade sound. The audio quality is lively and rambunctious, injecting tracks with real life. But most importantly, you get great sound. You get a full range of analog and digital inputs in a beautifully designed and distinctive interface. It’s the latest entry in the company’s CX series and it fixes almost all the issues we had with the CXA60 amp. The Cambridge Audio CXA61 is an outstanding amplifier with terrific digital capabilities. What We Like: Fun and lively sound, great design and functionality. But if the lack of a vinyl input isn’t a big deal, then Peachtree’s Carina is the single best amp you can buy.Ī Stereo Amp with a Great DAC Included 2. Check out the Schiit Ragnarok for a similarly price with an included MM phono pre, or the exceptional and exceptionally affordable Denon PMA-600NE. If that’s you, then you still have a number of options on this list. That’s a clear choice-this is first and foremost an amp for the digitally-minded-but it might alienate those who are looking for a one-box vinyl solution. One thing to note is that the Peachtree Audio Carina does not have an included phono preamp in its guts. The amp gets extra points for the big, bright digital display that is easy to read from across the room. Twin ESS 9068 DAC chips stand ready to handle a range of digital inputs-including HDMI, allowing the Carina to do double duty for both hi-fi and home theater. Paired with a good set of bookshelf or floorstanding speakers, the Carina quickly becomes essential. The audio quality is best described as thunderous, with taut and muscular bass and a crystalline quality in the highs that other pricey amps, like the similarly-priced Hegel H95, below, can only hint at. Their new Carina takes everything they learned from their Nova and Decco lines, and shoves it into an absolutely gorgeous, wood-framed package. Peachtree Audio have quietly become one of the best amp makers on the planet. What We Don’t: No phono preamp, so not the best option for vinyl lovers. ![]() What We Like: Gorgeous sound, HDMI input, exceptional front panel display. A Great Bluetooth Streaming Option: NAD D3045īest Overall Stereo Amp 1.Best Stereo Amp for Small Rooms: S.M.S.L AD 18.Best Stereo Amp for Vinyl: Denon PMA-600NE.A Stereo Amp with a Great DAC Included: Cambridge Audio CXA61.Best Overall Stereo Amp: Peachtree Audio Carina.And to complete your system, check out our lists of the best bookshelf speakers and best floorstanding speakers. We're covering only integrated amps here - no discrete power or preamplifiers - and we've tried to keep prices sane. Below, we've highlighted this year's top models, and no matter what budget you're on, there's a model here that'll supercharge your sound system. There's a lot of mystique that has sprung up around amps, and a lot of related jargon that has been created over the years, but the good news is that the standard is really high now - even for budget amps. Everything flows into it, and everything flows out of it. An amp should be the center of your hi-fi world.
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