I've been missing music in the new place, so have to get something going on the main level – the big system will remain packed away until I have a basement audio room ready to set it up in again.
Big difference in what I want on the main level though, as it's more about convenience, flexibility and appeal to a family full of cell phones, in addition to sounding decent! I've got the speakers covered – Paradigm Monitor 7 v2 which are supposed to be 90db sensitive/8ohm – which should make for some flexibility in amp choice. I've done full home-theater and am fully done with it; stereo only this time around.
I'm thinking SS class AB, 60wpc or so integrated, in a small, good looking package that wont look too nasty sitting out in the open on a cabinet in our living room. Something with a built-in DAC would be best so that I can plug the toslink optical out into it from the Sony xbr65x950h smart TV, and Bluetooth (even the aptX flavor) would be nice as it would eliminate the use of marginal Bluetooth portable speakers on the main level. Even better – a decent built-in DAC with a USB input to allow connecting a streamer (Raspberry Pi?, Mike!) to leverage Roon and all it brings to the system. Wav, FLAC, Mp3, Hi-res and DSD 64/128 decoding would be my target, and I don't want MQA at all – no sign of it would be a strong selling point actually.
Been doing a lot of looking, and the piece that seems to check all the boxes, gets good reviews for sound quality and isn't too steep price-wise is the Cambridge CXA61 integrated. Pretty hard to have a listen to one in the Calgary area so almost have to take a flyer on a new one – the used market seems thin here too.
Anyone have any experience with this integrated, good, bad or indifferent? Any other suggestions that might fit the bill?
Cambridge CXA61
Big difference in what I want on the main level though, as it's more about convenience, flexibility and appeal to a family full of cell phones, in addition to sounding decent! I've got the speakers covered – Paradigm Monitor 7 v2 which are supposed to be 90db sensitive/8ohm – which should make for some flexibility in amp choice. I've done full home-theater and am fully done with it; stereo only this time around.
I'm thinking SS class AB, 60wpc or so integrated, in a small, good looking package that wont look too nasty sitting out in the open on a cabinet in our living room. Something with a built-in DAC would be best so that I can plug the toslink optical out into it from the Sony xbr65x950h smart TV, and Bluetooth (even the aptX flavor) would be nice as it would eliminate the use of marginal Bluetooth portable speakers on the main level. Even better – a decent built-in DAC with a USB input to allow connecting a streamer (Raspberry Pi?, Mike!) to leverage Roon and all it brings to the system. Wav, FLAC, Mp3, Hi-res and DSD 64/128 decoding would be my target, and I don't want MQA at all – no sign of it would be a strong selling point actually.
Been doing a lot of looking, and the piece that seems to check all the boxes, gets good reviews for sound quality and isn't too steep price-wise is the Cambridge CXA61 integrated. Pretty hard to have a listen to one in the Calgary area so almost have to take a flyer on a new one – the used market seems thin here too.
Anyone have any experience with this integrated, good, bad or indifferent? Any other suggestions that might fit the bill?
Cambridge CXA61