absurdist
absurdist's picture
Offline
Last seen: 6 years 4 months ago
Joined: Jan 5 2010 - 11:25pm
Amplifier for KEF LS50
bierfeldt
bierfeldt's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: Oct 26 2007 - 2:30pm

My personal preference would be the Rogue Audio Sphinx with remote will run a bit above your budget but it is a hell of a nice amp. I have it's big brother, the Hydra and am very happy with it.

On your budget, check out the NuPrime IDA-8. At $999 it is a stellar option and will sound good roving those Kefs. Incidentally, power is important with those Kefs so looking for 100w of power is ideal. .

absurdist
absurdist's picture
Offline
Last seen: 6 years 4 months ago
Joined: Jan 5 2010 - 11:25pm

Ooh, the nuPrime IDA-8 looks like a really good option. I'm hearing a lot of good things and several people have it paired with the KEF's. Do you have any experience with the Marantz?

bierfeldt
bierfeldt's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: Oct 26 2007 - 2:30pm

I own or have owned multiple Marantz units and I like Marantz's sound very much. I am currently using a M-CR510 to drive a pair of Revel Perform3s. The sweet spot for Marantz in cost vs power CSS quality is the PM6005 which is an amazing unit. The PM8005 feels a hair expensive for what you get and is lower power that the NuPrime or the Rogue. Additionally, with your space I think you will want every watt of power you can get.

absurdist
absurdist's picture
Offline
Last seen: 6 years 4 months ago
Joined: Jan 5 2010 - 11:25pm

Great, thats really helpful. I think I'll go for the IDA-8. I won't have my setup going until I move into my new place at the end of December, but I'll come back and let you know how it works for me.

bierfeldt
bierfeldt's picture
Offline
Last seen: 2 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: Oct 26 2007 - 2:30pm

Consider buying the NuPrime from someone like Audio Advisor. The advantage is they have a 30 day return policy. If you don't like it you can ship it back. Better to be safe.

mezibijale
mezibijale's picture
Offline
Last seen: 4 months 1 week ago
Joined: Nov 21 2023 - 9:58pm

So, you know how you just snagged these KEF LS50 speakers on sale without trying them first—total impulse buy? Now, you're on the hunt for an amp to pair with them. Your place is kinda big, not ideal for speakers this size, but you want good sound for both solo jam sessions and when friends are over. Space is tight, so you need a small, all-in-one amp that won't clutter things up. Budget-wise, you're aiming to spend under $1000, maybe a bit more for the right deal. You're checking out the Marantz PM8006 at around $900 and eyeing Peachtree's decco125 SKY, which is a tad pricier at $1200. Wondering if these are good matches for the LS50s or if there are other amps around the same range that folks recommend. Any advice from LS50 pros out there? Thanks!

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/12-best-amplifier-kef-ls50-meta-user-recommendations-swipeonidea-y0hmc

Log in or register to post comments
-->
  • X