gpantaz
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Class D amp for B&W 801 matrix
Steely164
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    Not sure if you have a preamp already but Bel Canto has an integrated for $1995. It's listed at 60 watts into 8 ohms but it pushes 30 amps of current. Bel Canto has seperates also that might be in your price range. I have yet to test a pair of Ci Audio monoblocks.  Class D and runs cool.  So says the ad on the music direct site. I think MD has them listed at 1700 dollars.  Another new company is Cherry amps.  The parent company has been around a while but they have a new line of amps they have been advertising. Google Marishino Cherry amp and see what comes up.  They look really nice with granite base included I think. There is always Peachtree which will drive a pair of B&W but I'm not sure about the sound.  NAD also has the 390 which is digital and less than 2000.  Might be worth a listen if you have a dealer close.  Good Luck!!

bierfeldt
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No where near the 600wpc that you would get out of the emotivas.  The Peachtree is 220w but actually is a Class D and is cheap at $1000.  I have listened to it through less revealing speakers and it sounded great.  Not sure how it will perform with those B&Ws but it is a nice AMP.  You could get it from AudioAdvisor and demo it.  They have a 30day return policy. 

commsysman
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I have yet to hear a Class D amplifier that has good enough sound quality to do those speakers justice.

To me, that is like buying a Ferrari and going to Pep Boys and putting on the cheapest tires available.

I recommend the Musical Fidelity M6PRX amplifier, which I am using to drive my Vandersteen Treo speakers. It is one of the best amplifiers I have ever heard, No Class D amplifier even comes close. It runs very cool, even when driven hard. It replaced a very good Bryston 3BST power amplifer, and is definitely an improvement over that (and less expensive to boot).

I assume that you have a high-quality preamp.

gpantaz wrote:

I'm looking for a good quality Class D amplifier to drive a pair of B&W series 2 801 Matrix speakers. I'd like to spend around $2K but would go a bit higher if it made sense. The current plan is a pair of emotiva XPA1's but i would prefer to find a class D alternative to reduce size and heat in the cabinet.

wkhanna
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You may find this interesting........

Based on reports from a mentor who has heard & is building these, someone may have finally gotten Class D to sound like music.......

http://www.hypex.nl/product/2012-11-23-13-41-35/nc400.html

 

MTZ
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I am running a pair of B&W 802 S2 matrix speakers with a Yamaha MX-D1 amp with a Yamaha YPC-1 passive pre-amp.this is a really good combination that doesn't sound harsh. Good soundstage but not revealing.
Enough power and very dynamic.

MTZ
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I made a little mistake in my previous post. Wrote that the amplifier was not revealing. The opposite is trough however. The amplifier is revealing a lot of details. Sometimes I listen the same piece of music again to make sure there is nothing wrong with my system. But every time it's the recording revealing it's secrets.

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