Hello all,
I primarily drive my SAM XRS with a Line Magnetic LM-218ia and it's a beguiling combo. The LM isn't going anywhere and I intend to keep using it for all critical listening sessions... But that said the LM is a hot, angry beast and after a few hours it can really heat up my small listening room. I certainly don't dare leave it on for background listening; if it's on, I'm plunked in front of it giving it my full attention.
So I'm considering getting a modest solid state integrated amp that I can leave running for "background" music, or non-critical listening during prolonged periods of time when I might be in and out of the room. Because this would be a second amp purely for non-critical listening, I'm not prepared to spend oodles of money. In fact - and maybe this is audiophile blasphemy - I'm toying with the idea of going "mid-fi", with something by the likes of Rotel, NAD, Cambridge Audio, Peachtree, or one of the other brands at that tier. I don't want an amp with a DAC, phono stage, Bluetooth, or any of that. Just a reliable, well-designed, well-built amp delivering halfway decent sound that I can leave running for hours without worrying about it.
My question: does anyone have any experience or advice on pairing a solid state amp by one of these manufacturers with their Omegas? Are there other manufacturers I should consider? To be honest, I've only ever owned one solid state integrated amplifier - a Creek evolution, which I hated due to what I perceived as a hot top end that left my ears hurting.
Give me your solid state recommendations! Thanks!