integrated amplifier

Hi all,

Long-time lurker coming out of the wood-work for a suggestion.

I've decided that my next music need is an integrated amp. I have the 1050 for HT but I want a smaller, simpler dedicated 2-channel system for a different room. Something along the lines of 50-100 W per channel.

Outlaw could simplify my life by creating such a beast. NAD has products along this line but I would prefer an Outlaw. Also, if Outlaw wanted to be ahead of the curve, it should include firewire or similar high-speed computer connection for integration with internet tuner/home computer/PDA.

I would imagine that there are many people like me out there who after putting together HT systems want a simple, high quality sytem for bedrooms,etc.

BTW, if Outlaw does go the "digital hub" route and put out an internet tuner, I would suggest ditching Windows based systems.

Cheers,

Aaron Brasket

I agree!

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Matthew J. Hill
matt@idsi.net

I also would have a use for a high-quality integrated amp for my second system.

A built-in tuner would be a plus, but not essential.

The amp could be extremely basic - on/off, input selector, and volume are all that's needed.


What would be important is something that's cool running and very compact. The 15 inch form factor used by many VCRs would be better than the 17 inch size used by most audio gear. Better yet, how about something that's "half size", like the Parasound Zamp? If possible, even smaller would be better.

This would be for an office system, and I got no room for a big box(s) mostly full of air.

Going one step further, I'd go nuts over a single small box containing CD, preamp, and amp... Like those dept store "mini systems", only of reasonably high quality.

<< added later >>
Costs could be kept down a bit by a couple design decisions that have been successfully used elsewhere:
- No pre-outs or main-ins. This avoids the cost of the buffers needed to mate the pre-outs to amps of unknown input impedance.
- Make the amp section of sufficiently high gain that a passive preamp section could be used.

While I'd personally like a S/PDIF digital input, the inclusion of a DAC of reasonable quality would up the cost somewhat. That's a question for the Outlaw marketing department... unless Outlaw were to market a matching CD unit that's a transport only, with no DAC. Make it tiny, sell it for $100 and I'll buy two, sight unseen.

[This message has been edited by dschnelz (edited June 03, 2003).]