17-Apr-2017, 11:36
I reckon that you need to think long and hard as to what your ultimate aim is. Getting this right could save you a lot of cash. I have never owned any of the amps you are considering, but I do have some observations from demos I have heard. The D200 can sound excellent when partnered with suitable speakers. Although with harder to drive speakers it can struggle. I suspect that with your B&W 683 S2's a D200 would work fine, but that is not the final story if you are considering upgrading speakers. A D200 may not work well with whatever you move onto next. Even in this scenario you could upgrade your D200 to a D400, at what would probably be very reasonable pricing. One option you have not mentioned is a second hand D250, which in turn offers the possibility to become a D800 with the purchase of a second hand companion. Personally I think the D250 is a superior beast to the D200, far more than an additional 50 watts would imply. Having said that, the Pro versions are a significant step up from the previous Expert models at all points in the range. You probably need to listen to an 'old' Expert and a new Pro to establish how much the Pro improvements matter to you. (this might be difficult to arrange?) I think you need to formulate a long term plan, with a view to thinking about what your 'end game' speakers might be. Getting this wrong could lead to you selling / part exchanging what you buy now, a good way to waste money. Get this right, what you buy now could be with you for many years, a much better way forward.
1000 Pro - KEF Blade - iFi Zen Stream - Mutec REF10 - MC3+USB - Pro-Ject Signature 12