Hello, I just joined, primarily for the audiophile products. Looking at purchasing the NHT C3 speakers for our new living room. Space is about 15 feet wide by 33 long and they will fire long ways. Space is just for general listening, music room with all equipment is downstairs, so hoping they will fill it with sound nicely. Cheers.
Mar 18, 2024
If you already have speakers and want to go the amp route, you have a couple of paths. One is a full size stereo receiver, if size isn't a concern. You can find good ones in your price range, such as the Yamaha R-S202BL. I have had a good experience with the prior 201 version, but attached a separate bluetooth reciever.
If you want to go compact, you're looking for a very specific animal that will be a challenge to meet your price on. You're looking for something with RCA or 3.5mm plus Bluetooth input, and speaker terminals (or pre-outs, but then you need powered speakers, so you're back to option 1). The only thing I know of that might work is this:
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/ai-101da-integrated-amplifier-with-usb-dac
...but only at Massdrop prices and I don't know when or if it will drop again, though they seem to drop TEAC stuff fairly regularly.
I use a dot the same way you're looking to, and I'd definitely recommend connecting it via bluetooth. If you connect via 3.5mm, you have to keep your speakers on all the time to interact with Alexa. Using bluetooth, you can just tell Alexa to connect or disconnect from bluetooth and interact via the internal speaker as you wish.
If it were me, I'd go with option 1, but based on your name, you have good musical tastes, so things will work out no matter which way you go!