I'm looking at buying my first 'real' hifi set-up. I've been considering the Rega Brio and Arcam A65+, but have recently found someone selling a secondhand Audiolab 8000S.
I'm in Australia, so retail prices are pretty high. The Rega Brio is $999 ($US760), the Arcam A65+ is $1358 ($US1035), while the used Audiolab is $850 ($US650) [and was purportedly $1950 ($US1500) when new].
How do these amps compare, sonically? The Audiolab is an internet-buy from another state, meaning I won't be able to trial it before I hand over the dosh. I'm also interested to know about reliability; if people have had any trouble with these Audiolab amps?
The Audiolab is pretty well regarded all over the internet, though intimations about a slightly clinical/'grey' sound do concern me a little.
I would most probably be pairing it with a pair of Mission or Monitor bookshelfs and a Cambridge Audio 640C.
Any advice for this hifi neophyte would be very, very helpful.