Need a 2 channel amp-help please

[rws1950]

Used 2 channel brystons, or rotels sound great and are built heavy duty.

 

[PatrickBateman]

OK, now we are getting someplace. What receiver and power? Speaker impedance and sensitivity? Room size, how far do you sit from speakers?
How loud do you listen or want to?

I am running a Marantz SR5400 which is 90watts, which is a true 90 watts if I remember correctly.
Speakers are very inefficient, 6ohm impedance and spl 85db

 

[PatrickBateman]

I am running a Marantz SR5400 which is 90watts, which is a true 90 watts if I remember correctly.
Speakers are very inefficient, 6ohm impedance and spl 85db

and my room is 12x18.

 

[mouettus]

90 watts is fairly efficient! As long as you're not poushing 4-5 drivers in each speaker then you're good! I don't think you'll get much better with those speakers though... Have you ever tried another good pair of speakers on it?

I have myself heard a full rotel unit driving some ENERGYs and B&Ws... STELLAR soud quality!

Excellent budget/quality receiver btw

 

[cfrizz]

Keep an eye on Audiogon for

Rotel RB1080
Parasound HCA 1500A

Hey guys,

I am looking for a 2 channel amp and I want to stay around $500 or less. I will definately consider used as well.
I have looked at the

-NAD C272
-Outlaw Monoblocks
-Rotel (not sure what model)

I have also heard people using pro-amps, supposedly they have great power, I am just not sure how well they work in a home theater.
What I really would like is ample power and an amp that doesnt get hot.
Any help would be great.
Thanks

 

[PatrickBateman]

90 watts is fairly efficient! As long as you're not poushing 4-5 drivers in each speaker then you're good! I don't think you'll get much better with those speakers though... Have you ever tried another good pair of speakers on it?

I have myself heard a full rotel unit driving some ENERGYs and B&Ws... STELLAR soud quality!

Excellent budget/quality receiver btw

I have tried 5 different speakers, but they were all much more efficient

 

[kicknsupra]

if you are thinking about pro amps thake a look at qsc they have a nice very clean sound and tons of power i love to 2 i have cant wait to find a few morehttp://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t75/kicknsupra/IMG_0156.jpg

 

[mtrycrafts]

I am running a Marantz SR5400 which is 90watts, which is a true 90 watts if I remember correctly.
Speakers are very inefficient, 6ohm impedance and spl 85db

Well, those speakers may need more power at the peaks. 105 dB minus the distance loss, it might not be enough.

But, now you should look at real amps, probably in the 200 watt range as a minimum as even that only gives you 108 dBspl.

 

[Rob Babcock]

No, I say get a 2 Watt Triode.

 

[Seth=L]

No, I say get a 2 Watt Triode.

You are silly.

 

[mouettus]

I have tried 5 different speakers, but they were all much more efficient

Then don't bother finding an amp! Get new speakers!

 

[markw]

Those speakers aren't made for receivers or high volume levels.

I am running a Marantz SR5400 which is 90watts, which is a true 90 watts if I remember correctly.
Speakers are very inefficient, 6ohm impedance and spl 85db

What the other say about considering more efficient speakers might be worth considering.

they might be fine for moderate listening levels for some (not all) musical listening with a more powerful amplifier, but for HT, they are gonna suck that receiver dry.

To get a barely noticible 3 decible increase in your peak volume level, you need to double the power, or somewhere around 180 - 200 watts.

If you want twice the relative loudness on peaks, you need ten times your current power, or somewhere between 900 - 1,000 watts.

 

[Davemcc]

Sensitivity has little to do with sound quality. Some of the best sounding speakers can be relatively inefficient. I recall Jim Salk's explanation of why his highly rated speaker designs are not really efficient, so I'll reproduce it here.

As for sensitivity, I might point out that speaker design is all about trade-offs. Our Veracity line, for example, was designed to be extremely accurate, highly detailed and very low in terms of distortion. We certainly could have used drivers with higher sensitivity. But there are currently no higher sensitivity drivers available that are as detailed and accurate as the Seas Excel drivers. So, in order to gain sensitivity, you would have to either use multiple drivers of the same type (which introduces other trade-offs including, but not limited to, higher cost), or you would have to live with less detail and higher distortion levels. There is no free lunch.

Giving a good sounding set of speakers the amplification and power reserve that they require just makes sense if you love the sound of the speakers. If I had a set of Salks, I'm sure I wouldn't trade them for any model of efficient Klipsh

 

[PatrickBateman]

What the other say about considering more efficient speakers might be worth considering.

they might be fine for moderate listening levels for some (not all) musical listening with a more powerful amplifier, but for HT, they are gonna suck that receiver dry.

To get a barely noticible 3 decible increase in your peak volume level, you need to double the power, or somewhere around 180 - 200 watts.

If you want twice the relative loudness on peaks, you need ten times your current power, or somewhere between 900 - 1,000 watts.

I have been auditioning speakers for 2 years and have had a lot of speakers under $1200, and the ones I have now are the best I have heard. I am definately not switching them out, but I do need an amp

 

[mtrycrafts]

You are silly.

Oh, he needs a $15k, 15 watt Set then.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Used 2 channel brystons, or rotels sound great and are built heavy duty.

Yes, but it still needs to put out the needed power. So, he would still need one with lots of it.

 

[wire]

I have been auditioning speakers for 2 years and have had a lot of speakers under $1200, and the ones I have now are the best I have heard. I am definately not switching them out, but I do need an amp

Well looks like youve done your D.D. and tryed the speaker route .
I have to say like others and I own one , if your looking for a amp that will last most of your life ( maybe out live you ) , invest into a Bryston 4B ( used ) , used it sometimes has warrenty left ( 20 years in total ) . This amp will do anything you want it to do .
The Carvers are good and have a ton of power , look for the 1.5T , great design ( loads of power ) . The relyablity is no where near the Bryston , but can be found for fraction of the price .
That Rotel mentioned above looks like a good amp , never heard it though .

 

[PENG]

Yes, but it still needs to put out the needed power. So, he would still need one with lots of it.

The 3BST will get him more than 150W into his 6 ohm speakers. If that's too marginal, he can always go for a used 4B or 4BST that has a few years of warranty left on it.

http://www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/1096brystonb/

 

[Meltdown]

need two channel amp

My shelves are full of Carvers, Phase, Gas and Marantz. Oh yeah and Rotel. Bottom line, their all very good affordable power boxes. Stick with the Rotel's either 1080 or 1090 if you can find one, you wont be disappointed. Each amp images differently, and enjoys certain speaker combos. It gets pricy finding the right combination. The Rotel's sound good with just about anything, period.

 

[Warpdrv]

Used 2 channel brystons, or rotels sound great and are built heavy duty.

Very good recomendation... Or a Parasound... which can be hard to snap up used, they go fast... Tons of Rotels on audiogon...