Help me find a <$200 Amp!

[Shicks18]

I have an AVR with preouts and need a little more oomph to power my Polk LSi9 fronts (4 ohms). Like the title says I don't want to exceed $200. Please leave your recommendations of good WPC into 4 ohms to power the LSi9s. And more importantly, recommend models and brands of good external amps! I'm really not interested in pro amps. Thanks for the help and recommendations!

 

[Bluesmoke]

Your ONLY option is a Pro Amp. Maybe you'll find some sucker selling a HT amp that drives 4ohms well at $200, but I doubt it unless it's defective.

I'd look at the Yamaha 2100, Crown XL402. Both can be had for around $200 and will drive your speakers well.

 

[mike c]

this is a pro amp:
but no fan noise ...

Behringer A500 - only 180 bucks.
stable to 4 ohms ... 180wpc at 4 ohms, less than 1% THD

 

[Adam]

One of the members here is selling a Parasound amp (in the classifieds) that is rated at 200W/channel into 4 ohms. I don't know how much he's asking for it, and I don't have an opinion of the amp. Just wanted to put up the link because it's used (so, less expensive) and seems like it has the power to drive your speakers.

 

[Shicks18]

Sorry: I should have mentioned that I am planning on buying used.

I see some Adcom GFA 535 and 545 going under $200, and some Parasounds selling under $200. Even Audiosource new are under $200.

I just want to know what are some other good brands and models out there that I am overlooking.

I have looked at the Behringer brand, but being Pro Amp I don't know how that would sound on a warm sounding LSi line speaker.

 

[mike c]

I have looked at the Behringer brand, but being Pro Amp I don't know how that would sound on a warm sounding LSi line speaker.

it shouldn't sound like anything. amps should be linear and neutral.

 

[Shicks18]

So your saying the difference between a Rotel, B&K, Adcom, Carver and the Behringer that both give 150wpc would sound the same or very close to the same?

 

[mike c]

So your saying the difference between a Rotel, B&K, Adcom, Carver and the Behringer that both give 150wpc would sound the same or very close to the same?

yes. exactly what I am saying.

http://www.matrixhifi.com/contenedor_ppec_eng.htm

http://bruce.coppola.name/audio/Amp_Sound.pdf

btw, I have 4 Behringer A500's, 1 Rotel RMB1077 (the almighty rotel amp that's supposed to sound the best among ALL rotel amps bar the RB1090) and 1 Rotel RMB1066. I cannot distinguish between them.

 

[Shicks18]

Interesting, well I guess I will resume my research on the Behringer A500. Thanks for the help Mike.

 

[chadnliz]

I am thinking of taking my dads Classe mono blocks when his new amps arrives and I am going to sell my Carver TFM35 for $200, its 350w at 4 ohms nas power meters and works flawlessy...email if you feel like it.

 

[mtrycrafts]

So your saying the difference between a Rotel, B&K, Adcom, Carver and the Behringer that both give 150wpc would sound the same or very close to the same?

Yes. Why is that so difficult to accept?
Levels matched, low output impedance, not exceeding design limits, not hard.

 

[chadnliz]

Dont get conned into thinking that means all amps sound the same because they dont, within that frame of amps listed they are all of similar quality and build but there are amps that while they do cost a pretty penny sound far better than lesser thought out models. The last 10% of perfprmance sadly costs a small fortune but leave that to those who can afford and demand that performance knowing that most all amps sound great, some just take you to a higher level that isnt worth most worrying about.

 

[wire]

Yes. Why is that so difficult to accept?
Levels matched, low output impedance, not exceeding design limits, not hard.

The Above , is not totally true . Carver designed his amps to Null other amps . Most bigger Carver amps 200x2 and above , came with alittle chip attached to it . If i recall correctly the older 1.0t was made to sound like the Conrad Johnson Tube amp .
If you take the Carver 1.5t and compare to the Carver 1.0t , the 2 amps will sound different , two totally different sounding amps .
The TFM series ( without the X ) , i think where designed to sound like his own Silver Seven Tube mono blocks .

 

[wire]

I am thinking of taking my dads Classe mono blocks when his new amps arrives and I am going to sell my Carver TFM35 for $200, its 350w at 4 ohms nas power meters and works flawlessy...email if you feel like it.

I think this wouldbe a good match to the LSI series Polks ( The tweets might like TFM35 ) . Enough power for them , since they love Big power . I hooked mine up to my Polk SDA's ( 6 ohms ) and the TFM 35 performed very good .

 

[mike c]

The Above , is not totally true . Carver designed his amps to Null other amps . Most bigger Carver amps 200x2 and above , came with alittle chip attached to it . If i recall correctly the older 1.0t was made to sound like the Conrad Johnson Tube amp .
If you take the Carver 1.5t and compare to the Carver 1.0t , the 2 amps will sound different , two totally different sounding amps .
The TFM series ( without the X ) , i think where designed to sound like his own Silver Seven Tube mono blocks .

do you have frequency response graphs on these tube sounding carvers?

 

[wire]

do you have frequency response graphs on these tube sounding carvers?

Go to CarverAudio.com Forum , they might assit you better on FR graphs and schematics . They are very knowlegable on Carver and Sunfire equiment .

 

[PENG]

So your saying the difference between a Rotel, B&K, Adcom, Carver and the Behringer that both give 150wpc would sound the same or very close to the same?

Just to keep wire and others happy, I would say "very close to the same". So close that it will be difficult or almost impossible to tell the difference in a properly conducted blind listening test, except for some of the Bob Carver amps and alike (but then those amps can't be totally linear).

 

[mike c]

Go to CarverAudio.com Forum , they might assit you better on FR graphs and schematics . They are very knowlegable on Carver and Sunfire equiment .

except for some of the Bob Carver amps and alike (but then those amps can't be totally linear).

exactly my point. those are exceptions to the rule and cannot be used to justify that SS amps DO NOT all sound the same.

those amps have been SPECIFICALLY made to sound like something else.

like i said here:

amps shouldn't sound like anything. amps should be linear and neutral.

because if they WEREN'T linear, they wouldn't be accurate.

 

[wire]

Just to keep wire and others happy, I would say "very close to the same". So close that it will be difficult or almost impossible to tell the difference in a properly conducted blind listening test, except for some of the Bob Carver amps and alike (but then those amps can't be totally linear).

Peng
Hehe
Bob Carver , he is quite a man . He used in the early days Magnetic Field Power supplys . Now Emotia uses the same tech that he used with the TFM series amps back in the late 80's early 90's . Im not sure how refined it now with the Sunfire Amps .

 

[wire]

exactly my point. those are exceptions to the rule and cannot be used to justify that SS amps DO NOT all sound the same.

those amps have been SPECIFICALLY made to sound like something else.

like i said here:


because if they WEREN'T linear, they wouldn't be accurate.

Go ask the boys at the CarverAudio.com if they are not Accurate amps .
When i compare my Bryston 4b to the Carver TFM 35 , the Bryston soundstage is deeper ( mygirlfreid dosnt like it , because she says its to far away , for me i love it ) , but the Carver's Highs are smoother .