Help with first purchase- P4s?

[jaesung]

Huh? who is this kid? I have auditioned all the AudioEngine speakers myself and have also owned their A2s A5s as well as the P4s. Sure Audioengine stands behind their speakers but that matters very little when for the money you can do much better. PERIOD.

Hey GPOST3, what are your thoughts on the PSB Alpha B1s? are they better than the Behringer MS40s you suggested? I'm hoping so lol!

 

[gpost3]

To be honest, I have never auditioned PSB Alpha B1s so I can't comment on how good they sound. But looking at the specs and the design, they are probably worth a try. But if you can audition them first that would be best see if you like them. Or if you can't audition them then make sure the return policy is good so you can return them if you dont like them.

 

[ican]

i am not an expert but i also didn't like the audioengine a2. definitely sound small.

 

[jinjuku]

i am not an expert but i also didn't like the audioengine a2. definitely sound small.

The above user is Gpost also folks.... Just an FYI.

 

[jaesung]

I have purchased the PSB Alpha B1s. They look nice but i can't listen to them. I need an amp lol.

Are these any good (I know they are super budget ones, but I am on a tight budget and am just looking for anything to power these speakers for the time being)

Dayton Audio DTA-1 Class T Digital AC/DC Amplifier 15 WPC
Dayton Audio DTA-1 Class T Digital AC/DC Amplifier 15 Watts Per Channel - Parts Express 300-380



Lepai TRIPATH TA2020+ Amp Mini Hi-Fi Audio Amplifier
Lepai TRIPATH TA2020+ Amp Mini Hi-Fi Audio Amplifier | eBay

 

[jcl]

The T Amps are good little amps for the price. I had one of the originals but a shock of static electricity put it out of commission. Parts Express has the lepai for $5 less, and I bet their shipping will come under the $15 of the ebay seller.

You might try craigs list to find something within budget.

If you can stretch you budget a bit you might think of a receiver like :
JR.com: Sherwood RX4105 Stereo Receiver in Stereo and Surround Sound Receivers

Or maybe
Onkyo TX-8255 50 watts 2 channel Stereo Receiver | Accessories4less

or if you can stretch a little bit further :
https://www.shoponkyo.com/detail.cfm?productid=HT-RC230&modelid=24&group_id=1&detail=1&ext_war=1

The audio source amp 100 is a budget amp worth considering too :
AudioSource AMP100 2-Ch Source Switching Power Amplifier 302-601

 

[jaesung]

Thanks for the suggestion.
I'm trying to stay under $100

I'm going to try to find those used locally. You wouldn't happen to know of any Canadian websites would you? Brokerage fees and customs really adds a lot of $$$ to the cost

 

[jaesung]

All these amplifiers and receivers are quite large.

What do you guys think of the Fiio A1, Nuforce Icon Amp, and audioengine N22?

I'm leaning towards the Fiio A1 for it's small size and thinking of pairing it up with the Fiio D3 DAC.

 

[bikemig]

If you want to keep it at around $100 (and I realize you live in Canada which will bring up the price), this would do the trick: Dayton Audio DTA-100a Class-T Digital Amplifier 50 WPC Provides Power To Computer Speakers, Bookshelf Speakers, Headphones, And More! 300-383. Both the nuforce icon amp and the audio engine N-22 are more powerful amps than the fiio; the fiio is close to the minimum recommended power for your speakers.

Edit: by the way, I really like the N-22 amp if you want a small form amp. It takes up little space, has a variable out if you want to add a sub later, has 2 analog inputs, puts out plenty of clean power for a nearfield set up, and runs really cool. It also has a pretty capable headphone amp.

 

[jaesung]

If you want to keep it at around $100 (and I realize you live in Canada which will bring up the price), this would do the trick: Dayton Audio DTA-100a Class-T Digital Amplifier 50 WPC Provides Power To Computer Speakers, Bookshelf Speakers, Headphones, And More! 300-383. Both the nuforce icon amp and the audio engine N-22 are more powerful amps than the fiio; the fiio is close to the minimum recommended power for your speakers.

Edit: by the way, I really like the N-22 amp if you want a small form amp. It takes up little space, has a variable out if you want to add a sub later, has 2 analog inputs, puts out plenty of clean power for a nearfield set up, and runs really cool. It also has a pretty capable headphone amp.

Thanks for the Dayton suggestion. That one is definitely better than the Dayton one I was looking at.
I just checked the specs stating that 10-90W is recommended but for program is says 60W?! translation?

You're right, the fiio one doesn't appear to have enough juice.
I was thinking of the N22 actually but found this to be about the same price.
Maverick Audio A1: Maverick Audio - TubeMagic A1 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier
Although it isn't as compact It still seems much smaller than most amps out there. Plus due to it's short height, stacking my monitor on top won't bug me so much.

I have read reviews saying great things about the A1.
Now I'm basically deciding between A1, Nuforce Icon Amp, and the Dayton one that you suggested.

The A1 is a hybrid containing tubes and I am worried about customs fees because it would be shipped from China.

If it means anything, I have decided to up my budget to $200 for a better product so that I won't have to buy a cheap one for a temporary fix only to buy ANOTHER better amp when I have the money. I'll just take a harder hit now that pays off better

Again thanks for your dayton suggestion (looks amazing actaully!) and for all the your other responses thus far.

 

[bikemig]

The specs look impressive for $200. The output is doubled from 8 to 4 ohms, the SN is pretty respectable, and the headphone amp specs (which most manufacturers don't bother to list) look pretty decent. Let me know what you think once you get it; it looks pretty tempting.

Edit: I wouldn't put a monitor on top of the maverick or any amp; heat build up can be an issue. If space is not an issue, there are plenty of decent stereo receivers in the $200 price range.

 

[jaesung]

The specs look impressive for $200. The output is doubled from 8 to 4 ohms, the SN is pretty respectable, and the headphone amp specs (which most manufacturers don't bother to list) look pretty decent. Let me know what you think once you get it; it looks pretty tempting.

Edit: I wouldn't put a monitor on top of the maverick or any amp; heat build up can be an issue. If space is not an issue, there are plenty of decent stereo receivers in the $200 price range.

Good point, I will avoid putting a monitor on top and will look to getting a monitor stand to stand the screen on and tuck the amp under. Not sure if I'm getting the A1 yet. Still haven't made up my mind. (I really want to use these speakers!!!!)


My dilemma...

If I went with the Mav A1 I would pay $40 more for the upgraded version. Then $20 UPS shipping brings the total to $260 D: And customs fees on top of that... This is definitely out of my budget but I will take a bleeding wound to the wallet if this is really the best decision over the other options.

Nobody commented on this and I can't find a single review for it: Marantz PM65AV
Marantz PM-65AV Integrated Amplifier - Canuck Audio Mart
It is cheap, definitely enough power and I can pick it up locally which makes this all tempting. But again, the lack of information on this makes me hesitant.

The Dayton would be $133.90 with brokerage fees and S&H included. Which is my best option for the budget minded. (I would go with these right away if I didn't know about the A1s)

I am trying my best not to make a bad decision and would really appreciate input into this matter. I really like the looks of both the dayton and the maverick. Is it worth paying a lot more for the Mav A1?

(PS. Should I even consider the Nufroce Icon Amp? ($209.29 with S&H) http://estore.nuforce.com/products/NuForce-Icon-Amp.html)

 

[jaesung]

Let me know what you think once you get it

UPDATE: I bought the Maverick A1 (Standard version without the upgraded tubes)

I will definitely update you once I set it up. Just placed the order 5 minutes ago.








Thanks to everyone who replied to my thread. You have all been a great help and because of you I learned a lot in the process. Thx thx thx thx thx!!!

 

[jaesung]

srry don't know how to edit

the amp came in yesterday. it's smaller than i thought and fits well on my desk

i can't give much of a review because of my lack of expertise in this field but i must say that they are quite nice from my perspective.

I have my amp connected to my computer via the headphone jack of my... keyboard -_-", that's as far as the cord reaches so i can't have it connect to the speaker port at the back.

there is also a noticeable noise that gets louder as the volume is increased. this isn't a problem with the amp/speakers is it? i don't have that problem when i plug my mp3 player into the amp, so i am assuming its just the terrible connection i have from the amp to my computer... lol gotta come up with cash for a dac

 

[jaesung]

Thanks again for all your help, for the curious, here is my first set up!
http://i.imgur.com/SSTE8.jpg FiiO D3 is not shown.

 

[its phillip]

cute plushes

 

[jonnythan]

srry don't know how to edit

the amp came in yesterday. it's smaller than i thought and fits well on my desk

i can't give much of a review because of my lack of expertise in this field but i must say that they are quite nice from my perspective.

I have my amp connected to my computer via the headphone jack of my... keyboard -_-", that's as far as the cord reaches so i can't have it connect to the speaker port at the back.

there is also a noticeable noise that gets louder as the volume is increased. this isn't a problem with the amp/speakers is it? i don't have that problem when i plug my mp3 player into the amp, so i am assuming its just the terrible connection i have from the amp to my computer... lol gotta come up with cash for a dac

The noise is an artifact of running your speakers off the analog audio output of your computer. Computers are noisy (in terms of EM interference).

There's not a ton you can do about it besides getting a different sound card, preferably an external USB one.

 

[bikemig]

Nice looking set up; I'm with Philip, the stuffed whatever they are add a nice touch. Drag about the sound from the computer. If you are looking for a good quality usb dac, the HRT music streamer @$150 is very good; it is asynchronous and does hi res. Before you spend money on a USB dac, however, try out the line out from the back of the computer rather than the one from the keyboard. Also try turning up the volume all the way with whatever software you are using with your computer and use the amp to control the volume.