Help me choose between a few amps

[juodaibalts]

Hello to everyone.

Recently decided to upgrade my audio setup and am searching for an amp. Buying second hand, so i'd really appreciate some input from you guys.

Right now i'm deciding between:

Pioneer sa7300 (65eur)
Pioneer sa608 (100eur)
Kenwood ka770d (110eur)
Marantz pm6004 (180eur)
Grundig V-2000 (65eur)
Onkyo a8500 (100eur)

I really like the look of those silver faced pioneers, and from what i could find they should sound good. As far as i underestand the sa608 is a lower class model than sa7300?

Ioh yeah and i mostly listen to metal/rock.

p.s if you have some time to kill and/or want to browse through lithuanian clasifieds here's a link to amp section: Maybe you'll find something even better. https://www.skelbiu.lt/skelbimai/technika/audio/stiprintuvai/

 

[SoCal Sam]

One of those integrateds must have MM and MC phono. I am guessing it would be either the Kenwood or Marantz. The Pioneers have output modules so no good for me. If the Kenwood has MC phono, I would go for that one.

 

[Blue Shadow]

The Onkyo and Kenwood are newer and both have MC phono input that may or may not be needed. They are also more powerful. Either of these two would be my choice and since I have had an Onkyo A 815, I lean toward that one.

 

[juodaibalts]

Hi and welcome from over the pond. I guess it all depends if you wish vintage or modern. What speakers you are running; floor standers, book shelf, stats etc.
Do you wish surround or 2 channel.
Personally, I'd try to go for the separates: pre-amp/power amp set up. I did see some nice gear on the link above however might be out of your price range. I see some nice Luxman and NAD kit as well as vintage pioneer integrated...
Of those you had listed, I'm guessing the Marantz...

Hi.
For now my setup consists of a vintage soviet made Odysey-u10 (http://ldsound.ru/odissej-u-010-stereo-hi-fi/ ), Elac 818 turntable and Eltax Symphony 6 floorstanders. After i get a "new" amp, i'm planing on upgrading the speakers to some KEFs, b&w or something similar.
For now i'm looking in the >250eur price range, so yeah, the seperates are out of my comfort zone.
Which NADs/luxmans/pioneers did you like from that link?

One of those integrateds must have MM and MC phono. I am guessing it would be either the Kenwood or Marantz. The Pioneers have output modules so no good for me. If the Kenwood has MC phono, I would go for that one.

The Onkyo and Kenwood are newer and both have MC phono input that may or may not be needed. They are also more powerful. Either of these two would be my choice and since I have had an Onkyo A 815, I lean toward that one.

Thanks for the replies. So no love for the silver faced pioneers?
yeah, i've seen quite a few reviews/threads about Onkyos and it seems like they're pretty mixed. Some like the sound of them, and some really don't..

 

[Oldsansui441]

Right now i'm deciding between:

Pioneer sa7300 (65eur)
Pioneer sa608 (100eur)
Kenwood ka770d (110eur)
Marantz pm6004 (180eur)
Grundig V-2000 (65eur)
Onkyo a8500 (100eur)

What type of sound do you like? Do you like the generaly warmer sound of the earlier 70's units, the later 70's units or something from the 80's onwards? I like silver faced Pioneer's but If you are planning to upgrade your speakers to KEF's, B&W's etc you will need an amp with a bit more grunt to make them shine.

I had a look through the classifieds link you provided and found this Akai, don't know if you like Akai but l had it's slightly newer brother the AM-2650. They are a nice sounding amp, very similar in sound and specs to say a Pioneer SA-8500 etc (which l have also owned). The price is a little high but maybe you could talk them down a bit. I got more than their asking price when l sold mine but l had completely recapped it. I can honestly say that after owning many from the well known brands that Akai are almost always underestimated/undervalued compared to similar Pioneer, Sansui, Marantz etc....Here is the link

https://www.skelbiu.lt/skelbimai/akai-am2600-30501311.html

 

[Oldsansui441]

Here is a Sony STR-7055 for a good price (this series of Sony receivers are very nice), bit lower on power though so again may not be as suitable for your future speaker upgrades. Think from your OP that you are after an integrated amp anyway.

https://www.skelbiu.lt/skelbimai/sony-str-7055a-30698549.html

If after something later there is a Marantz PM-64 and some Pioneer A-656's and a Pioneer A-676, l have had no experience with any of these Pioneer's or the Marantz but from all reports they are good amplifiers also.

 

[juodaibalts]

Thanks for the replies guys!

unfortunately i had to take a work trip and most of the stuff is already sold. So i'm now choosing between these:

1) Mitsubishi DA-U780. As far as i can tell it's the same as Diatone DA-U880 which retailed for ~600usd http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/mitsubishi_diatone_da_u880.html?language_id=2
Looks like it was mid-end/low-high end amp back in the day
https://www.skelbiu.lt/skelbimai/stiprintuvas-mitsubishi-da-u780-31135315.html

2) Luxman L-210. Which is entry level of the luxman L series
https://www.skelbiu.lt/skelbimai/luxman-l-210-30973663.html

3) Renkforce HVA-8030 which also went under brand names Conrand/Wangine.And retailed for ~300 german marks back in the day. So also an entry level amp.
https://www.skelbiu.lt/skelbimai/renkforce-stiprintuvas-31134327.html
http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/voelkner_stereo_integrated_amplifier_hva_8030_bestno_080.html


Right now i'm leaning to that mitsubishi. Am i wrong?

 

[juodaibalts]

Yeah, so guess what i bought

 

[Oldsansui441]

Very nice, how does it sound?

 

[mark warren]

Good Job! Welcome to AK!

 

[juodaibalts]

Good Job! Welcome to AK!

Very nice, how does it sound?

Thanks!

Well i don't have much to compare it to, just my old USSR made odyssey u10 (which was kinda high end back in the day over here) and a small Teac dr-h300

But the first evening i brought it home and connected everything up i spent just sitting on the couch and listening to everything from Insomium to Madonna, from Dark Tranquillity to The Cranberries, from J. Cash to 4 non blondes, from Metallica to Vivaldi. And everything sounded lively, detailed, with very precise bass and not too bright highs. And it just shines on vocal oriented tracks like Disturbed - The sound of silence for ex. On my last amp i had to adjust treble/bass when i changed music styles, with this Mitsubishi/Diatone everything sounded equally nice on the same settings.

It also has dual MIM/MC phono stage, Tone defeat, Loudness, low/high filters and other nice to have features. And looks amazing.

Sooo yeah, i'm quitte happy with this purchase.

The problem is i think i caught the bug, and i'm already scanning the adverts for tape decks/cd players/better speakers etc...

 

[Oldsansui441]

On my last amp i had to adjust treble/bass when i changed music styles, with this Mitsubishi/Diatone everything sounded equally nice on the same settings.

Glad to hear you like it, that is a good sign if it sounds nice on all genres without any adjustments needed.

The problem is i think i caught the bug, and i'm already scanning the adverts for tape decks/cd players/better speakers etc...

Haha, l think most of us here have the same problem .

 

[juodaibalts]

Speaking of this problem... ) just got a package from Poland with this inside. Mitsubishi DT4550s.

 

[Oldsansui441]

A mate for your Mitsubishi amp .

 

[Blue Shadow]

Nice amp.

http://audio-database.com/MITSUBISHI-DIATONE/amp/da-u880-e.html

55 wpc and about $260 back in 83 (converted from ¥ to USD at 230¥/$) the year many companies tried push buttons. I'm happy to see this one has knobs, too. Good looking amp.

 

[danomar]

I vote for the Luxman.

You want one, you just do not know it yet.

 

[patrick_l]

Onkyo A8500 is Onkyo Integra (higher class of brand), and it would be the best choice among others in that list.
But if you want stronger bass, Kenwood of that era is so strong you would need to adjust bass regulation in minus . I noticed that Kenwood could have problems with switches, sometimes stuck and go faulty. Personally I had problem with my Kenwood KA-660, about loudness switch that wasn't ok. Beside that it is perfect amplifier. By far, never had any problem with Onkyo amplifiers, and they have plenty of power too.

 

[Blue Shadow]

I vote for the Luxman.

You want one, you just do not know it yet.

Voting closed in early Oct with the arrival of the Mitsu, but I agree, he wants a Luxman, just doesn't know it yet. He did say "The problem is i think i caught the bug, and i'm already scanning the adverts for tape decks/cd players/better speakers etc... " so I suspect he may have been infected and will have another amp if he finds one cheap enough.