Hi there ppl... im looking for input on ideas I have for driving my new pair of kappa 8's. I am selling my carver cm-1090 integrated and putting the money into a high current amp with a preamp. I am looking at an adcom 555, a carver tfm-35, carver tfm-4.0 and also an old phase linear model 400... all for 3-400$ each. The preamps I have been looking at: NAD 1155, carver c2, hafler 110, rotel rc-971, and an adcom gtp 550.... all these for 1-200$. Aha yes choices choices. I would tap all of your knowledge bases and ask for input on these combos. As you can see I am on a budget :tears:
Driving my kappa 8's
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dshoaf
That high voltage buzz
Look at the Hafler DH-500s. They're pretty inexpensive for the power, are well engineered, stable with all sorts of loads and can be tweeked for better performance.
The P500 is also an alternative - its the Pro version of the same amp. You can weld with 'em and your speakers likely need it.
Cheers,
David
The P500 is also an alternative - its the Pro version of the same amp. You can weld with 'em and your speakers likely need it.
Cheers,
David
That sounds good. I can pick one up right now for about 300$ and also was looking at a hafler 110 pre for only around a hundred. I do like the NAD 1155 pre for only about 150 or the rotel 971 pre for about 150 as well. of course the hafler preamp would match well with the 500 but would it be worth my 50$ more to pick up the nad? bleh
in a review of a pair of Quad speakers in Stereophile magazine, they were talking about how the speakers dipped down to 1 ohm and you would need aq very beefy amp to drive them. The last amp they listed was an Adcom GFA-555.
So I would say of it can handle the quads, you should have zero problems.
I obviously vote for the Adcom just because I like amps that can handle any speaker i can throw at it.
So I would say of it can handle the quads, you should have zero problems.
I obviously vote for the Adcom just because I like amps that can handle any speaker i can throw at it.
Hi,
Most but not all Pro amps are stable and rated for 2 ohms.
I have a Crown XLS602 and it's power rating is :
380 watts stereo at 8 ohms
600 watts stereo at 4 ohms
840 watts stereo at 2 ohms
1200 watts bridge at 8 ohms
1680 watts bridge at 4 ohms
I don't runout of headroom anymore
Just the fans are not the quietest (thinking of getting ultra quiet ones)
I don't have Kappa 8 but understand your looking for a stable amplifier
Thank You
Most but not all Pro amps are stable and rated for 2 ohms.
I have a Crown XLS602 and it's power rating is :
380 watts stereo at 8 ohms
600 watts stereo at 4 ohms
840 watts stereo at 2 ohms
1200 watts bridge at 8 ohms
1680 watts bridge at 4 ohms
I don't runout of headroom anymore
Just the fans are not the quietest (thinking of getting ultra quiet ones)
I don't have Kappa 8 but understand your looking for a stable amplifier
Thank You
Last edited:
Tedrick
Infinity-phile
Skip the Carver TFM-35; it just don't have the umph to handle the low impedance dips of the K8's woofers. The Adcom GFA-555 will work and sound good, but you must be sure the amp has been serviced recently or can be purchased cheap enough that you can have it serviced within your budget. The older high-power Adcom amps are reaching the age where some capacitors are starting to fail, and when they do, they can damage your speakers. A newer GFA-5800 or GFA-5802 won't have this issue and will sound better, to boot.
There are some vintage Yamaha amps that will work, as well. I'm using Forte amps on my vintage Infinity's; Forte was the budget line made by the same company that produces Threshold gear.
There are some vintage Yamaha amps that will work, as well. I'm using Forte amps on my vintage Infinity's; Forte was the budget line made by the same company that produces Threshold gear.
hifitommy
Super Member
i second the adcom recs and can suggest the 5400, 5500, and 5800 in addition to the 555II (which i own).
its unlikely that the adcoms will damage your speakers as they have 6a fast blow fuses in each leg of both channels. they will likely just blow the fuses if they have a failure.
on mickey hart's "Dafos" when the beast falls to the floor, it took all four fuses at once. i was playing it too loud. my speakers are fine.
the hafler pre or rotel are what i suggest but a NAD 1020 is a fine piece (not all NADs are good sounding) but i really recommend a used ARC sp9 or sp6. that could come later but you would be REALLY happy with the sound.
back in the day, AHC at tas used a 555 to drive apogee scintillas (a one ohm load) quite successfully. rock steady.
the hafler 500s are great IF you can find one.
its unlikely that the adcoms will damage your speakers as they have 6a fast blow fuses in each leg of both channels. they will likely just blow the fuses if they have a failure.
on mickey hart's "Dafos" when the beast falls to the floor, it took all four fuses at once. i was playing it too loud. my speakers are fine.
the hafler pre or rotel are what i suggest but a NAD 1020 is a fine piece (not all NADs are good sounding) but i really recommend a used ARC sp9 or sp6. that could come later but you would be REALLY happy with the sound.
back in the day, AHC at tas used a 555 to drive apogee scintillas (a one ohm load) quite successfully. rock steady.
the hafler 500s are great IF you can find one.
oh, I forgot - you said you were going to spend between $100-$200 for your preamp ?
It has been my experience that the preamp makes or breaks the system. After my listening experience, I would spend as much if not more on my preamp as my power amp.
While I would still want a good one, if I had to choose, I would go with a less expensive power amp and a more expensive preamp, UNLESS I knew I was upgrading the preamp at a later date. My opinion is to just not skimp on the preamp, you will be surprised at how a good preamp can transform a system.
It has been my experience that the preamp makes or breaks the system. After my listening experience, I would spend as much if not more on my preamp as my power amp.
While I would still want a good one, if I had to choose, I would go with a less expensive power amp and a more expensive preamp, UNLESS I knew I was upgrading the preamp at a later date. My opinion is to just not skimp on the preamp, you will be surprised at how a good preamp can transform a system.
hifitommy
Super Member
furthermore...
its the LINE stage of the preamp that makes the biggest difference as i found out when i got my ARC sp3a1. it completely blew the adcom gfp565 out of the water.
the sound of that pre carries right into the speakers through the adcom 555II.
here is a 1020 on the BAY:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-NAD-Stereo...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1e63b7e7ce
this is the A model that will do mc as well as the usual mm cartridge preamplification. it is a complete preamp, not just a phono stage so no worries.
its the LINE stage of the preamp that makes the biggest difference as i found out when i got my ARC sp3a1. it completely blew the adcom gfp565 out of the water.
the sound of that pre carries right into the speakers through the adcom 555II.
here is a 1020 on the BAY:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-NAD-Stereo...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item1e63b7e7ce
this is the A model that will do mc as well as the usual mm cartridge preamplification. it is a complete preamp, not just a phono stage so no worries.
JoeESP9
ESL's & tubes since 83
Any amplifier rated at four Ohms when operating in bridged mode should be stable in stereo mode working into 2 Ohms. When a stereo amplifier is operated in bridged mode each channel is actually working into one half the total impedance. So, when a bridged amplifier is working into a four Ohm load each channel is seeing a two Ohm load.
As fas as preamps go, donberry, hifitommy and I are in agreement. A preamp has a lot more to do with how a system sounds than many realize. Before this is discounted try a really good preamp for yourself.
As fas as preamps go, donberry, hifitommy and I are in agreement. A preamp has a lot more to do with how a system sounds than many realize. Before this is discounted try a really good preamp for yourself.
UPDATE:I have been listening to these 8's for several months now and am very happy with them. I bi-amped them with a carver m1.0t for the highs and an adcom 555 for the lows. Sounds decent. Changing the adcom to the highs and carver to the lows I thought made the mids, highs, a little bright for me. Honestly the biamp configuration really didnt impress me and seems I was wasting tons of power somewhere... so now I have the carver alone on the kappas as the 555 was sounding compressed when pushed. As this "hobby" requires, I am now in the position to upgrade a few items and would welcome input.
My Adcom gtp-550 preamp will be getting replaced with a tube amp. Im looking at an audio research ls-7 or a conrad johnson pv10al they run around 6-700$. Any others in this range I should be looking at?
As far as amps go, I am looking at a few options... I like the adcom gfa-565 mono's for the price of around 7-800$ for the pair. Also looking at a sunfire 300, maybe a parasound hca-3500, rotel rb-1090. The parasound is a little spendy for me i think... around 1500$ i think?? The adcom monoblocks seem very attractive at the price. Thoughts on my line of thinking for driving these excellent kapp 8's?
My Adcom gtp-550 preamp will be getting replaced with a tube amp. Im looking at an audio research ls-7 or a conrad johnson pv10al they run around 6-700$. Any others in this range I should be looking at?
As far as amps go, I am looking at a few options... I like the adcom gfa-565 mono's for the price of around 7-800$ for the pair. Also looking at a sunfire 300, maybe a parasound hca-3500, rotel rb-1090. The parasound is a little spendy for me i think... around 1500$ i think?? The adcom monoblocks seem very attractive at the price. Thoughts on my line of thinking for driving these excellent kapp 8's?