Integrated amp advice
- Thread starter Jeephead
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- integrated rega vinyl
I have been tempted to pick up a Yamaha as a spare amp in the case that my 40 year old Kenwood needed further repair. I would probably pick up one of these:
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hifi-components/amps/a-s501/?mode=model
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hifi-components/amps/a-s501/?mode=model
lorne
Sonic Lizard
Sansui — do the research and tune your budget to the model you want or can find. But try to avoid the ones whose caps are anchored with glue. Test whatever you are prospecting and be aware that Sansui spare parts are made of unobtainium — including some of the transistors used in later models. All that being said, nothing sounds like Sansui.
That is for vintage. So let's finish that canard! Now, if I had to start over again I'd go with chip amps ... that is a T-amp or whatever. But you do need efficient speakers, of which I have none. Thus I am using power thirsty but great sounding speakers, a giant Sansui and a tube preamp. With a TT, digi source, tuner, DAC and some transformers, my stack is the size a VW Type I! Someday I am going to have to move into a smaller space and shrink this down. Down to chip size!
CONCLUSION and just my opinion: ditch yer speakers and lineup some super efficient units. I had the same CDP (until it croaked) — dated but still very good and superb build quality. You can always hang a DAC out the back later.
NEXT: Do your research for a chip amp. You could do well to head over to DIY Paradise — talk to Yeo, the proprietor. He can guide you to something that this unique little company produces in Kuala Lumpur. Good support and they have some good people on their forums to help out. DIY P. is always searching for the best chips that produce good sound. Much of their stuff is surface mounted and they use some very good discrete stuff too like very carefully selected capacitors.
This will cost a bit of dosh, but the results could be much better than a lot more money will usually buy. The bottom line here is this: you will do this once and finally for some years to come. As I said, if I had to do all this audio jazz over again ... and I will ... it will be with the new tech. Look it up. See Elliott Sound Products for some no BS info. Mr Elliott has been around for decades and yet he is on top of the tech and is dead straight with the public and his clients. There are lot of good essays on his site.
That is for vintage. So let's finish that canard! Now, if I had to start over again I'd go with chip amps ... that is a T-amp or whatever. But you do need efficient speakers, of which I have none. Thus I am using power thirsty but great sounding speakers, a giant Sansui and a tube preamp. With a TT, digi source, tuner, DAC and some transformers, my stack is the size a VW Type I! Someday I am going to have to move into a smaller space and shrink this down. Down to chip size!
CONCLUSION and just my opinion: ditch yer speakers and lineup some super efficient units. I had the same CDP (until it croaked) — dated but still very good and superb build quality. You can always hang a DAC out the back later.
NEXT: Do your research for a chip amp. You could do well to head over to DIY Paradise — talk to Yeo, the proprietor. He can guide you to something that this unique little company produces in Kuala Lumpur. Good support and they have some good people on their forums to help out. DIY P. is always searching for the best chips that produce good sound. Much of their stuff is surface mounted and they use some very good discrete stuff too like very carefully selected capacitors.
This will cost a bit of dosh, but the results could be much better than a lot more money will usually buy. The bottom line here is this: you will do this once and finally for some years to come. As I said, if I had to do all this audio jazz over again ... and I will ... it will be with the new tech. Look it up. See Elliott Sound Products for some no BS info. Mr Elliott has been around for decades and yet he is on top of the tech and is dead straight with the public and his clients. There are lot of good essays on his site.
Jeephead
New Member
Marantz PM6005 Integrated Amplifier - $699
Yamaha A-S501 - Might be able to get for $499 or less from local shop. WPC + straight up integrated
Yamaha R-N602 - Can get for $560 from local shop, more ways to access or connect to music.
Reading reviews on everything is enough to make me start drinking...a lot. For every good review there is someone who has got something to say that puts doubt in your mind. The Yamaha 501 seems like it has good specs, the 602 has a bunch of features but not sure if you are sacrificing any sound quality to make up for the extras. I have heard that Marantz have great sound, not sure on build quality. The only one I have had a chance to listen to is the Rega but not with my own speakers. Would be great to test it in my own home. I wanted to take advantage of MusicDirect's interest free financing deal ending tomorrow but I also do not need to be making rushed decisions. My buddy is letting me demo his old Naim Nait. I had made up some input cables for him before. Not sure what these go for now-a-days. I think it is from the 80's and in good shape with the box. I think it had a phono stage built in.
- current feedback amplification and toroidal power transformer for clean, accurate sound
Yamaha A-S501 - Might be able to get for $499 or less from local shop. WPC + straight up integrated
Yamaha R-N602 - Can get for $560 from local shop, more ways to access or connect to music.
Reading reviews on everything is enough to make me start drinking...a lot. For every good review there is someone who has got something to say that puts doubt in your mind. The Yamaha 501 seems like it has good specs, the 602 has a bunch of features but not sure if you are sacrificing any sound quality to make up for the extras. I have heard that Marantz have great sound, not sure on build quality. The only one I have had a chance to listen to is the Rega but not with my own speakers. Would be great to test it in my own home. I wanted to take advantage of MusicDirect's interest free financing deal ending tomorrow but I also do not need to be making rushed decisions. My buddy is letting me demo his old Naim Nait. I had made up some input cables for him before. Not sure what these go for now-a-days. I think it is from the 80's and in good shape with the box. I think it had a phono stage built in.
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Jeephead
New Member
OK, I have made up my mind. I saw the Rogue Audio Sphinx. 100 watts of American made integrated amplification with tube preamp. Hoping to get the silver one with the metal remote. A little more than the Rega but it has a built in headphone amp that I would of had to purchase. Tomorrow is Wednesday but I am pretty sure my mind is still made up. Ha!
