NHT SuperOne and cheap amp recommendations...?

[RunOutGroove]

OK... so I was just listening to my computer system, which consists of a little SMSL Q5 amp power an pair of NHT SuperOne speakers. I don't usually listen to music on my computer so I don't typically use to this system, but I was reminded how much I like he sound of it... a sound that I mostly attribute to those NHT speakers (which I bought for something like $40 a few years ago!). This got me thinking about some friends of mine, a couple on the other coast (East Coast) and how they were asking me about a proper stereo, as they don't have one. I gave them some cheap options but I realize that they shopping for this stuff isn't a #1 priority so they still have nothing, and since they're great friends, I thought about sending them some gear as a gift. I thought that I would start with these NHT speakers and am about to push the button on some I see on ebay, that are on the east coast and will be cheaper to ship to my friends there.

My question then is if I also buy and amp to send to these folks (so they can use these cools speakers that I'm sending them), what to get? I initially thought about sending them the spare amp that I have, a Nikko NR-500 receiver, which I only bought as a spare when my Marantz 2270 was getting repaired. I don't need it and wouldn't miss it, but a) I wonder if it would be a good pairing for the NHT-SuperOne's (I realize that I could dismantle my system and test it, but I'm lazy and will be happy with opinions here) and b) if a cheap receiver like that (which actually sounded OK in my main system) would even be worth shipping across the country? I see that shipping these days is a lot (it could cost more than this cheap receiver is even worth)... I don't usually buy new stuff, but might consider buying something like the SMSL Q5 (currently the Q5 Pro) that I use, from Amazon because it may be actually cheaper to get something new with their free shipping, than to pay to ship some old thing from the opposite coast. There's also the matter that the SMSL Q5 has a built in DAC, which I'm sure isn't a great one, but works well enough (I've compared analog and digital inputs on mine and going through the DAC sounds far better). I really only got the SMSL Q5 because I found one for cheap (it and the Super One speakers were less than $100!) so I'm open to ideas for cheap little class D amps that might pair well with the SuperOnes, particularly if they have a built in DAC... NOTE: I now see that both the SMSL Q5 and Q5 Pro are both out of production, but I see this new model, the SMSL SA 300 for sale and I wonder if that would be a worthy choice? It's selling for $117 and I'd like to spend about in that range, if possible (more if something is much better) and I wonder what folk's recommendations for this sort of thing are?

 

[wmgwizard]

I'm a big fan of the SuperOne's, I currently have 4 pair throughout the house and have gifted or sold several other pair over the years. In my experience they will play nice with almost anything but really come alive with 40-50wpc or more. Be aware that the "new" SuperOne's are NOT the same as the older series but are not "bad" speakers by any stretch of the imagination.

I have no direct experience with the SMSL SA300 but my experience with other SMSL products over the years suggest this should be a pretty good pairing for casual listening.

 

[swechsler]

Same here. Several pairs of Superzeroes and Superones, and haven't found any amp or receiver that makes them sound less than great.

 

[onemug]

haven't found any amp or receiver that makes them sound less than great.

Agree.

In the last 15+ yrs, i have used mine with a...

Marantz 18, 19, 2270
Scott 399, 340a
Fisher 500c

Loved all the pairings.

I think 'one' of the reasons that they are so versatile is that they are 8 ohm speakers with a 'minimum' impedance of 6.4 ohms. Amps/receivers really like that. I can hear them say 'oh boy' when I turn them on. (yes, I have very good hearing )

 

[RunOutGroove]

Thanks for the responses.

Unless, I find some other, clearly better alternative, I may just be ordering that SMSL amp. It looks like I'm committed to the speakers as I did this "offer" thing on ebay, not realizing that if your offer is accepted they automatically take your money and send the thing, which is just what happened. It's fine though, but it means that my friends will be getting a surprise set of speakers shipped to them and in light of that, I figure that I ought to send an amp too, so that these things can actually be used.

Seems like these little speakers really have a following. I think that I'd heard a bit about that, which was part of the reason that I picked up my pair (that and they were cheap!). For waht these things can be had for, it's hard to imagine better. The sound is of course very good but the way that they're made too seems like a much more expensive speaker... They don't look or sound cheap.

 

[wmgwizard]

"They don't look or sound cheap"

Which explains:
"Seems like these little speakers really have a following"

 

[Pyrrho]

I was thinking that the only issue regarding the Nikko NR-500 would depend on how they feel about analog tuning and a lack of presets, but you are right that the shipping costs would likely be pretty high.

I personally would rather have something like the Nikko than one of the cheap little amplifiers. For one, I like having a tuner, even if most of the time I don't use it (using it occasionally makes it a good thing to have), and also the feature set is better on the Nikko, and it, like a lot of vintage gear, has clearly labeled controls and is easy to use.

 

[Flippo63]

wiim amp

 

[RunOutGroove]

I was thinking that the only issue regarding the Nikko NR-500 would depend on how they feel about analog tuning and a lack of presets, but you are right that the shipping costs would likely be pretty high.

I personally would rather have something like the Nikko than one of the cheap little amplifiers. For one, I like having a tuner, even if most of the time I don't use it (using it occasionally makes it a good thing to have), and also the feature set is better on the Nikko, and it, like a lot of vintage gear, has clearly labeled controls and is easy to use.

Yeah, I'm with you, I'd rather have the Nikko too. I like the style of it more, it has radio and has more inputs for hooking up more stuff later. I use an old reciver too and I'm not bothered by the lack of presets for radio as I mostly lsiten to the same station and when I'm not, I can tune in the few others that I listen to really easily. My friends though have music on a computer and so I feel that a DAC is really useful because in my experience hooking up something like that via analog doesn't sound great. The SMSL has a USB input and for radio, it seems that you can "tune" that in with the computer you have hooked up with your music collection on it. All that and the fact that the Nikko thing that I have doesn't seem worth the cost of shipping it all the way across the country. If I was over there and could run around and buy a thing or two on craigslist, I might find cheap receiver, like the Nikko and maybe a cheap DAC as well to pair it with... From where I'm at the SMSL seems like a decent, cheap all-in-one solution. If they want to they can always upgrade to something else later. I have a feeling though that they'll be no reason for them to upgrade the NHT speakers though, because I think that for the non-audiophile (and maybe even for that!) they are going to be about perfect...

 

[Pyrrho]

If I was over there and could run around and buy a thing or two on craiglist, I might find achap reciever,

I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but maybe some member of this site on the east coast who is near them could find something for them on craigslist or some other source.

As an example, in the DC area, here seems to be a good possibility for a receiver:

CARVER 742 Sonic Holography AV Receiver - electronics - by owner - sale - craigslist

CARVER 742 Sonic Holography AV Receiver desk in good working condition.

washingtondc.craigslist.org

Although it does not seem to come with a remote, one is possible to get for it, if that is important to them.