Opinions Please!
- Thread starter Irwin
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EddyR
Well-Known Member
I will agree that the Marantz-1060 and the Pioneer SA-6700 are both great amps. I have both and use have used them almost constantly for three years. I use the preamp of the 1060 in one of my big systems.The 6700 has been used as my test amp to check tuners for the last three years.My 6700 was the first amp I got when I started collecting vintage equipment.
Ed
Ed
OvenMaster
Baby, you're my winterblue
40wpc Kenwood KA-3500. Sounds great, cheap to find, bulletproof. That Yamaha CA-400/410 II is good too.
Tom
Tom
Brian
An Old Geezer
My votes would be the Marantz 1060 and Dyna SCA35. I've not heard a H-K 401 or 403 but based on my 630, which the 403 is supposed to be based on, the preamp is too weak to get it in the top contenders. I have a Yamaha (well, 2 of them) 610IIs and though very nice not to the levels of a 1060 in sound. I would suspect the lower models would fare no better would would not stake a dollar on it based on my experience where the 1060 is better than the larger Marantz amps of the same vintage. From the same period the was a Scott, think the model was 436 or something like that and it and the matching tuner were sleepers. Not noticed, littled cared about but very good sound. Scott at the time was like Dad's Buick and no self-respecting young'en would touch it.
Unican_Eric
Pioneerious Collecticus
Army said:
I agree with ARMY. This is an excellent choice. I mean its only 10 watts over your total.
Thats kinda like going through the 8 items or less line with 10 items......who really notices right??
pmsummer said:
Gets my vote. Have a spare one at a good price, if anyone is looking.OvenMaster said:
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mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
hk A-401 would be my choice for a solid state amp in that power range. If you want to go to higher power, I would add (in this order) Yamaha CA-610II, Onkyo A-5, and hk A-402. EDIT: there are lots of good 40 to 50 wpc integrated amps.
15 wpc and tubes? EICO HF-81, hands down
EDIT: can't go wrong with a push-pull EL84 amp... I haven't heard a bad-sounding one yet.
15 wpc and tubes? EICO HF-81, hands down
EDIT: can't go wrong with a push-pull EL84 amp... I haven't heard a bad-sounding one yet.
Brian
An Old Geezer
I finally hooked up the 2nd Yamaha CA610II with the CT610II this morning to the Wharfedales and am just starting to listen. Speakers are the Wharfedale W70s since they are the easiest to get to at this time. Previously have been using the McIntosh MC2105 amp with the Philips 5721 preamp and McIntosh MR77 tuner. Previously with the original CA610II I have I found too much of a veil on the entire sound but principally on the upper mids and up. Too much of a masking of resolution for may tastes. Also, the bass seemed a bit off balance. This 2nd unit has less veil but too early to comment further other than initial comparison with the 1st 610II shows it is better in that regard. One failing of the Yamaha as opposed to the 1060 is there is no preamp output so expansion is limited.
This 2nd 610II is far better so I withdraw my comments about the model above with a caution that any unit you try should be gone through to confirm it actually is correctly working. I suspect that the 1st unit, though the observations are the same form both channels, there is something out of spec.
This 2nd 610II is far better so I withdraw my comments about the model above with a caution that any unit you try should be gone through to confirm it actually is correctly working. I suspect that the 1st unit, though the observations are the same form both channels, there is something out of spec.
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mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
Brian, are you running the CA-610II with "Main Direct" on? This bypasses the tone control NFB amp, and does make some discernable difference in transparency IME.
Brian does touch (in this post,and his other recent one on these amps) on a very good point. A 30-something year old amp may be tired, and not up to snuff. My CA-610II still sounds very good to me, but it's probably safe to assume components are driftin' away from their rated values inside of it.
In fairness, I do suspect that age explains how nasty I think my MC-2100 amp sounds -- but I don't really feel like spending the time, effort, or $ to be sure.
Brian does touch (in this post,and his other recent one on these amps) on a very good point. A 30-something year old amp may be tired, and not up to snuff. My CA-610II still sounds very good to me, but it's probably safe to assume components are driftin' away from their rated values inside of it.
In fairness, I do suspect that age explains how nasty I think my MC-2100 amp sounds -- but I don't really feel like spending the time, effort, or $ to be sure.
Brian
An Old Geezer
Yes. I tried if off and found a bit less detail and impact on the front side of a piano note immediatley so switched back it onto bypass. I have been running it since about 5:00AM and will let it run. Not sure the history behind the unit or when last run. I am noticing it is opening up and sounding better with the passing of hours and the difference between the 2 610s is increasing so I suspect this 1 may not have had a lot of use lately and the caps are doing some reforming. I'll let it run for a day or so and then re-evalute.
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
mine's been running every couple of days, on the average, since I bought it in 1978
Irwin said:
Any reason for the 15-30 wpc limit? For under $200 shipped you can get 60wpc Kenwood KA-7100 or 7300, or a nice Yamaha CA-810. At that 15-30 wpc level they really were making them as cheap as possible to be entry level. On some lines the higher power amps get engraved letteing and the low powered units get silk screened lettering. But there is always a Kenwood KA-3500 on eBay for under $50 if that's what you're looking for.
I say this because I have a 15wpc Sansui AU-101, and it is only a little bit smaller in size than an Akai AM-2600 integrated amp I also have (60 wpc). The Akai is much better, especially when the volume gets up there. It's built better too, except for the lettering which rubs off a bit too easily. And compared with a Kenwood 8006 (75wpc) and a Yamaha CA-1010 (90wpc) I also have, the Sansui loses out in bass extension and power at pretty normal volume levels. However, in the little office with small speakers or headphones it's great.
just to read between the lines a bit....Higher power doesn't always mean a more complex circuit - often it was just a bigger pair of more expensive output transistors. The 30-60 wpc units almost always use only a pair of OTs per channel, which is as nice and simple as what the 15 wpc units will have.
Charivari
Fighting Naïve Realism
Because ... just because. Sometimes it's fun to give the BOTL unit just a little of the attention the big iron gets. A lot of these units were the introduction to audio for many of us, heck, my two choices were some of the first units I heard powering decent speakers. It's just fun to share our opinions about what sounds the best to us of this cheapies.packrat said:
- JP
I'd like to thank those who took the time to respond to my post.The reason I limited
the wattage to 15-30,is just personal prefrence.I own a few integrateds that are in this power class,NAD 3120,Rotel RA820BX3 and a HK A401(my favorite).I'm amazed at how good some of these amps sound.When paired with a pair of efficient loudspeakers,
in a medium sized room there's no need for more power.Another factor is that I'm
a big fan of Stereo on a budget.I diddn't pay more than $125 for any of my amps.
the wattage to 15-30,is just personal prefrence.I own a few integrateds that are in this power class,NAD 3120,Rotel RA820BX3 and a HK A401(my favorite).I'm amazed at how good some of these amps sound.When paired with a pair of efficient loudspeakers,
in a medium sized room there's no need for more power.Another factor is that I'm
a big fan of Stereo on a budget.I diddn't pay more than $125 for any of my amps.
understood. I like exploring what's out there too, just thought there might be a distrust of higher power for some reason
Have you considered the harman/kardon PM 625, 635, 645 (25, 30, and 40 wpc) series of integrated amps from the early-mid 80's? Not classic 70's, but the were high current capable (basically meaning 4 ohm loads are OK). I have a receiver version of one of these amps (hk385i) and it is pretty good. Or there's the mid 80s Arcam Alpha for a really good 30 wpc. Or the Advent 300 receiver - might be the best 15 wpc amp made in the 70's, and they threw in a good FM tuner too. :yes:
Others have made good recommendations from the 70's....but what I don't like about some of them is the form factor. For example, many makers put the lower powered amps into chassis that were the same size as the larger units. Sony and Kenwood come to mind here. If you are space restricted and want good low power they started shrinking things a bit more into the 80's. I think Yamaha and h/k were pretty good at getting the most power into the smallest package, but I'm sure there are many others out there too. (I just rememebered there is a Kenwood model from the early 80's with cool looking round control knobs that would pretty neat too. KA-60?)
Of course the best 15 wpc amp out there is supposed to be some Eico tube unit.
Have fun!
Have you considered the harman/kardon PM 625, 635, 645 (25, 30, and 40 wpc) series of integrated amps from the early-mid 80's? Not classic 70's, but the were high current capable (basically meaning 4 ohm loads are OK). I have a receiver version of one of these amps (hk385i) and it is pretty good. Or there's the mid 80s Arcam Alpha for a really good 30 wpc. Or the Advent 300 receiver - might be the best 15 wpc amp made in the 70's, and they threw in a good FM tuner too. :yes:
Others have made good recommendations from the 70's....but what I don't like about some of them is the form factor. For example, many makers put the lower powered amps into chassis that were the same size as the larger units. Sony and Kenwood come to mind here. If you are space restricted and want good low power they started shrinking things a bit more into the 80's. I think Yamaha and h/k were pretty good at getting the most power into the smallest package, but I'm sure there are many others out there too. (I just rememebered there is a Kenwood model from the early 80's with cool looking round control knobs that would pretty neat too. KA-60?)
Of course the best 15 wpc amp out there is supposed to be some Eico tube unit.
Have fun!
