Tough to find an inexpensive power amp from the “silver face” era to match the Marantz. On the other hand there are some great 100 watt amps from the 80’s that are readily available for <$300 and can be found easily. Adcom GFA 545 & 5400, Acurus A100, B&K’s, Hafler’s, NAD, etc. Find one working and be prepared to spend some money down the road on a recap and you will be set for another couple decades.
Too much speaker for my system?
- Thread starter Driftless_lp
- Start date
exwhyzed
Active Member
If you check shopgoodwill.com, and search for amplifiers, you'll have to weed-though a lot of guitar amps, but you'll find a variety of power amps there. There's even commercial-oriented power amps there. I would suggest getting something without a cooling fan, and minimum 100W per channel like mentioned above.
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
If you were to consider an amp to drive any speaker you might ever own without taking out a mortgage there's the Soundcraftsmen MA5002. Stable into 2ohms it's 250W/channel at 8ohms, 360W at 4ohms, I have one currently driving my 3.2ohm AR's.
I see a few on eBay, some have been there awhile so would most likely entertain offers. It's big so some real estate would be required with good support.
Some don't have the wood side panel accessories.
I see a few on eBay, some have been there awhile so would most likely entertain offers. It's big so some real estate would be required with good support.
Some don't have the wood side panel accessories.
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That Soundcraftsmen is a real beauty!
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
Most purchased on eBay at ridiculously low prices, I set searches and wait. I recently posted about a Kenwood KD-500 with a Mayware Formula IV arm that sold for $148, ridiculous money for the arm alone.
My Soundcraftsmen wasn't cheap, $585 about 10months ago, really a great deal for such a pristine example but the cheapskate in me would have liked to pay less
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Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
It worked perfectly, and still does
Not seeing much that is being suggested that you will find for even double your budget. Someone brought up Hafler. Good option. Parasound is another. If it's a beefy amplifier like that, 60-80 watts will do fine unless you are a metalhead who plays loud, but then you bought the wrong speakers. Custom install amps are another choice. Not as refined, but a lot of bang for the buck. The Sonance 260 is really good. I've got a Niles SI275 and SI2120. It's easy to figure these out, 2 channels and the power rating. These are built for driving low impedance loads and built like trucks. The upside is they can be found pretty cheap. Any of those choices are easy to find and will be well within your budget
I still go back to the OP’s first post saying he has a Marantz “receiver”. Most of the suggestions here have been for amplifiers. All great amps. But he still needs a receiver, unless the Marantz can do that. He would also have to know how, or be shown how to make the Marantz a preamp.
IMHO, he might want to look at the better Nikko receivers. They seem to fly under the radar and can be had for better money when going vintage.
Just my 2 cents.
IMHO, he might want to look at the better Nikko receivers. They seem to fly under the radar and can be had for better money when going vintage.
Just my 2 cents.
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Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
Posts #4 and #6 are both $400 or less, not anywhere near double his budget for David Belles magic
My most recent Belles purchase
If wondering who David Belles is, here's one of his new offerings
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Wow, ne
I can't see these things. I have too many amplifiers right now
WOW, never seen one that cheap. Got my AW100 for $400.Posts #4 and #6 are both $400 or less, not anywhere near double his budget for David Belles magic
My most recent Belles purchase
View attachment 2814989
If wondering who David Belles is, here's one of his new offerings
View attachment 2814938
I can't see these things. I have too many amplifiers right now
Driftless_lp
New Member
That is a beast. I bit too pricey for this teachers budget though.
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
Folgers 1lb coffee can sized caps in there !!!
It would be interesting to know the value in order to calculate storage in Joules. I found a schematic that indicates it has 56V rails.
My previous Threshold Stasis 3 had a pair of Mallory 25k uF caps running 65V rails for 105 joules. Chassis is about 1.5" taller than the Belles.
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
It would be interesting to know the value in order to calculate storage in Joules. I found a schematic that indicates it has 56V rails.
My previous Threshold Stasis 3 had a pair of Mallory 25k uF caps running 65V rails for 105 joules. Chassis is about 1.5" taller than the Belles.
Sgt. Shultz will have to answer that amp`s cap value, E-Stat.
FWIW, when my 1986 purchased used 24/7/365 powered up Mc. MC-2205s main twin 39k filter caps decided to start leaking around 7 yrs. ago, I replaced them with 100k ones, which other than finishing off the failing OEM installed soft start primary installed Thermistor, the amp has had no issues with the well over doubling of the factory designed value since, even through experiencing many on/off power cycles, via the local grid`s short cycle blipping, or outright dropping off altogether, until my whole house auto switchover genset kicks in after a ~minute.
Like you, Sir. I prefer, and enjoy very stiff internal power supplies in my audio equipment, as well as the 120, or 240 v circuits feeding them.
Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
This amp at 400W/channel has 4 of those coffee can sized caps inside. Not sure of their value, didn't look at that when I had the top off.
