[BC Dave]

I am looking for a power amplifier for my VMPS Original Sub which has a new Megawoofer and passive radiator. A guy is selling both a Harman Kardon Citation 24 and a Rotel RB870BX for about $300 CDN. each. These are both from the mid-1990s and allegedly in great shape. They both have 100 wpc and are bridgeable (200 W mono for the HK and 300 for the Rotel). For bass grunt and reliability would one of these be a better spouse than the other for my beloved VMPS? Thanks!

[John Casler]

I am looking for a power amplifier for my VMPS Original Sub which has a new Megawoofer and passive radiator. A guy is selling both a Harman Kardon Citation 24 and a Rotel RB870BX for about $300 CDN. each. These are both from the mid-1990s and allegedly in great shape. They both have 100 wpc and are bridgeable (200 W mono for the HK and 300 for the Rotel). For bass grunt and reliability would one of these be a better spouse than the other for my beloved VMPS? Thanks!

I'm not familiar with the Rotel but it would likely not be as good as the HK.

DO!!!! however make sure the HK has plenty of air flow all around it.  Do not place any components under it that make any heat.

I would try it on "one" channel first without bridging, since you will get almost as much power, without the extra distortion (x 2) that bridging brings.

And since the Original is 4 ohms, running in the bridged mode will challenge the stability of either amp.

A single channel @ 4 ohms with the other channel idling, will give you as much clean power as you'll need.

The HK Citation is a "HIGH CURRENT" design (probably Matti Otala) and has good sized Transformer and Heat sinks.

In reality it is a "dual mono" amp for all practical purposes.  If you have a "dual voice coil" Original Sub then you can run it in stereo.

I still have a CITATION 19, and use it to drive a pair of LARGERs on occasion.  

It still has "lots of brass".

[BC Dave]

My brand new megawoofer (received less than a month ago) is an eight ohm, single voice coil design....so would that affect your recommendation?

[John Casler]

My brand new megawoofer (received less than a month ago) is an eight ohm, single voice coil design....so would that affect your recommendation?

8 ohms would just allow you to bridge both channels, which would make it an even better choice.

[OTL]

...I still have a CITATION 19, and use it to drive a pair of LARGERs on occasion.

Yup, got to agree with the Citation recommendation.  I've purchased one (with the pre and tuner) in 1978 at the Air Force base exchange in Homestead Florida.  A 10% over cost close out.  

Amp - $375
Preamp - $285
Tuner - $425


This amp has required service only once in 1984 when four transistors were shorted to ground.  Replaced the mica spacers and a bit whatever that white, insulation goop is 'tween the case and the heatsink. Grand total of about $8 bucks if I recall, including the fuses.

It still lives.  

Buy the H/K.

[BC Dave]

I appreciate the votes of confidence for the HK amp, but I must say I am still confused. I have read reviews on the HK Citation 22 and 24 where the owners say they run hot enough to heat a room and are prone to breaking down. I also talked to three AV technicians, two of whom said the Rotel would be more reliable. The third tech, who actually cleaned and checked the Citation 24 that's available to me said they were equally capable and equally reliable. To add a bit more confusion to the mix, the guy selling the HK and the Rotel also has a Carver Magnetic Field amp rated at 250 WPC. I'm sure any of these three pieces would drive the sub admirably, so my big concern is not having an expensive amplifier repair anytime soon. Decisions, decisions...

[BC Dave]

Update. Found a beautiful amp for my VMPS Original, but it took two trips to a bigger city 40 miles away on the weekend. First I bought a Behringer A500, brand new, with the proviso that if it hummed when connected to my Denon receiver I could return it. It hummed like a bugger -- no bass, just 60 cycle hum. So I bought a 15-year-old Rotel RB870 BX, which puts out 300 WPC RMS in bridged mode. The sub just blossoms with that amp. Deep, deep loud controlled bass and bags of power in a large room. I'm a happy man.

[J]

A good 300 watts will wake it up

I'm using a Qsc plx 1602 (300/ch 8 ohm ) with a pair of orig subs (1987, 1990?)

Waiting on two new megawoofers and PR's

I will be getting a bigger QSC in the future