[minimus]

I am looking to buy an amp, my maximum budget is about $3,500 although I would love to spend less if I can get the same sound quality.  My speakers are Sehring 703s, which are not well known in the US, but are 86 db sensitivity at 8 ohms.  My preamp is a Manley Shrimp.  I live in a New York apartment and the amp has to go into a A/V cabinet with about 11" of clearance.  The amp has to weigh less than 60 lbs and cannot get very hot.  Four amps are currently on my "short list":

(1)  Music Reference RM200  (2) Blue Circle SB100S (3) Butler TDB2250 (4) Bryston 4BSST.

Any thoughts on the relative merits of these amps and whether I should add other amps to the list?

[Rocket]

Hi,

You may want to add Van Alstine amplifiers to your list.  Frank has both ss and tube hybrid amplifiers that may fill your needs.

Apart from that Wyred 4 Sound gets some very good reviews and you may want to consider them as well.

Regards

Rod

[minimus]

You may want to add Van Alstine amplifiers to your list.  Frank has both ss and tube hybrid amplifiers that may fill your needs.

Apart from that Wyred 4 Sound gets some very good reviews and you may want to consider them as well.

I am trying to avoid class D, as the dealer who demo'd the speakers for me before I bought them didn't think my speakers synergized with class D amplifiers.  The Van Alstine amps certainly have their fans, so I will investigate further.  Have you heard the Hybrid AVA amps?  If so, what did you think?

[S Clark]

What about a used Moscode?  Here is a 401 for $3500.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1248109824&/Moscode-401HR---trade-in-refur

[arthurs]

What about a used Moscode?  Here is a 401 for $3500.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1248109824&/Moscode-401HR---trade-in-refur

Great recommendation....   

[Hogg]

If I were you I'd contact Todd the Vinyl Junkie, since he's the US distributor for Sehring.
http://www.ttvj.com 

                                                      Jim

[Scottdazzle]

I heartily endorse the Music Reference RM-200. I predict that once you hear this amp, solid state will be much less appealing.

[mr_bill]

Minimus
PM sent.

[hmen]

I'm sure a lot of people are recommending whatever they own so I'll jump in and recommend a used pair of Atma-Sphere M60's which are usually on Agon for less than 3000.

[Frihed91]

Check out Donald North Audio's new Sonnet.  I have not heard it, but the design is a good one.  It received a lot of praise at the CanJam meet in CA.  The price is something like $1500.  For more money, various model Zana amps are receiving a lot of attention, starting with the older, Zana Deux. 

[Rocket]

Hi,

Try to audion whatever amplifier that you purchase in your system.  I had the perfect amplifier for my needs way back in the late 1990's but sold it because the new speakers I purchased were not that efficient.  It was an N.E.W. 20.1 rated at 22 watts per channel.

Guess what?  After going thru a heap of amps I now have 2 x N.E.W. 20.1's used in monoblock form that outputs 88 watts per channel.

Regards

Rod

[jazzcourier]

I am going to recommend the Wyred 4 Sound ST- 500. This is an amazing power amp at less than half of your stated budget.It is small,runs cool and in the 50 hours i have had mine (considering the 200-300 break in) it has performed up to and beyond, the collective positive buzz.I have this running in my den system with the Wyred STP- Pre-amp (Special edition version) powering some vintage,power hungry 4 ohm Acoustic Research AR-90 4 way speakers.I just run cd's on this system with my Jolida JD-100 cdp.I am using a Hydra and some exceptional power cords and ic's.I sold my McIntosh power and Pre and some Sonus Faber Grand Piano Home's (the good ones before the re-design) to put this system together. The sound is precise and clearly focused from the recording,and huge.I am sold on the class "D" amp as a power source.I have the Spectron (with all the bells and whistles) driving my main tube system and in my estimation this is the wave of the future,or rather the future is here.Folks,this is not Scientology,yes some tubes can stay around just to make things a little more warm and sexier,but these Wyred 4 Sound amps are,there is that word again,amazing.You CAN buy direct and shave off a bit if you ask nice and return if you do not like,minus a nominal charge.The state of the class "D" amp is solid.If you catch my drift.

[minimus]

Thanks for the Wyred 4 Sound reco.  I actually bought a 125 watt version after speaking to Rick Cullen at some length.  It seemed like a no-brainer to try out an amp that gets such good reviews and only costs $1,000 new.  If I don't like it in my system, I will just use it as a "back-up" amp.  Glad to hear you are enjoying your W4S amp so much.