Student budget power amp

ooheadsoo · « **on:** 29 Jun 2004, 11:13 am »

I'm looking to sell my monitors and and building my own speakers and buying a power amp. I'm figuring, since I listen in the nearfield, that a 15w tripath amp should do just fine to drive my planned speakers (mbow1 designed by dennis murphy.)

However, assuming I have a budget of $200, what's the best power amp I can get? Stretching the budget is feasible but not smart

I have a custom made preamp that cannot possibly sell for any decent amount of money because no one has heard of it, so I'm stuck with this tube preamp. Luckily, it sounds pretty good. I was considering the panasonic digital amps but then I remembered that they are integrateds. I also considerd the blaupunkt tripath amp but after I read that they run REALLY HOT, I got a bit worried. I basically want jaw dropping awesome sound on a shoe string budget

Yeah, not gonna happen, but I can wish.

If you think the 15w tripath amp will be adequate for my nearfield listening, feel free to let me know that too

MaxCast · « **Reply #1 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 11:34 am »

I would try your 15 watter for starters. You can do a search at Agon and find what is out there for $200 used. Not too much. Other than that you could get into the digital amped receivers for a bit more than your budget. Used MB-100's go for around $350 a pair. You maybe able to find a used Khartago for $450 if your lucky.

MaxCast · « **Reply #2 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 12:12 pm »

I would try your 15 watter for starters. You can do a search at Agon and find what is out there for $200 used. Not too much. Other than that you could get into the digital amped receivers for a bit more than your budget. Used MB-100's go for around $350 a pair. You maybe able to find a used Khartago for $450 if your lucky.

ABEX · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 02:53 pm »

TEAC has 30wpc Digi amps at JR's for $100. Heard if you change the Powercord it's a pretty good amp just like the Panny. It's not an Intergrated,but neither are the Panny receivers.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 03:22 pm »

I thought that the Panny receivers are, by nature, integrateds?

The TEAC sounds like an affordable, small amp, that should meet the "student" part of the requirements!

Mark

Dmason · « **Reply #5 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 05:49 pm »

"...so I'm stuck with this tube pre amp..."

times have changed in the student ghetto, I guess..

If you have a tube pre amp, do not pass GO without trying the Teac 30 watt, 3 channel wunderkind. Mine is fully burned in after three months, and sounds damn fine for a $99 amp: I am using it with a tube preamp 35X its cost, and it is right at home. Tripath amps have LOTS of jam, the smaller ones sound the best, and being familiar with Dennis Murphy's MBO-1, I can tell you that would make for a really, really stunningly fine combination.

You could build the speakers wired for bi-amping, get TWO Teacs, and go to town that way. I can promise that a bi-amped Tripath powered Dennis Murphy anything is going to give more than just a taste of the high end. It could serve you well for years.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #6 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 06:52 pm »

Thanks for the tip guys.

Yeah, I went dumpster diving on agon and came up with JUNK

As for the tube pre, that was probably the largest purchase I have ever made in my life outside of computer gear. It worried me at the time I was making the decision, but I enjoy the sound coming out of it.

Maxcast, I bet those amps you mentioned are awesome. I'll keep them in mind when my budget is more comfortable.

It sounds like either the sonic realities 15w amp or the Teac 30 watt are the logical choices. I'll look into the Teac when I have a bit of time. Are there any other choices I'm overlooking?

I've read a lot about Dennis Murphy's designs and I'm sure I can't go wrong there. I had planned to build a floorstander of his before but never got around to it.

randytsuch · « **Reply #7 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 06:56 pm »

Since you have DIY skills, you could consider building a gainclone/chip amp. Would take more effort, but you could keep your budget below $200 if you can get a cheap case.

Randy

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 09:20 pm »

Oh yea, I forgot about the gainclone! That does scare me a bit, especially the case work. Maybe I could futz around with a soldering iron and come up with a working board, but a nice looking and cheap case not ending up being mangled by me would be a miracle.

Is this the Teac? http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3668124

Occam · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 11:10 pm »

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--SAMSERVO260

$200 including shipping and a 60day return privledge....

randytsuch · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Jun 2004, 11:55 pm »

Quote from: ooheadsoo

Oh yea, I forgot about the gainclone! That does scare me a bit, especially the case work. Maybe I could futz around with a soldering iron and come up with a working board, but a nice looking and cheap case not ending up being mangled by me would be a miracle.

Is this the Teac? http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=3668124

My gainclone was assembled on a piece of press board. It's WAF sucks. Just bought a chassis from Peter Danial at DIYaudio. It will look very nice when complete, but you would blow all your budget just on the chassis.

What about this for $30
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-2621670-1964655?asin=B00009W44B

I will probably buy one of this just to mess around with, because it is so cheap. You need to provide power to it, but you could start with a wallwart, and work your way up from there.

Randy

HarleyMYK · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 Jun 2004, 12:04 am »

ART SLA1

Can be had for under $200 shipped if you get the right slaes person.

Jay S · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 Jun 2004, 12:17 am »

Wow, the Teac is a very nice looking little amp. From the picture it looks like a big power amp, shrunk down in size. You could fit 2 of them size by side on a normal rack.

Personally, I love the combo of tube preamp + digital amp (which is what I have), which I feel is very synergistic.

What are your plans for a source? I would strongly suggest that you invest the time (and about $5 of Blue-Tak) to dampen the transport of your cd/dvd player -- you will be surprised at how big a difference it will make. http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=9365&start=40

Since you can DIY, you can certainly build your own power cables, interconnects and speaker cables, which is a good way to keep your total costs down (it is possible to slowly spend an awful lot of money on cables!).

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 Jun 2004, 12:23 am »

How does that samson amp sound? The specs aren't exactly extraordinary and it has spring clips (ugh.)

Yes, the Teac does look like a neat package. I'm still leaning towards it the most. Pro audio amps...I'm using one now (the outboard dual mono 150w one powering my nearfields) and it's clean but uninspiring. Maybe it's just the system. The ART SLA1 does look considerably better than the Samson, specwise. The gainclone seems a bit too expensive and lots of hassle at the moment.

My transport is going to be an E-mu 1212m, which I should be getting in a day or two. It's a very nice card. At the last meet I went to, we compared the modded 1212m to a Meridian 508 and 588, and the consensus was that the 1212m was definitely better than the 508 and roughly "85%" of the 588. I compared the stock 1212m to the modded one and it was pretty close. A very natural sound. My only problem now is that my dvd drive has a hard time ripping all my cds

It always gets stuck on a track or two.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 Jun 2004, 08:58 pm »

Oh yeah, I have a 60w NAD integrated from the late 80's, I forget the model name. It has main ins so I could use that in a pinch.

Am I correct in assuming the tripath will sound better? It sounds like it should from all the hype.

beat · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Jun 2004, 10:47 pm »

I think there are many you could have that would serve you well if you go used... Maybe a hafler for solid state, mine sounds pretty awesome and very punchy yet still sweet. It is old but built like a tank and outsounds alot of other stuff I'd heard period. I have also had great luck with used organ tube amps which can be had cheap for a pair of monoblocks and easy to tweak cause they are always (or mostly) wired point to point but they cant power 10" subs in a room my size with much authority but would totally rock for near field 8" woofers or less. If you want I'll help you find something just PM me.
my two cents,
beat

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Jul 2004, 02:10 am »

Anyone have anything bad to say about the hafler amps? Seems like I'm down to hafler vs. tripath. Since my preamp is very tubey, maybe I would be better off with solid state power vs the supposedly tubey tripath. Any opinions?

Dmason · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 Jul 2004, 02:39 am »

If there were no choices in digital amps, I would take a Hafler 9505 or 4000 over ALOT of other supposed "high-end" transistor amps. They are still a studio standard for good reason, and I used a Hafler 9505 for several years to run a keyboard rig in many gigs, and never even a hiccup..... For your nearfield set up, 30 Clydesdale-sized Tripath watts @ $3.00/watt, with a very "tubey" pre amp would do fine. The little Teac is a true secret weapon of audio.

There is no need to consider offsetting any sonic signatures of your tube pre amp by avoiding a Tripath type amp, -quite the contrary. Many seasoned audiophools have noted the almost supernatural synergy when tubes are added to the signal these things get, so no need to experiment.

Also, it is brand new and therefore under full warranty. Any $200 Hafler would come with its own potentially chequered history, many miles on the output devices, and zero warranty.

Although, they are bombproof, wonderful sounding, almost "tubey" transistor amps

especially the Transnova ones. I had a 9505, and it is one of the true greats. I am a Hafler fan. Just now there are better choices as technology marches on. My $.02

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Jul 2004, 03:26 am »

Perhaps I should get a little more specific and perhaps cinch this decision

Hafler P1500 (transnova) 75w refurb
Hafler TA1100 (transnova) 100w mint condition
Hafler PRO 5000 (375w) a bit dinged up, looks like it's been in a few drops on the face plate, but I don't mind

vs. Teac 30w tripath.

Yes, I'm not worried about general volume, though having the extra headroom would be nice if I eventually build the mbow1 3 ways. 30w is more than plenty for my normal needs.

I suspect I can get the refurb P1500 and TA1100 for a little less than the Teac, if that matters.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #19 on:** 5 Jul 2004, 08:34 pm »

I have just placed my order for a pair of the Teac 3 channels. I hope to get some idea of what preamp to use with these, to biamp my Totems.

Good luck with your hunt,

Mark