[Architect7]

Right now I have a wall of Rotel amps from the early '90's and I'd like to simplify with one amp to drive my home theater.  I'd like to stay around $1k and at least 5x200wpc @8ohms.  I am looking on the used market to stretch my money as much as possible.  Here are the amps I am considering so far:

Sunfire Cinema Grand
Rotel RMB-1095
Anthem MCA-50 (My "preamp" is an Anthem MRX-500)
Parasound HCA-2205A

What I don't want:
Emotiva
Sherbourn
Marantz, Onkyo, etc.

I am driving all ribbons including a ribbon line array up front so nothing too bright.

Thanks!

[Austin08]

Grand cinema 5x200 and Rotel RMB-1095 is good choice and would easily fit your budget if buy used. They have enough power and will drive low impedent speakers. I owned both amps before and each has strenght and weekness. The Sunfire was better in midrange but overall felt soft and bass a bit lean, Rotel amp has better bass and more forward sounding amp but overall felt a bit dry.

I don't own or have a chance to listen to MCA-50 but have heard some other model and felt Anthem electronic has more musicality in them. Downside is they are often out of your budget.

I have no experience with Parasound so no comments.

Being said that, all above amps are fine choice and if I have to pick one in your budget I would go for Rotel. I think the forwardness and well authority control would match your speakers nicely.

[Architect7]

Thanks for the reply!  Yeah I am leaning towards the Anthem, seems people either ask under $1k for them or close to $2k, nothing in between.  I like my Rotels but kind of want to try something different...something feels missing, hard to describe.  I hooked my line arrays up to a Clarion car amp, the APA4300HX which is essentially a McIntosh MCC404 and the sound was incredible.  I can't afford a McIntosh HT amp but I wonder if the Anthem will get me close to that sound, based on how great my MRX sounds.

[WGH]

I use an older Anthem PVA 2 in my shop, the PVA 2 is the stereo version of their home theater amp. The sound is musical with slightly softened highs which should mate well with ribbons. Never had a problem with the amp either. I haven't heard the latest Anthem amps but if the PVA 2 is typical of their house sound then the 5-channel amp should be perfect for you.

There is a MCA 50 on eBay for $675 and the seller has 100% positive feedback.

Wayne

[Architect7]

I use an older Anthem PVA 2 in my shop, the PVA 2 is the stereo version of their home theater amp. The sound is musical with slightly softened highs which should mate well with ribbons. Never had a problem with the amp either. I haven't heard the latest Anthem amps but if the PVA 2 is typical of their house sound then the 5-channel amp should be perfect for you.

There is a MCA 50 on eBay for $675 and the seller has 100% positive feedback.

Wayne

Yep, I have my eye on that one . Checking into a replacement face since that one is banged up and I'd prefer black...hopefully the stars align and it works out

[saeyedoc]

I had a Parasound HCA-2205A in my system for about 10 years until it died a sudden death last year. I never attempted a diagnosis or repair as I wanted to get away from it anyway due to it's size, weight and heat output. It ran almost continuously for the time I had it, since the remote trigger stopped working.
It's a real beast, very heavy with huge heat sinks that made it very difficult for me to work with on my own. Sounded great, but no real direct comparison was made. I was driving Vandersteen 2Cs primarily, then Salk SCSTs.
I intended to replace it with a 3 channel Class D amp, but found my Anthem receiver was fine.
If I wanted an amp right now, I'd be looking at d-sonic or W4S, much smaller, lighter and more efficient.

[Architect7]

Still have the Parasound?  I'd buy it just for a cool piece to install some Hypex amps

So now I'm looking at Cinepro amps after reading overwhelming positive reviews about their sound and gobs of power.  So now to hit the classifieds...

[saeyedoc]

Still have the Parasound?  I'd buy it just for a cool piece to install some Hypex amps

So now I'm looking at Cinepro amps after reading overwhelming positive reviews about their sound and gobs of power.  So now to hit the classifieds...

Sadly no, got rid of it during our recent move.

[Atlplasma]

I've used Outlaw monoblocks for home theater and suspect their multichannel amps would sound just as good. Emotiva sells 5 channel amps that are within your target price. While I haven't owned their product, they receive consistently good reviews and are very affordable. With amps, there seem to be lots of options.

[geowak]

This may not match your request or budget, but if I were doing this, I'd go with a Parasound Halo A21 for the back and the A31 for the front. This could double as an excellant two channel audio rig to boot! I think this might make your ribbons really sing.

[TomS]

Shameless plug but I still have this one for sale, an Arcam P1000 for under a grand. Very nice amp, balanced inputs, etc.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=121896.msg1283449#msg1283449

[geowak]

If I wanted to entertain a more "budget friendly" option instead of a Parasound HALO A21 and A31, I would go with the McCormack DNA HT-5. I have owned both brands and they have great current and power reserves. Not to mention they sound more on the hi-fi end of audio. With the Parasound you get class A sound for the first 9-15 watts.

HALO also makes a 5 channel amp that would be a one box solution here:

http://www.parasound.com/halo/a51.php

And here is the McCormack:

http://mccormackaudio.com/dnaht5.html

[jarcher]

Honestly, I'd get an MCA20 or 30 vs a 50 and use your Anthem HRX 500 to power the surround channels.  It's very unlikely that +90% of the time the surrounds are ever going to require even close to the 75WPC your receiver puts outs.   The front two channels, and to a lesser degree the center channel, perhaps.  At least that's where you want the headroom. 

There are disadvantages to having one box powerful multichannel amps.  For one they tend to take up a lot of space - my Krell Showcase 7 is 19+ inches long and has to go in sideways in my rack.  Secondly they are back breaking heavy - 50-60lbs for the kind of power you're talking about. Most designs have one huge transformers shared by all channels.  Which means most of the time that huge transformer is sitting there taking up space and weight and being massively underutilized, all the while sucking up unnecessarily a lot of power.  Some are designed to have a separate transformer for each channel.  Great : five to seven underpowered channels in one massive chassis just waiting for something to go wrong - such as speaker cables touching and blowing one or more channels.

You'd really save yourself a lot of trouble and money getting just one good 2-3 channel amp to supplement your receiver.  Anthems really are among the very best, so getting a 2-3 channel Anthem amp (MCA20 or 30) would be ideal.

I wouldn't be too obsessed about the power rating though unless you have very inefficient speakers.  Also watts are not always watts.  I.e. I demoed a Marantz 7 channel amp that in theory put out more power than my Krell Showcase.  While the top end was somewhat more crystalline and smooth in the high frequency vs the Krell, the Krell KILLED it in the dynamics and bass department.  The Krell transformer was also twice as large / powerful.  Fortunately I don't think you would have that problem with just about any Anthem amp whether it's the PVA or MCA series - they don't wimp out in the power supply / transformer section.

[Architect7]

Honestly, I'd get an MCA20 or 30 vs a 50 and use your Anthem HRX 500 to power the surround channels.  It's very unlikely that +90% of the time the surrounds are ever going to require even close to the 75WPC your receiver puts outs.   The front two channels, and to a lesser degree the center channel, perhaps.  At least that's where you want the headroom. 

There are disadvantages to having one box powerful multichannel amps.  For one they tend to take up a lot of space - my Krell Showcase 7 is 19+ inches long and has to go in sideways in my rack.  Secondly they are back breaking heavy - 50-60lbs for the kind of power you're talking about. Most designs have one huge transformers shared by all channels.  Which means most of the time that huge transformer is sitting there taking up space and weight and being massively underutilized, all the while sucking up unnecessarily a lot of power.  Some are designed to have a separate transformer for each channel.  Great : five to seven underpowered channels in one massive chassis just waiting for something to go wrong - such as speaker cables touching and blowing one or more channels.

You'd really save yourself a lot of trouble and money getting just one good 2-3 channel amp to supplement your receiver.  Anthems really are among the very best, so getting a 2-3 channel Anthem amp (MCA20 or 30) would be ideal.

I wouldn't be too obsessed about the power rating though unless you have very inefficient speakers.  Also watts are not always watts.  I.e. I demoed a Marantz 7 channel amp that in theory put out more power than my Krell Showcase.  While the top end was somewhat more crystalline and smooth in the high frequency vs the Krell, the Krell KILLED it in the dynamics and bass department.  The Krell transformer was also twice as large / powerful.  Fortunately I don't think you would have that problem with just about any Anthem amp whether it's the PVA or MCA series - they don't wimp out in the power supply / transformer section.

I actually rather like this idea.  It has actually inspired me to just bridge the 976 amps to my fronts/rears/center for now, sell my 980's and then this buys me time for the right amps...I am really liking the way the Parasound Halos look on paper with their Class-A bias.

[kbuzz3]

although it may stretch the budget, id see if you can obtain a used bryston.  i went that route with an athem receiver for processing....sounds great and i like the anthem room processing alot

also given reliability and warranty bryston is a brand i would not hesitate to buy used...

good luck

[Doublej]

There's always ATI.

[James Romeyn]

Sunfire by good margin, Anthem or Parasound tie second except consider service location/cost/shipping down the road...no Rotel opinion. 

[Architect7]

Sunfire by good margin, or Parasound...I'd pass on other amps in OP.

Interesting.  Out of curiosity, which Anthem amps have you listened to?

[Vulcan00]

I would recommend my amp, Parasound Halo A51. However my asking price is over your budget.

[RDavidson]

There's always ATI.

ATI makes VERY solid and reliable amplifiers. I don't think they're gentle on the top end, though...as the OP is looking for. Same goes for Bryston. Both make exceptional gear with very clean, neutral sound. I'd look at Parasound, Rotel, or possibly B&K. I find these brands to have a bit more warmth with a smooth top end, generally speaking.