When is an amp ‘just too old? ’ To buy?

Tvad
The thing is this .... I'm not looking for an amp to use 20 hrs a yr.

I got that already. See above.

What I'm thinking is to get a very nice sounding amp with hands and eyes free operation. Stereo or monos... SS or HS. The latter naturally then has to be self biasing.

2500-3500... probably around $3K to be certain... and probably SS this time around. Iron fist... velvet glove... yada yada... SE/RCA for sure... XLR ok too if RCA is in place. 200wpc or a bit more wouldn't hurt.

Hybrids with rolling tubes OK too, if over 175wpc or so.

40yrs!!

congratulations! We have a new leader on the board!

Wow!

Bretdago

Well, then, at that refurbished point, one has a different amp than they had just a bit before.... could be better or could be worse, but it's definitely not the same amp then.

that would be the time IMHO to upgrade whatever was broken... if one knew what to upgrade to which would improve the audio quality, of course.

Grant
It’s a visual issue and configuration issue all rolled into one. Mostly though it’s visual. That and the fact I’m awfully pedantic about tweeking/aligning bias… well past the norm or usual, and it’s gotten more than tedious a task for me to accomplish. Soon enough it’s going to be beyond me entirely.

Plus there’s all that climbing in behind the racks to switch spkr wires too which is a trick in itself.

Time for a change it seems.

I’m not going to do class D. Period. I don’t feel amps in that class contain that which I seek… could well be wrong about that too, but I’ve been wrong before and lived thru it. My thinking there is they aren’t going to provide me any pportion of the voicing tubes give in the range I can afford.

The Prima Luna Dialogue monos interest me a fair amount as they’re self biased. Very flexible. Not terrifically expensive either. The issue there is I’d opt for another pr of speakers and setup in my BR. This could prove more pricey overall though adding in another pr of squeakers.

The current thinking is to migrate a couple dedicated lines into the listening room. Sell the Dodds. Buy another easier to operate amp. Speaker cables. Then merely switch spkr cables off the Sonata Iiis for 2 ch times. This seems the more plausible scenario for me.

The SS portion comes in to better control the speakers with, as I’ve seen from the Odyssey and Butler amps, they work better with more power than 100w and according to my own preffs as well.

Jallen
I agree with much of your post… I’d bet they also feel that those in the game… ‘us’ … aren’t ever going to be married or joined at the hip to any item for too too long, and we’ll opt for some other item in due time. Of course we know too there’s more to support time frames as well. 5 – 7 yrs is about on par for amps. Bryston is the exception by far.

If you think only in terms of support, keeping on hand five years out parts inventory is a chore all by itself with decent sales production.

Ngjockey
Thanks.

Owning a BAT 500 previously, I liked that sound best so far of the BK & Krell & Rotel & Odyssey SS amps I’ve owned. I didn’t like it’s heat production or heft. Actually it’s heat. I can still sling it’s bulk about.

Dav65mus
Whoa!
30 yrs!?

With all the talk here on Bryston & Classe, and they are both on my list… could anyone or others gain me some insight on their particular voice and or differences from one to the other?

Do either sound anything near the bAT vk500?

RE power
I don’t feel the Sonata IIIs are power hungry mavens, but some does seem to help… around 200 – 240 SS watts seems in order. Past that, well we’re back to the same old argument/debate and mo’ won’t hurt if judiciously applied I’m sure.

That said… I’ve been very happy with the 120w or less, the Dodd monos put out… so theres that…. It’s always in the eye or ear of the beholder, the room, etc, right?

I still agree too that 5 yrs old is the prudent top end for selecting one's amp of choice for preposed incident free operation going forward... on most any anp.

If the Butler 250 would allow for rolling its tubes, I might not have even posted this question.

Gbart

bOB cARVER MADE A GOOD AMP WHEN HE MADE THE pHASE lINEARS. bEST SHOW i EVER ATTENDED THE BAND HAD 21 OF THEM DRIVING EIGHT STACKS OF SQUEAKERS... THEY PLAYED THEIR LATEST RECORD AT THE TIME FRONT TO BACK AND THEN JAMMED FOR ALMOST AN HOUR AFTERWARDS... THE ALBUM WAS dARK sIDE oF tHE mOON... 1973 sPECTRUN, jAX fL..

Johnk

tHANKS. hADN'T THOUGHT OF mf ACTUALLY. THINK THERE'S A DEALER HERE TOO, OR THEY USED TO BE A mF DEALER, BUT i'D NOT DEAL WITH THEM AT ALL. ONE CAN ONLY TAKE BEING TREATED LIKE CRAP SO MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW? THEY SELL AYRE TOO.

cAN'T STOP ME FROM GETTING ONE PREOWNED THOUGH.

Dav65mus

Thanks... I tend to agree with you on the subject of sonics between the BAT and Macs. I've a Mc dealer here and previewed all from the 252 to 602 on several Paradigm units and several Mc units including the XR series. I thought the 602 + 360s was a pretty good match for an all Mc setup.

then I bought the VK500. nO REGRETS.

nOW i'M rca... NOT xlr ANYMORE DUE TO MY PREAMP.

Elizabeth

hmmm.... I thought their warranty from the orig owner was transferable.

JC1s, huh? Dealer returns only? Really?! Wow. I'll not doubt your word, but that's mind boddling. I think they're more than I need anyhow.
tHANKS.

Johnk

BTW... Musical Fidelity's one year warranty doesn't inspire much confidence. I'm glad you're happy with your's however.

I do also get warranties aren't the end all be all, but 1Yr? that has to be the lowest in the industry in mid fi gear... Well, it ties Silverline.

_bone

I would have sworn when reading your post it was from Manley. Very good. Thanks.

Al
Thanks. Missed that thread looking through the archives.

No clear answers? Figures. I also figured some makers might chime in and lend some input too.... but as I think of it perhaps the amount of variables is simply too great to pin point a time frame for such things.

A general theme however ought to do me though.

Re hard of seeing getting harder..
Yes. it is what it is.

If played even routinely though the bias issue with mine isn't a big deal. they hold rather well indeed, thankfully.

Steveaudio

Simplify ... simplify... simplify.
Well, kind of...

I actually scope out the retubing costs for each amp in advance as a part of my buying one/them. The cost for retubing these monos is quite on the low side for twin amps at < $350 w/new + NOS tubes.... depending on how NOS-y one wishes to get.

Simpler? probably. I guess.

the oldest amps I've ever owned were or are these Dodds. I think they're almost 4 now. got 'em when they were < 1.5 yr old.... or my former BAT 500 which was about 3 when I got it.

I'll be mindful of any CJ SS amps, thanks.

A big deal for me too and maybe for others, is ongoing support. If an amp is no longer being made, the co that made it is gone, or the co that made it no longer has parts and/or the amps were setup in bridged mode, or drove panels speakers.... those things concern me, rightly or wrongly.

I do know this.... amps like everything else just don't last forever and as age accumulates on them I feel it must come thru in their performance.

So I'm thinking once it's out of warranty is a good enough time frame for an amp (s) life, and thereafter NOT pay a premium price for it/them.. or on avg. 5yrs.

Hi Steveaudio

Thanks.

I began thinking of the overall weight too, long ago. Although my aim was for audio & Build quality. 150 or so lbs. is about my limit now unassisted. I've got stairs to deal with.

What makes them most unwieldy are the heat sink locations, if any. I think at 125lb. all amps should come with wheels on one end and an extended pull handle on the other. both of which are detachable. 'Course that won't help much with stairs.

I began noticeing quite early, the more pricey, better sounding standard transformerd SS amps, were heavy.

Appreciate the thoughts on localization of manufacturers too... I'm usually all over that part too.... though some times I forsake it... opting for on shore items regardless the zip code than off shore items.