Noob! Please help me replace my old power amp, some candidates listed.
ME
Elderly, lifelong guitarist, I have a few well maintained tube amp circuits (JTM45; overbuilt "double" 5E3 1x12 combo; 5F1 1x12 combo; Weber speakers and NOS tubes). I am NOT audiophile.
MY HiFi GEAR
Yamaha M1 (1984) power amp (this is what I'm wanting to improve on)
Kenwood Basic C1 preamp
TC-750LC phono pre (regulated supply)
Pioneer PL-A450 turntable; Denon DL-110 MC cart (yay!)
ADS L710 pair (6 ohm, 94db)
ADS L1090 pair (8 ohm, 90db)
Sansui SP-2500 pair (8 ohm, 100db)
iPad (DAC)
MY MUSIC SOURCES
FLAC library on Plex server over Wifi or 1000BaseT
Vinyl
MY APPLICATION
Small room, up close, not much conditioning but hope to add some.
I love electric blues, jazz, soul, pop and country but touch on everything. I play electric blues and love '70s fusion.
Looking to replace my dicey old power amp.
In general I like more reveal but I don't like "clinical" hifi, I have cheap but surprsingly effective Mackie active monitors that do that. Obviously I'm budget concious, lol!
MY AMP CANDIDATES
Audio by Van Alstine (AVA) MOS-FET 150B
Early '80s and all original; $500 used; class a/b; 75w/ch; gorgeous "servicable" layout/build quality; conventional transformer
B&K (BK Components) ST-140
Early '80's usually all original; $300-$400 used; class a/b; 70w/ch (kinda confusing revision history)
AVA NP-1
$1200 new, $800 used; class a/b; 55w/ch; I assume surface mount
Buckeye Hypex NCx252MP
$625 new; class D; 150w/ch; surface mount (board swap repair only)
Class D Audio USA Premium GaN 3.5
$750 new; class D; 135w/ch; surface mount (board swap repair only)
Admittedly class D makes me nervous but I'm open if the hype is even somewhat justified. I will do a tube amp eventually, but today I just want to plug in a new-to-me SS power amp. I'd do a Zen Triode but I might not live long enough, lol!
Brand new here so I hope I'm doing this right? Thanks!
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- 29 posts total
I have owned the ADS L1090 speakers for 40 years. I have never driven them with very much power. Started with a NAD 3155 integrated, went to a Linn Classik integrated and currently am using a Naim Uniti Atom (40W per channel). They sound pretty good for 40 year old speakers that have never been touched. I am using them in my workout room so they are driven to higher volumes than I would normally listen to them. It may not fit in your budget (around $1500-$2000 used) but an integrated like the Atom would improve your streaming and eliminate your preamp so it may be worth the extra spend. |
Check out Buckeye Amps. https://www.buckeyeamp.com/shop/amplifiers I have the Hypex NC502MP driving Sonus Faber Sonetto’s. These amps ain’t the prettiest, but damn do they perform. And they punch WAY above their cost. Dylan hand builds each amp to order. I took a chance due to the glowing reviews and I am thrilled with the Performance! |
- 29 posts total