Kenwod Basic M1A amplifier, anyone have experience?

HTguru1982
HTguru1982 Posts: 1,066
edited August 2011 in Vintage Speakers
It's an older amp, from the 80's. 110 watts per channel @ 8 ohms, and 160 @ 4 ohms. I'm looking at powering my RTA12C's with it. For the price I can get it for, it doesn't seem like I can go wrong. Just wondering if anyone here has ever used it, especially with 4 ohm speakers.

http://www.drmaudioht.com/Amplifiers.htm
Display: Sony 42" LCD
Sources: Harman Kardon DVD-27,
Panasonic DMP-BDT110 blu ray player
AVR: Sony STR-DA2400ES
Amps: Sonance Sonamp 260(fronts),
Kenwood KM-894(surrounds)
Fronts: NHT 2.5
Center: NHT VS-1.2A
Surrounds: NHT Super One
Subwoofer: SVS PB10-ISD
Post edited by HTguru1982 on
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited August 2011
    Not great with 4 ohm speakers, it will work but it runs out of gas pretty fast. It's an average amp, if you can get it cheap probably not too bad a purchase. I owned one and it was ok.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • HTguru1982
    HTguru1982 Posts: 1,066
    edited August 2011
    Even if I can't use it for the 12C's, it should make for a good garage amp.
    Display: Sony 42" LCD
    Sources: Harman Kardon DVD-27,
    Panasonic DMP-BDT110 blu ray player
    AVR: Sony STR-DA2400ES
    Amps: Sonance Sonamp 260(fronts),
    Kenwood KM-894(surrounds)
    Fronts: NHT 2.5
    Center: NHT VS-1.2A
    Surrounds: NHT Super One
    Subwoofer: SVS PB10-ISD
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited August 2011
    HTguru1982 wrote: »
    Even if I can't use it for the 12C's, it should make for a good garage amp.

    It will work with the 12C's. Is it the earlier model with the Sigma Drive? IIRC, the 1A didn't have Sigma Drive only the original Basic M1.

    A somewhat pointless circuit.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • HTguru1982
    HTguru1982 Posts: 1,066
    edited August 2011
    No Sigma Drive on the M1A. It uses Super DLD(Dynamic Linear Drive).
    Display: Sony 42" LCD
    Sources: Harman Kardon DVD-27,
    Panasonic DMP-BDT110 blu ray player
    AVR: Sony STR-DA2400ES
    Amps: Sonance Sonamp 260(fronts),
    Kenwood KM-894(surrounds)
    Fronts: NHT 2.5
    Center: NHT VS-1.2A
    Surrounds: NHT Super One
    Subwoofer: SVS PB10-ISD
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited August 2011
    That's right, DLD, another marketing buzz phrase that meant nothing :biggrin:

    Sigma Drive had an extra set of speaker terminals for each channel and supposedly it hooked the speakers into part of the negative feedback loop. It really didn't do anything at all.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • ChrisD
    ChrisD Posts: 101
    edited August 2011
    I have an M2A. BEAST of an amp.
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  • gwg_97
    gwg_97 Posts: 332
    edited August 2011
    I have a couple of Basic M2As and a M1. I like the M1 with my monitor 5s. I think it is a pretty nice little amp (especially for the money). I'm saving this little system for my kids. 
    
System 1:Nakamichi PA-7Kenwood Basic C2Polk SDA 1C moddedSystem 2:Dynaco ST-70Polk Monitor 5B modded
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                    Joe08867                    
                        
    
                        
                                Joe08867
                        

                        
                            Posts: 3,919                        
                    
    
                    
    
                        
                                                   
                         edited August 2011                                             
    
                    
                                                
    
                                                    
    
                                    
    
                
    
                    
    
                        
    
                            I am going to agree with H9 on this.  Nice little amp but runs out of steam to easily.

    
There are a few in this genre of amp like the Onkyo M282.  Not bad sounding just don't expect miracles in the dynamics department.  They just don't have the guts to back up higher volumes or very dynamic music.

    
I would use them in HT though.                        
    
                        
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                    HTguru1982                    
                        
    
                        
                                HTguru1982
                        

                        
                            Posts: 1,066                        
                    
    
                    
    
                        
                                                   
                         edited August 2011                                             
    
                    
                                                
    
                                                    
    
                                    
    
                
    
                    
    
                        
    
                            I passed on it.  They were pretty firm on the price and the distance was too far for me.  If my speakers were easier to drive, then maybe.                        
    
                        
    Display: Sony 42" LCD
    
Sources: Harman Kardon DVD-27,
    
Panasonic DMP-BDT110 blu ray player
    
AVR: Sony STR-DA2400ES
    
Amps: Sonance Sonamp 260(fronts),
    
Kenwood KM-894(surrounds)
    
Fronts: NHT 2.5
    
Center: NHT VS-1.2A
    
Surrounds: NHT Super One
    
Subwoofer: SVS PB10-ISD
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                    Rivrrat                    
                        
    
                        
                                Rivrrat
                        

                        
                            Posts: 2,101                        
                    
    
                    
    
                        
                                                   
                         edited August 2011                                             
    
                    
                                                
    
                                                    
    
                                    
    
                
    
                    
    
                        
    
                            I have one, and it did a good job on my m10's for years. I relegated it to bedroom use when I went HT and got my Pio Elite vsx80tsv.

    
I liked the sound of the m1a setup better.                        
    
                        
    My equipment sig felt inadequate and deleted itself.
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