Looking for laid back 2ch amp? Suggestions?

bobsauto49
bobsauto49 Posts: 973
edited March 2012 in Electronics
Looking to purchase a used 2ch amp for the Q900's. I used to always listen to music in 5.1,until i got these sweethearts! Now i've been constantly listening to pure audio mode on my onkyo,and absolutely love the music much better than in 5.1! I'm pretty content with the sound,however,I keep wondering how a different amp would sound with these Kef's! The Onkyo as a pre has gotta stay for now.
Any suggestions of a 2ch amp in the $4-500 range that may sound a little laid back,or maybee warm being the right word? The opposite of in your face bright,is what i'm tryin to ask for. And model #'s would help also! Thanx for any input fellas!
Good Day, Rob
"Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
Post edited by bobsauto49 on
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Comments

  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,195
    edited March 2012
    Find yourself a used B&K amp , they are very laid back , powerful , dynamic and super clear. I'm thinking you should look for a Ref200.2 , a ST125.2 or a If you want to power all speakers look at the REf200.7 , Ref 200.5 or a Ref7270 or Ref7250. All these amps are badass.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited March 2012
    Thats so funny that you always listned to 5 ch music, Was it stereo recordings you listened to with the 5 spkr setup?

    I really think you should be looking at a nice tube integrated from the likes of yaqin as they have tons of power and great for rollin tubes but most of all they can be had for $550 @ 52w pc
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited March 2012
    Tube - Anthem Amp 1
    SS - Carver TFM45
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited March 2012
    Parasound.
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  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited March 2012
    Count my vote toward B&K ... of course B&K is my usual mantra concerning the subject.

    Scott
    Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. ..... Frank Zappa
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited March 2012
    Parasound HCA-1500a:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?130921-Parasound-HCA-1500A

    http://www.parasound.com/vintage/hca1500a.php


    Great bang for the buck.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,171
    edited March 2012
    Going to go off the usual path and suggest a pair of Monarchy SM70 Pro mono blocks. Sweet, sweet capable amps that used are very reasonable. Been looking for an excuse to work them into my rig for a long time, but haven't found one yet.

    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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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited March 2012
    Something by NAD. They make good quality high current amps that would meet yiur criteria IMO. You might be able to find one of their integrated amps in your price range and take the Onkyo out of the mix. Either way...stereo amp or integrated...would be something to consider.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • bobsauto49
    bobsauto49 Posts: 973
    edited March 2012
    Thanx for the input fellas!As my movie watching days are dwindling,i may run the center,and rears off the Onk,and just settle on a 2 ch amp for a long period of time. Hence me asking advice before jumping! As i look around,i see 2 ch amps of good quality(or good name)hold there value quite well! But I havent ck into those Monarchy mono's that H9 suggested! This is why i like all the suggestions,something else to research!
    "Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
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  • nhhiep
    nhhiep Posts: 877
    edited March 2012
    look for used HK Signature 1.5, 2.1 or Citation 5.1, 7.1. All are high current amps. They're around 300-500 range and very laid back. I bought the 1.5 for $280, Citation $350 shipped from Audiogon
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited March 2012
    A single-ended amplifier using the venerable 45 directly heated triode vacuum tube is gonna be about as rich, sweet and creamy as it gets. JE Labs "Simple 45" is... well, as it says. Build one or buy one from someone who did. The only drawback? About 2 watts per channel. If that won't work for you full range, use it as a MR/HF amp and biamp. The magic is in the midrange.

    http://members.myactv.net/~je2a3/simple45.htm

    (FWIW, I use a slightly modified version of this same amp with 2A3 outputs in my living room - it's a tad more powerful than 45s and it sounds great to me)

    newampdark.jpg
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,171
    edited March 2012
    mhardy, did you even read what he was trying to do? 2wpc won't run a pair of KEF floorstanders.

    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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  • bobsauto49
    bobsauto49 Posts: 973
    edited March 2012
    Thats what i was thinking,as i often think of tube amps! I dont know much about them,as far as how they work. But the more i read,the more scared i get! Dont want to start down that Rabbit hole quite yet!
    "Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
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  • miner
    miner Posts: 1,305
    edited March 2012
    Rotel RB-1070
    130/ch or bridgable.
    [
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited March 2012
    heiney9 wrote: »
    mhardy, did you even read what he was trying to do? 2wpc won't run a pair of KEF floorstanders.

    H9

    as I often do... missed the speakers. No opportunity to bi-amp, eh?
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,171
    edited March 2012
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    No opportunity to bi-amp, eh?

    Probably, but it gets awful complicated when you just want to sit down and listen to some tunes. Didn't mean to pick on you, just thought the suggestion was a bit odd based on the OP. I wanted to suggest some First Watt stuff but price and niche precluded that.
    "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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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,808
    edited March 2012
    price... :-(
    Otherwise, yeah, probably bang on.
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