Doing it right! Proper amp to power SDA 2As.

ROHfan
ROHfan Posts: 1,014
edited January 2013 in Vintage Speakers
After listening to my new acquisition (and addiction) every day for over a week I'm realizing that I need a good quality external amp. But, which one?

I'm powering them now with my HK3490 and they sound amazing--at loud volumes. I'm thinking a quality amp will let me enjoy their beauty at all volumes. After some research and reading around these forums I'm thinking the Emotiva XPA-2. It's a little expensive for me but if I sell my Monitor 10s and my HK3490 I'll be a little closer, then I can check between the sofa cushions for the rest. I don't want to "settle" for a lesser amp only to realize I should have went the full nine with a quality unit right off the bat. In the long run, I think, it will actually be more cost efficient that way. Wish I had figured that out when I started in this hobby!

Any other amps I should be looking at? Is one the "be-all-end-all" over the other amps?
TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
Post edited by ROHfan on
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Comments

  • Msabot1
    Msabot1 Posts: 2,098
    edited January 2013
    Check out the McIntosh line for your main source! Don't know what your budget is,but they make some fine stuff!
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  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,182
    edited January 2013
    I have the Parasound HCA 1200II making my 1B's sound pretty darn good??
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    edited January 2013
    You will need a pre-amp as well then. There is a nice combo of an Arcam Alpha 9 pre with remote and a Parasound HC1500 on sale here on the forum. 600.00 for both pieces shipped I think. Will sound better than the Emo IMHO.
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  • ROHfan
    ROHfan Posts: 1,014
    edited January 2013
    deronb1 wrote: »
    You will need a pre-amp as well then. There is a nice combo of an Arcam Alpha 9 pre with remote and a Parasound HC1500 on sale here on the forum. 600.00 for both pieces shipped I think. Will sound better than the Emo IMHO.

    Well, here's the thing...they're pulling double duty in my HT rig as well so I already have a pre in my avr. If I had a dedicated room for a 2ch rig I would be all over that.
    TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
    Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
    Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
    Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
    Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
    AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
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  • ROHfan
    ROHfan Posts: 1,014
    edited January 2013
    Msabot1 wrote: »
    Check out the McIntosh line for your main source! Don't know what your budget is,but they make some fine stuff!

    Out of my budget. Wife would never approve such a thing!
    TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
    Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
    Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
    Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
    Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
    AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
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  • bored184
    bored184 Posts: 324
    edited January 2013
    I just hooked up a Carver TFM-25 to my SDA-1C's and I am really liking how they sound. For a preamp I am using my Marantz 2226. I may eventually look for a matching carver preamp but at the moment the Marantz is working great.
    Speakers: TL Monitor 10s, RTA 11TLs, Fortes, Thiel CS 1.2
    Amplifiers: ]Ashly FTX 2001 III, Dynaco ST-70, DIY F6
    Pre: Adcom GFP 750, Aikido Tube Pre
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  • Msabot1
    Msabot1 Posts: 2,098
    edited January 2013
    Neat thought though!! Lots of outstanding stuff out there,just gotta check it out!
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  • audiocr381ve
    audiocr381ve Posts: 2,588
    edited January 2013
    Welcome to the rabbit hole.

    Here's my advice. Find a nice integrated. It's a hell of a lot easier than looking for the right pre to mate with your new amp, and you'll NEED a solid pre for your new amp. I've tried so many different amps, including the XPA-2, and things never clicked until I decided to spend good money on a quality preamp. My first, "AH HAH" moment was when I brought an Adcom GFP-750 into my system. That's pricey though which is why I recommend finding a nice integrated with some juice. NAD has some great stuff that's budget minded, especially some of the older stuff.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,101
    edited January 2013
    Better to get a quality USED amp than to buy a "new" Communist Chinese imposter.
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  • michael1947
    michael1947 Posts: 775
    edited January 2013
    I think Emotiva amps have their place, I use a XPA-5 in my main HT rig, however I am swapping it out for a Parasound 5250 very soon, the Parasound is sitting on the bench ready to go in. You don't need a lot of power to run your SDA's but you need really good power and able to go down to 4 ohms and lower. For now be content with what you have, make a plan, save some coins and before long your new combo will sing to you. Good used equipment can be far more rewarding than brand new budget stuff even if they do have pretty blue lights.:cool:
    Main Family Room: Sony 46 LCD, Sony Blue Ray, Sony DVD/VCR combo,Onkyo TXNR 708, Parasound 5250,
    Polk SDS-SRS with mods, CSI 5 center + Klipsch SC2, Polk RT2000P rears, Klipsch KG 1.5's sides, Polk Micro Pro 1000, Polk Micro Pro 2000, Polk SW505, Belkin PF60, Signal Cable Classics,Monster IC's, 2 15 amp circuits & 1 20 amp circuit.

    Living Room: Belkin PF60, Parasound HCA2200, MIT ProlineEXP balanced IC's,Emotiva XDA-1 DAC/Pre,Emotiva ERC2 transport,MIT AVT2, Polk LSI 9's.
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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    edited January 2013
    ROHfan wrote: »
    After listening to my new acquisition (and addiction) every day for over a week I'm realizing that I need a good quality external amp. But, which one?

    I'm powering them now with my HK3490 and they sound amazing--at loud volumes. I'm thinking a quality amp will let me enjoy their beauty at all volumes. After some research and reading around these forums I'm thinking the Emotiva XPA-2. It's a little expensive for me but if I sell my Monitor 10s and my HK3490 I'll be a little closer, then I can check between the sofa cushions for the rest. I don't want to "settle" for a lesser amp only to realize I should have went the full nine with a quality unit right off the bat. In the long run, I think, it will actually be more cost efficient that way. Wish I had figured that out when I started in this hobby!

    Any other amps I should be looking at? Is one the "be-all-end-all" over the other amps?
    Whichever amp you choose, be sure it can handle the 2As 3.5 ohm load in the 100- 150Hz range
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited January 2013
    schurkey wrote: »
    better to get a quality used amp than to buy a "new" communist chinese imposter.

    Yep.

    Please do not settle for an Emotiva amp. It won't put you at the point you say you would like to be at. You will wish you bought something better if you buy the Emotiva (something you yourself said you wanted to avoid). Buy a used Pass Labs Aleph 30, Parasound, or similar quality amp and be happy.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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