Good buy on this amp?

AsSiMiLaTeD

I found this on Ebay, need an amp to bi-amp the150s. Anyone know if this one is any good?

Here's the link

Thanks

RuSsMaN

What did you find?

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by RuSsMaN
What did you find?

I guess the link would be helpful, see above

ninerbj

The Caver cube is nothing more than a expensive space heater.
My buddy had a pair and they always ran hot! Of course he pushed them hard, but they were always hot to the touch.

Maybe others have had good luck with them...Just my .02

RuSsMaN

I have to disagree. 201 w/ch continous, GREAT amp in a small package. I ran one on my CRS+ and B&W 601's for some time.

NEVER got even warm, much less hot. There was another listed this morning for a $200 BIN, I don't know that you can find more amp for the money. A pair of those bridged would be great for your 150's.

Cheers,
Russ

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by RuSsMaN
I have to disagree. 201 w/ch continous, GREAT amp in a small package. I ran one on my CRS+ and B&W 601's for some time.

NEVER got even warm, much less hot. There was another listed this morning for a $200 BIN, I don't know that you can find more amp for the money. A pair of those bridged would be great for your 150's.

Cheers,
Russ

Actually with 200 WPC, I'd probably just buy one of these for now, since I'm only using to drive the low end. That would give me 300 watts for each speaker, 100 on the mids and highs and 200 on the lows. I think that would at least be a good starting point for now until I can afford more.

One last question, would I better off with this amp or with the Adcom 545?

AsSiMiLaTeD

How about this one???

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3077315779&category=39783

jdhdiggs

Maniac:

Are you going after any of these?

VR3

The 545 will NOT drive your 150s...

Just to let you know. They are 100 watts, conservative! BUT! I don't think it could push all them subs

Airplay355

it'll run his rti150s fine, i ran them off an aiwa receiver, cmon now

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by jdhdiggs
Maniac:

Are you going after any of these?

Not yet, still deciding

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by Vr3MxStyler2k3
The 545 will NOT drive your 150s...

Just to let you know. They are 100 watts, conservative! BUT! I don't think it could push all them subs

So you're saying that 200 watts (100 for the top s, 100 for the bottoms) won't run these??? Damn...

Well, looks like I'll need to invest in a steam generator to create enough juice to run my 150s....

Remember on back to the Future at the beginning where Doc Brown had that huge speaker and Marty blew is out....good stuff...

1.21 gigawatts....that's what i need....1.21 gigawatts...

Airplay355

you can drive your rti150s fine with those amps, especially since you are only using the amps to power the sub. they wont be at their peak performance but im willing to bet you will be happy with it.

TroyD

Look, Ima throw my .02cents out here.....

First, regarding the m400 amp. That thing will drive any speaker you can throw at it without breaking a sweat. Period. I've had a couple, still have one and I've used it with speakers a hell of a lot more demanding than the rti150's.

Second, re the 150's. Look at the specs, they are fairly efficient 8ohm speakers. No worse than the big ol' 1.2's that hoosier21 has driven with lower powered NAD gear. The fact is that Polk wouldn't produce a speaker sold at Circuit City that couldn't be driven reasonably by an average HT reciever. Give me 50wpc with a couple dbs of headroom and I'll drive those speakers allday allabout.

If you guys think you are really using that much power, you are sadly mistaken. If you take my Amazings which are probably one of the most notoriously power hungry speakers ever made, I can run you out of the room with less than 50wpc continuous.

I'm not saying that more power isn't a good thing, it is but the fact is, for NORMAL listening, it's not a requirement.

BDT

amulford

I am using one to drive a set of SDA 2b's. It does a helluva job. clean, clear and tight. It'll drive your subs, but IMO I'd use it to drive the uppers. Just a thought:)

amulford

Originally posted by ninerbj
The Caver cube is nothing more than a expensive space heater.
My buddy had a pair and they always ran hot! Of course he pushed them hard, but they were always hot to the touch.

Maybe others have had good luck with them...Just my .02

Tell him I have a cold room I could use them in iffen he no wanty anymore:D

VR3

The 545 CAN drive it, but not to their ability......my 2 cents

TroyD

Sid, have you tried it?

If not, how can you be sure?

BDT

VR3

Because it has problems pushing my RTi70 at louder volumes and those are just midbasses

What makes the subwoofers of the RTi150 so special as to be one more, and require more power and yet, be easier to drive?

Although, one must place the fact that the NAD seems to have low voltage preouts, therefore at higher volumes, when they should not distort. They do. This fact in place, the Adcom GFA-545II has always had a problem pushing the RTi70 (woofers and sometimes both posts). I like Adcom, but to say it can push the RTi150 at higher volumes is crazy.............

BTW - The 545 WILL work...IF you never crank it past about 102db... At that point I have my doubts it can continue with the RTi150 at that point.....

But, if you listen at like 95-96-97, etc etc etc db, the 545 MAY work. As Troy said, normal listening levels......but I'm looking more at the extremes here.

hoosier21

Sid's posts need to come with a disclaimer

"This is a young teenager who listens to music VERY loud, he is very much into this hobby, but he is in the early stages of learning about high fidelity, and the differences in equipment. Each new piece of equipment he tries is the greatest, until he gets something different, then it is the greatest. It is obvious he is learning and that is a good thing, unfortunately he posts answers as if he really knows something, which he does not."

Sid, please try adding "I my opinion" "with the equipment I have tried" at the beginning of your replies (or something along those lines)

You are surely welcome to post most anything you want on this board, but man I am about to explode reading your replies that are posted as fact, or at least tell people that "when I am listening at 110db....." give the unknowing something to measure you opinion on.

RuSsMaN

Ed Zachry.

TroyD

Amen

Airplay355

i am also a crazy teenager who listenes to music at crazy loud volumes and i have actually owned rti150s. the adcom amp will be fine for powering the subs. it would be fine to power the entire tower with. it does not put them at their peak performance but so what it still sounds great. i ran my 150s off my receiver and they sounded great to me, there was room for improvement but i was happy with the way they sounded running off my receiver. you do not need 300 watt amps to listen to rti150s. as long as u have a semi decent receiver its do able.

VR3

IN MY OPINION**********************************

The Adcom GFA-545 or Adcom GFA-545 II or the Adcom GFA-535 or the Adcom GFA-535 II are all amps that should NOT power the bottum end of the RTi150.

Why?

In my 10.5x10.5 room, I have seen the lights flicker orange on MY amps which ARE the Adcom GFA-545 II and those AMPS are pushing the much less demanding Polk Audio RTi70.

Troy DOES NOT like Adcom, he has NO REAL experience with Adcom.

That said, my NAD 917 Preamp has a low voltage preout, Russ even verified this after I asked him when I first bought it why my amps would distort so easily at not so high of volume.

OK? The Pioneer Elite ALSO distorted the 545 at higher volumes.

THAT SAID, all the times it DID distort on the Polk Audio RTi70 was at the levels of 102-105db. YES! THAT IS*** LOUD. If it croaks there, and if you LISTEN LOUD the Adcom GFA-545 or the Adcom GFA-545 II WILL NOT SUFFICE FOR YOUR LISTENING.

THIS IS FROM MY EXPERIENCE. And on a lesser speakers.

IF*********** you listen at 95-98 tops, the 545 will be fine and dandy. No problems.

Fact is, I have my opinion, I LIKE my amps and I have no problems with them. But I would not recomend someone an amp to drive the RTi150's subwoofers if I didnt think it could drive the sub section. Which I am sure, it can't; atleast, not to higher volumes in the 102+db range.

Take that for what it is worth, a teenage kid that has no brain, bangs his head to rock music at uneasy levels through out the day, that can not be pleased in anything he owns and is always wrong.

- Sid, The Undecided

Airplay355

somebody needs a hug......wheres brett?


j/k, no1 go crazy now.

TroyD

Sid, cut the crybaby crap, will ya?

I do have a little experience with Adcom amps, I owned one for a while. I had an Adcom pre that I thought VERY highly of.

All I'm saying is my experience and that of many others with the same amps or amps of similar specs run speakers of equal or less efficiency and so on doesn't jive with yours.

Troy

RuSsMaN

Sid, we've heard your opinion 3,942 times, enough already.

I'm just waiting until he hears some Carver, Rotel, NAD, etc etc - and finds out how *grainy* Adcom REALLY is.

VR3

I like Adcom, so I shall stick to Adcom

When I get my own house, I plan to search out for a 555......might buy one later on.....mmhmm

Troy,
Crybaby act?

I made my point, and expressed my opinion, just because I use CAPS dosnt mean I'm crying.......:rolleyes:

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by RuSsMaN
Sid, we've heard your opinion 3,942 times, enough already.

I'm just waiting until he hears some Carver, Rotel, NAD, etc etc - and finds out how *grainy* Adcom REALLY is.

After reviewing a multitude of posts, I have come to respect the thoughts of Russ...having said that...

When you describe the Adcoms as grainy, what do you mean? Are there any alternatives to the Adcom in the same price range that I should look at?

Thanks

TroyD

The Adcom that I had sounded fairly *thin* and gave a harsh edge in the mids and highs. I don't think it was a bad amp, per se, just not my cup of tea.

In that pricepoint, you can find amps by Carver, NAD, Rotel, Marantz, Denon etc etc....there are lots of amp brands out there. Power per dollar, my money is on Carver though.

BDT

RuSsMaN

Yeah, what Troy said. I had most of my Adcom experience with an original 535. The original 535 sounded good, so I figured the rest of the Nelson Pass designs would be similar, just with higher power ratings as you go up the line.

I've now had some time with 545, 545 series 2, and 555 amps. Again, as Troy said - they sound sharp on the mids and highs. Not my cup of tea, and I've tried them with a multitude of different cables, sources, and speakers.

For example, switching from an Adcom to a Carver or Rotel, the listening experience turned from mildly unpleasant, to VERY enjoyable. That's about the jist of it (for me).

HOWEVER, they are high-current amps, with good headroom, underated power, and high damping - which makes them GREAT sub amps. Your application would fit the bill, imo - driving the woofs on a pair of 150's (which are passed at 80Hz).

Cheers,
Russ