Best Amp for...

VR3
VR3 Posts: 28,791
edited March 2004 in Electronics
What amps do yall recomend for the SDA's?

What amps would you recomend for...

1) SDA 2
2) CRS
3) SDA 1

Specs, Brand, Reasons Why, Opinions...

I have my eye on the Adcom GFA-555, but want to know what else is out there as well...
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited March 2004
    Sid,

    Are you not a BIG fan of Adcom ?

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    YES...LOL

    Why do you ask?
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited March 2004
    Of course Parasound, Carver, Outlaw..the list goes on and on sponge sid. Stay with a well established name and you don't have to sweat the specs; just determine how much power you'll need based on your speakers efficiency rating....
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    Yeah...

    thanks for the list...not to sure about Carver, Outlaw is a tad out of my range...

    I think I have narrowed it down to Soundcraftsmen, Adcom, NAD, Parasound...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • racer4551
    racer4551 Posts: 373
    edited March 2004
    Will let you know about carvers IMO when i get mine hooked up to my sda1c's,should have it by this time next week.
    *HT PRE-PRO*:Rotel rsp-1068, *AMP*:Rotel RMB 1095 *DVD PLAYER*:Denon 2200,*CD PLAYERS*,Arcam Alpha Mcd 6 disk carasel,Hughes Hdtv receiver, Hughes hdvr2,*MAINS*:Polk LSI 15'S, *CENTER*:Polk LSIC, *SIDE SURROUNDS*:Polk LSIFX,*REAR SURROUND*:Polk LSI 7'S,*SUB*:SVS PB2+*.MONITOR*:Mitsubishi ws48413 hdtv,Monsterpower hts2500X2,,Sony playstation2,Harmony sst-659 remote
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Sid,
    What's your price range? Since you mentioned NAD, maybe you can give the C272 a try. It's an updated version of my C270 with a little more power. A lot of power and reserves and never had a problem driving the LSi9 to insane levels.
    I think you will find their 'Soft Clipping' feature very useful;).

    Maurice
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    Speakers - 400-500
    Amp - 300-400
    (Christmas, Bday money for the year to come or summer..hmm not sure)

    Would like to go as cheap as possible on this...

    300 watt Soundcraftsmen go for like 200....so....big consideration with them...

    Adcom has lost so much value in their amps the past month, they are very enticing! Especially since I am a fan, the 545 lost about 50 dollars, 535 lost 40-50, and the 555 lost anywhere from 50-100 it seems on EBay...

    NAD is a big consideration, I like the preamp so the amp outta be awesome as well.

    Yeah, LED lights are very important for me to have...I have to be able to know to turn it down to not incase I'm running short..lol

    one reason why I'm an Adcom fan ;)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    The LED on the NAD just indicates that you've activated the 'Soft Clipping' switch. The amp automatically smooths out any clipping so there is no way you can make the amp clip. The 'Impedance Sensing Circuitry' is very neat too. The amp will continuously scan the changing load of the speakers and adjust its power supply to give the best power transfer.

    Maurice
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    I like that! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........will definetely look into that model when I am ready to buy this 2 channel rig!

    Thanks!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    You're welcome. Look for C272 at www.nadelectronics.com

    Let us know how it turns out. Good luck.

    Maurice
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited March 2004
    how does the soft cliping feature work? i dont really understand how you can turn it up to volumes that would cause it to clip, and continually get louder, but not have the amp clip. how does tht work?
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Airplay,
    I didn't say you can keep turning the volume up when the amp is clipping (soft clipping engaged). All it does is prevent the amp from turning the output signal into DC. Tubes do the same thing when overdriven.

    So instead of getting this:
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    You get this:
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    This is from the NAD website:

    NAD Soft Clipping
    Any amplifier that is overdriven (asked to generate levels beyond its undistorted capabilities) will produce distortion (clipping). The result is not only very harsh sound but often damage to speakers — especially tweeters. The selectable "Soft Clipping" feature on NAD amplifiers gently transforms the music waveform as the point of clipping approaches, resulting in much clearer reproduction and simultaneous protection of speakers. One very valuable time to consider using the soft clipping option is during a party. As more and more people crowd into a room, and create more and more background noise, it is all too easy to keep setting the volume higher without realizing just how high you have turned it up. Switching in Soft Clipping will greatly reduce the chance of damage. Nothing, however, can absolutely guarantee protection against cranking volume up and leaving it there for a prolonged period. So it is best to use Soft Clipping as temporary protection until you can get to the volume control to set loudness at a more reasonable point.
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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited March 2004
    how does it not effect the volume of the music or change the way it sounds?
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited March 2004
    Big effing Carver, period. I'd say NAD, Rotel, etc, if it wasn't you.

    I know YOU will push them right to, and probably beyond their limits, so you will probably have the best luck with a BIG Carver.

    I've got 1 horsepower per channel in my cave on the SRS 2's (TFM45) - if you need it any louder, you need your hearing checked.

    Cheers,
    Rooster
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Originally posted by Airplay355
    how does it not effect the volume of the music or change the way it sounds?

    Once the amp is clipping, the transistors are in saturation and no more gain can be achieved. There will be a change in sound. You won't get the full dynamic impact. Instead, the sound is slightly compressed to save the speaker's lives. For example...Instead of getting a 115db peak, you'll get 110db.

    Sean,
    Funny you mentioned that. I was playing around with the soft clipping last week and noticed the exact same thing even at low volumes. Sounds a little more 'tubey'? Smoother mids but the highs really changed. I kept my ears close to the speakers while switching back and forth and the difference can easily be heard. I plan to drive the speakers hard with soft clipping when I have time to see if I like it more.

    Maurice
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited March 2004
    Well.... you did ask for the BEST amp.

    Right now, I'm using my Monitor 10's for front mains and for 2 channel. These are the Monitor 10 series 2 that I bought from Wangotango for $110. I subsequently replaced all the generic drivers with new MW6503's from Polk. So, essentially, these are new Monitor 10's.

    Anyway, I am driving them with a Krell KAV250A. Its 250 wpc and it doubles down all the way to 2 ohms. These monitor 10's can sing with the best speakers. Its really not the Monitor 10's that make them so good. Its the Krell behind them. I've driven them off a Yamaha 80wpc receiver before and they didn't sound half as good as they do with the Krell.

    Now, Sid, I know you are a "kid" and this type of amplication is out of your price-point. But, since you asked, I would have to say that the Polk speakers you listed will truly come to life with proper amplification. Some day (soon), I'm going to switch out the Monitor 10's with my CRS+ and listen to the CRS+ with quality upstream electronics.

    Anyway.... I'm a true believer in quality upstream components. You need a good source, a clean pre-amp (not a receiver), and a beefy 250wpc amp to get the best sound out of a Polk speaker. I would always recommend matching the amp to the speaker's rated WPC. Now, I'm not saying that the Krell is the end-all of amps. There are better amps. There are also worse amps. I think a good Adcom is a big step in the right direction. Personally, I'd spend just a little more and go with the odyssey stratos amp if I were you. Its not a Krell, but its very close for a lot less coinage.

    Oh, btw, I bought the Krell used. It was still expensive, but I could sell it tomorrow and get 90% of my money back. I would highly recommend buying used to save some money.

    - Ron
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited March 2004
    Krell nice Really REALLY NICE:D

    It may be out of my range also.

    But I wonder how much this sounds over Bryston, Parasound, Outlaw, Sunfire. I hope to get out there soon to hear some of these, it's hard for me the think that this maybe the speaker in the show room also making the improvement.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    So we have a vote for BIG effin carver...

    NAD...

    Krell @_@

    Soundcraftsmen may be my choice of amp because of how cheap they go for....

    Price is going to play a large roll in this rig as it really isnt needed...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited March 2004
    If Soundcraftsman is in the running, I'd throw in SAE also. Big power on the cheap, and good reliability factor.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited March 2004
    Soundcraftsmens' are rock solid, and really wonderfully sounding as well. They never got the respect in the audio community that they deserved. They are fiercely underrated as evidenced by looking at any Soundcraftsmen "test sheet" which shows the actual output/distortion/slew rate/SN ratio...ect, for that particular amp, by serial number.

    Ask WoodyJacobs or Terrax...both PM840's they have came from me, and have the original spec sheets from the factory.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    With Soundcraftsmen...

    it looks like you can pay 200 bucks for a very underrated 300 watt amp...

    200-250 bucks for 300 watts. Thats under a dollar a watt.

    That is the one to beat right there...

    Steve,
    Yeah my Dad has the A900, 400 watts, it bench tested for 427 or so...
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited March 2004
    I'd vote for the big **** Carver as well... Mine is rated for 400W/channel into my 1B's and I think my eyeballs would pop out of my head if I ever tried to use all of it.

    I've had the amp pushing the speakers for about 12-16 hours a day, everyday since Thursday morning and the amp has not even gotten the least bit warm...

    ~$300 or so...
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited March 2004
    500wpc @4ohms

    pioneer amp
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited March 2004
    Pioneer made some really nice sounding stuff back then. :p

    Can't too much about them now.



    Originally posted by danger boy
    500wpc @4ohms

    pioneer amp

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,791
    edited March 2004
    The soundcraftsmen sold for 150 + shipping, 180 total...

    300 watts x 2...

    That is the amp I want...hmmm

    Thanks for all suggestions...

    Pioneer..

    I have had enough of Pioneer as of late...

    Pioneer receivers, speakers...just aint for me.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • rskarvan
    rskarvan Posts: 2,374
    edited March 2004
    ATC, re: your quote:

    "Im very suprised Krell would mate with Monitor's. Bright speakers on very aggressive gear..."

    I was surprised too. The Monitor 10's seemed to come to life. The upper end (SL2500's) became very nice sounding. The midrange became flawless. The bottom end of the Monitor 10's is still weak (IMO)... but, acceptable. Definitely the best that I have ever heard any Monitor 10 ever sound.

    - Ron
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    Sean,
    The problem with the highs went away completely when I got the AA DITB and DTI. I know I said this in my other thread but I'll say it again:D. I haven't enjoyed my system this much ever since my tube amp went down. The Audioquest 'Diamondback' really helped too. I liked the Rotel more before I started focussing on the NAD. I know you'll overcome this problem because it's quite easy to fix. Play around with sources, IC's, etc.

    Maurice
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited March 2004
    LOL:D. I bought most of my stuff without hearing them first.

    Maurice
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