Balanced Amp Suggestions?

Gadabout
Gadabout Posts: 1,072
edited February 2008 in 2 Channel Audio
You folks are contagious ;), and I have gotten the upgrade bug and decided to make a dedicated 2ch system.

My recent acquisition of a DAC w/ balanced outputs is what started me on this path. So for now, I'm looking for a amp that accepts balanced inputs. In keeping with my mid-fi price range of $500 - $1K, I have been looking at B&K. The Reference 125.2 S2 would seem to fit the bill.

Is there something else I should be looking at?

Thanx in advance for your suggestions,
Scott

Note: I haven't decided on speakers yet. I figured I would go listen to something pretty efficent that can easily fill a small (10x14) listening room with sound.
Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid. ..... Frank Zappa
Post edited by Gadabout on
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Comments

  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited February 2008
    Contact me in a couple days. I have an Adcom 5800 MOSFET amp with balanced inputs 250wpc 8ohms, and 450wpc 4ohms that I might be selling on the lower end of your budget.

    http://www.adcom.com/data/manuals/gfa5800manual.pdf
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,207
    edited February 2008
    ^^^^^^That'd be your baby^^^^^^
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  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited February 2008
    Thanx Ben,

    I was looking for abit more power than 125w/ch anyways but the budget was constarining it.

    I'll shoot you a PM in a couple days.

    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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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited February 2008
    Ummmm....read again it's 250 wpc @ 8 ohms and 400 wpc @ 4 ohms. Not sure where you are getting the 125 wpc.

    Great amp, and if he let's it go at the lower end of your budget it's a steal.

    H9

    P.s. The manual is a bit confusing, when it states both channels driven, it doesn't mean cut the printed rating in half. It's basically stating under what conditions the 250 wpc were measured. Some amps in order to beef up the specs printed on paper will either limit the bandwidth or only have one channel driven at a time, thus putting less stress on the internal components and achieving a higher theoretical output, which they can print on a piece of paper.

    The amp is 250 wpc @ 8 ohms 400 wpc @ 4 ohms.
    "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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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,775
    edited February 2008
    heiney9 wrote: »
    Ummmm....read again it's 250 wpc @ 8 ohms and 400 wpc @ 4 ohms. Not sure where you are getting the 125 wpc.

    I believe he was refering to the B&K 125.2 S2 that he was originally considering.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,557
    edited February 2008
    Check out a used BAT VK-200. It's a true balanced design, zero feedback and should be close to the upper end of your budget. Don't let the 100 wpc rating fool you, it packs a punch.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited February 2008
    WilliamM2 wrote: »
    I believe he was refering to the B&K 125.2 S2 that he was originally considering.

    Ah, thought he was referring to Ben's Adcom.

    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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  • whoknows
    whoknows Posts: 12
    edited February 2008
    You already have a preamp or that DAC includes volume control?
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited February 2008
    Don't be confused by the babbling brook racing over the sand pebbles.

    There is only The One near your budget and it will stretch it. Step up and step out with Balanced Audio Technologies.

    The B&K are sweet little things for a fast dance but when it comes to belly button rubbing time Balanced Audio has a refined class you can't resist.

    Oh yea, balanced design trumps unbalanced.

    RT1--Audio Infidel.
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  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited February 2008
    whoknows wrote: »
    You already have a preamp or that DAC includes volume control?

    Buying a Prometheus TVC. Placed the order yesterday.


    .... and yes I was referring to the B&K (at 125w /ch) but wasn't that clear about it. It's all good.

    .... Thanx for posting the spec sheet on that amp.

    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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  • Gadabout
    Gadabout Posts: 1,072
    edited February 2008
    I guess I need to patrol the Flea Market more often. :)

    Russ's price on the Audes Soul speakers made it an easy decision to choose new speakers for the 2 ch system. So I do have speakers now (or will as soon as I pick them up).

    So, the amp will be driving the Audes.

    [2ch system]
    Marantz SA8260
    Audiosmile Behringer SRC2496
    Prometheus TVC
    Audes Soul
    Prometheus Silver XLR's
    Balanced Amp - ????


    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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