Amplifier for Living Room Setup

[lyz]

This forum has been a huge help in selecting audio equipment. Thanks for the wealth of information that is here.

I use a computer to connect to the living room TV and have some pretty specific requirements for a amplifier:

1. It must have an auto turn on/off function -- or use < 5 watts idle
2. It needs to push the Polk Audio Monitor 60 Series II attached to it today...and have headroom if the speakers are changed in the future
3. There should be very minimal speaker hiss.
4. It should have the best price/performance ratio for a product that meets this criteria.
5. It must be fanless
6. It must be cheaper than $300 USD
7. There must be a location where it can be purchased (no go to a thrift shop answers ).

The DAC will be a Topping D50s which is arriving soon.

I started with a Harmon-Kardon BDS-280, if that is where I should've stayed, that is a valid response (even though it fails criteria #5 and #6). This is a bit of a entertaining project as I'm at home a lot now-a-days.

Amps tried (most are lower wattage):
Klipsch Powergate: failed criteria #1 and #3 - It was drawing 14Watts in standby
Micca AD250: probably the baby of what I'm really after
Fx Audio D802: PASSES -- can't use it with the D50s though
SMSL SA100: fails #3

First Candidate:
I have a monoprice unity 200w on the way. It is possible that it fits all of the criteria and this whole post is moot. People have reviewed this as having a hiss so I may just end up flipping it.

Other Candidates:
The Behringer A800 is really close. I don't believe that has auto-power off and don't know about the idle power usage or hiss. (obviously, this is a higher watt amp)
The SMSL DA-8s may be a candidate as well. This is another product that I'm unfamiliar with.

I'm looking for other suggestions in this space.

 

[jrampoldi]

Emotiva A-150
or maybe
Integra ADM-20.4 currently $329 (ebay)

 

[lyz]

Emotiva A-150
or maybe
Integra ADM-20.4 currently $329 (ebay)

This seems like a screaming deal
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Integra-AD...reo-Power-Amplifier-CFDON-462640/254542643546

There are not a lot of reviews for the Integra that I can find. It looks like it would be a perfect fit though.

There isn't a 12v trigger output on the dac. Is there a different way to trigger from the dac for something like the Emotiva? EG. a SCG-3MVR powerstip or something else out there?

 

[jrampoldi]

this amplifier spec concerns me:

Power Output 75 W / Channel 8 Ω
65 W / Channel 4 Ω

typically the power should double in 4 ohms

also a reviewer on crutchfield says it hums

 

[fordiebianco]

While I'm sure it doesn't measure as well as a Benchmark, but I have this thing's little brother, and it doesn't hiss at all: https://doukaudio.com/nobsound-a2-h...fier-home-stereo-audio-amp-aptx-ll-p0186.html

 

[JustJones]

It doesn't meet number 6 it's $350

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_190SI2100/Niles-SI-2100.html

 

[SIY]

 

[lyz]

The monoprice unity 200w had aweful static and hiss. Returned it. The Topping D50s didn't work either. It was used on Amazon. All of the output was static. Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to keep watching the reviews and the forum to see when something better comes along.

 

[Bear123]

Why not just get the Denon 3500 for $499? It includes DAC's, so probably cheaper than a cheap 2 channel + a DAC, and likely better measured performance than a cheap amp. You also get the ability to add a center channel if you ever want to, along with a sub or subs if you want higher fidelity. Also you can eq the low end on your speakers. But will also serve perfectly well for just two speakers without the added fidelity of subs and eq.

 

[lyz]

Why not just get the Denon 3500 for $499?

Because the TV is a glorified computer monitor. A USB DAC is my preferred route of connection. The BDS-280 had issues with passing through HDMI which soured me to AVRs. The HDMI from the computer may be 144Hz at 4K soon. Something that just does audio is my preference.

 

[Reigningchamp]

The Dayton APA-150 looks like it fits the bill in this case. From reviews online it has no audible hiss or distortion and seems reliable given how long its been on the market.

 

[A800]

The A800 is dead quiet.

 

[lyz]

After returning the combo that I expected to work, I purchased a SMSL SA300. It arrived yesterday. It consumes 1.5Watts of power. The speaker hiss is unnoticeable unless I put my ear right next to the tweeter. Fanless as well. It meets all of the points while costing $140 --- and it provides a DAC. The only caveat with it is there is no optical input.

 

[Willem]

It is a bit anaemic to my taste. Why get an amplifier with a DAC/preamp built in when you have just bought a DAC and preamp?
By the way, auto on/off of a power amplifier is easily achieved with a Master/Slave power strip. In that case you would still have to turn offf the preamp/DAC, of course.
As far as I am concerned the best value for money in affordable integrated amplifers with digital inputs is in the Yamaha AS501/701/801 series (but this may of course depend on your specific market). But since you already have an Excellent DAC in the Topping D50s all you needed was a power amplifier.

 

[lyz]

IWhy get an amplifier with a DAC/preamp built in when you have just bought a DAC and preamp?

Totally agree with you. Sadly, the D50s I purchased was defective. It was returned. At that point, the DAC was necessary again.