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Best Stereo Power Amplifier under $100 USD?

proj964

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Looking for a clue as to the "best" stereo power amplifier selling for under $100 USD.
Feel free to define "best" in your answer as I know there are lots of possible criteria.
Some are measurements and some are subjective. And picking this given price
point means that there have to be compromises. Otherwise there is always the
AHB2 for $3K.
 
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amirm

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bigx5murf

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With some luck on local classifieds a vintage Denon or Yamaha from the higher range line will serve you nicely..

This is pretty much the only choice with under $100 budget. Use hifiengine to check specs.

I'm using one of these, I bought it for $13 at Goodwill, and it was in pristine condition. The only issue is the tone control button light is out.
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/sony/ta-ax6.shtml
 

sergeauckland

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I'm rather a fan of the Behringer A500. They're only about 150 brand new, so used should be easily available for 100, possibly less now that the A500 has been superseded by the A800 at about the same price.

I haven't specified currency, as in the UK and Europe generally, there is 20% VAT, pushing the price up to where there's little difference between the £ $ or Euro price

S
 

JeffS7444

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You might be able to get a decent secondhand Crown D75A for that price but it will probably look well-used. Also perhaps the most powerful headphone amp (~35 watts) as the headphone jack is wired directly to the outputs. Main downside is that the ones I've owned buzzed audibly from the power transformers.
 

Robin L

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I keep finding AV receivers in thrift shops, usually $15 to $60. Am using a Yahama 5.1 AV receiver in a 2.1 system, sounds fine with a/d/s 400s and a Sonance 8" powered sub. The receiver set me back $40.
 

Count Arthur

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Or chipamps using bare boards

I built a LM3866 based "gainclone" a while back:

Gainclone01.jpg
Gainclone07.jpg


I think the kit including the bare boards and components was fairly innexpensive, but by the time I'd added the case, transformers and all the switches etc. it cost over £200.

I've no idea how it measures, but it sounds pretty good to my ears. It doesnt quite have the "impact" or the clarity of my Hypex amps, but it's very "listenable".

I don't think ChipAmp, where I got the kit is still going, but there are still a lot of LM3886 boards and kits on Ebay; no doubt some will be pretty good and some will be awful.
 

bilzebubba

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What do you think is a good price point for one or perhaps recommend something that doesn't break a bank. Thanks

Bump! Just bought my brother some speakers (q acoustic 3010i) but he has to supply the amp... 200 to 250 would be nice sweet spot
 

somebodyelse

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$100 is quite low for a power amplifier. If you want something at just works here is one option: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/smsl-sa100-audio-amplifier-review.9706/
Why does the SA100 get the nod over the similarly priced and better measuring FX502SPro? Was it that iffy in operation, or did it just suffer due to being the first, and power amps in general not living up to the standards of DACs and headphone amps? After all this time it's still near the middle of the SINAD chart, and one of the cheapest tested.
 

Wes

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used nad etc. - and at a Salvation Army place not advertised ones

you want a place that doesn't know what it's worth
 
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