• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Ideas on solid state amp for high efficiency speakers (105db)

I

ITguyAR

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2022
Messages
34
Likes
9
Always curious of others recommendations and it seems they will be all over the place dependent on which site you ask. I own a few pairs of larger speakers and have a few higher powered solid state amps as well, which I'm sure most here would trash. But anyway. I have a pair of Speakerlab SK's, similar to Klipschorns, that I have rebuilt using better than the stock Speakerlab woofers & tweeters they came with and plus built better crossovers. In the cooler months in the south, I run a Dynakit ST-70 tube amp which sounds great on them as that's pretty much all that's needed for speakers rated at 105db @ 1-watt/1-meter. So I've thought about something in a smaller SS amp that's not a room heater since my audio room is upstairs and it heats up on its own.

Any recommendations of newer amps in the 10 to 50 wpc range or so that don't break the bank? New or used....Class D, etc., don't care. Nothing stupid priced. Just looking for different ideas that I might not have thought of even after having been in audio stuff for over 40 years. Thanks!
 
Neurochrome was my first thought as well, though not sure if OP considers ~$550 for a Stereo Modulus-86 build stupid priced.
 
Just going on rankings, the Topping LA90 has exceptionally low noise, so it would be a good candidate here if it fits the budget.
 
ITguyAR said:
Always curious of others recommendations and it seems they will be all over the place dependent on which site you ask. I own a few pairs of larger speakers and have a few higher powered solid state amps as well, which I'm sure most here would trash. But anyway. I have a pair of Speakerlab SK's, similar to Klipschorns, that I have rebuilt using better than the stock Speakerlab woofers & tweeters they came with and plus built better crossovers. In the cooler months in the south, I run a Dynakit ST-70 tube amp which sounds great on them as that's pretty much all that's needed for speakers rated at 105db @ 1-watt/1-meter. So I've thought about something in a smaller SS amp that's not a room heater since my audio room is upstairs and it heats up on its own.

Any recommendations of newer amps in the 10 to 50 wpc range or so that don't break the bank? New or used....Class D, etc., don't care. Nothing stupid priced. Just looking for different ideas that I might not have thought of even after having been in audio stuff for over 40 years. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Seconding another commenter on the LA90 - digital and analog. Benchmark has a good reputation too.

If you go to https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?pages/Reviews/, select electronics, then you can sort by SINAD, then find amplifiers or speaker amplifiers within that, and you can see the price. After that you can read the reviews and see a photo of the device. I have never found a way to do a multi-column sort.
 
Check the documented performance of candidate amplifiers in the range of ca. 30 to 500 mW output power into a real-world (reactive) load and make your decision based on that*. Many amps (at least of the Class AB kind) are not at their best at fleapower levels of output. I don't know how Class D amps are at very low output power; I haven't looked that closely. Probably OK.

___________
* I.e., if you cannot try before you buy and/or if you don't want to hassle with a return.
 
mhardy6647 said:
Check the documented performance of candidate amplifiers in the range of ca. 30 to 500 mW output power into a real-world (reactive) load and make your decision based on that*. Many amps (at least of the Class AB kind) are not at their best at fleapower levels of output. I don't know how Class D amps are at very low output power; I haven't looked that closely. Probably OK.

___________
* I.e., if you cannot try before you buy and/or if you don't want to hassle with a return.
Click to expand...

Have always enjoyed getting your input through the years on various forums. I'm avguytx on AK and Klipsch Community. Been on AK since summer of 2006. Man, time flies. So do you run tubes year round? Something else?

I appreciate everyone's input and I'm going to check some of these suggestions out that have been mentioned.
 
Sokel said:
Nice,clean and low noise as a 105dB speaker needs...
I would look for a Neurochrome built if I was near as you are.

neurochrome.com

Browse Our Collection of Power Amplifiers | Neurochrome

In need of power amplifiers for your DIY stereo and home theatre setup? Browse our collection of power amplifiers to add to your DIY audio engineering rig.
neurochrome.com neurochrome.com
Click to expand...
staticV3 said:
Neurochrome was my first thought as well, though not sure if OP considers ~$550 for a Stereo Modulus-86 build stupid priced.
Click to expand...

Are there any of these already built or is it only in kit form?
 
ITguyAR said:
Have always enjoyed getting your input through the years on various forums. I'm avguytx on AK and Klipsch Community. Been on AK since summer of 2006. Man, time flies. So do you run tubes year round? Something else?

I appreciate everyone's input and I'm going to check some of these suggestions out that have been mentioned.
Click to expand...
I run everything, all the time. :)
Great to see you over here! Don't be afraid of this crowd; reputations notwithstanding, they don't bite :) (and they've had their shots, in case they do).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Van Alstine set 120 Control amp
Replies
2
Views
930
Bombastoe
B
G
Yamaha R-N1000A to power (in)sensitive 88 dB / 5 ohms speakers?
Replies
10
Views
2K
DanielT
DanielT
K
Tube vs solid state amp measured with REW
2
Replies
25
Views
3K
Chrispy
Chrispy
A
NC252MP High Pitched Whine from Speakers
Replies
8
Views
960
AcousticTheory
A
E
Vintage JBL 44 Lancer with a Consonance A100II solid state amp
Replies
7
Views
1K
EVDavis
E
Back
Top Bottom