Overall Best Bang for Bucks Amp under 1000 ?

[b4nt]

This is an option for some.

Yes, for some. You did that all before enjoying your amps

 

[MrOtto]

Not many DACs are god enough in Preamp mode, so use fixed volume (DAC mode) and get a preamp in between CCA and DAC and the Hypex poweramp.

 

[MaxBuck]

Power is not the be and end all. Synergy, a good room and personal preferences is where it's at.

Heard an amazing pairing of an Audiolab 6000A and a pair of tiny Rogers LS35A's. I thought it was Magic. Who'd have thought?

Some of these cheap Chinese chip amplifiers sound crude and I don't think they hold up to something from Rega, Audiolab, CA etc.

They may look 'reasonable' on a graph but when it comes to playing music ...

Having said that, I still have a Topping MX3 which was a quick in-between solution. Once I added a tube buffer and swapped for some Mullard's it sounded perfectly acceptable (I think the MX3 measures cr*** ... perhaps that's why). Musical but still not Hifi.

My vote for best amplifier under a grand goes to the Audiolab 6000a Play or Quad Vena Play.

Pair with some Quad S2's and you have a lovely, unpretentious but well featured little system that would keep many happy for years imho.

Did you get lost on your way to an audiophile site?

 

[Doodski]

The inert drivers of the other speakers have a dramatic effect on the ones playing. This was proved in the 80's by Paul Barton PSB speakers in the National Research Institute in Canada.

All that said you can certainly do a rough pick and then listen in a single environment.

I Googled the topic of, "Paul Barton multiple speakers in sound room bad." I'm curious about the detrimental effect of multiple speakers in a sound room. I found many Paul Barton results but nothing about the topic.

 

[Jim Matthews]

Did you get lost on your way to an audiophile site?

Walks like a duck, talks like a duck...

 

[mhardy6647]

You can't possibly listen to anything 2.1 properly with more than one set of speakers in the room at a time.

 

[NiagaraPete]

I Googled the topic of, "Paul Barton multiple speakers in sound room bad." I'm curious about the detrimental effect of multiple speakers in a sound room. I found many Paul Barton results but nothing about the topic.

I should have corrected my post. It was in the 70's.

As the story goes. He was given a grant to do acoustic research, which was basically used to design the first PSB speakers. One of his buddies or nemesis took a briefcase with a driver mounted in it into the chamber. This changed all the results while he was displaying the results. I believe it was meant as a joke but the results were results.

Now this was like 45 years ago so I may have messed up some of the story but the end result is still true today. Many high end audio dealers advertise single speaker listening rooms.

Cheers,
Peter

PS how do I know about this. The company I worked for was the first chain to carry PSB.

 

[Doodski]

I should have corrected my post. It was in the 70's.

As the story goes. He was given a grant to do acoustic research, which was basically used to design the first PSB speakers. One of his buddies or nemesis took a briefcase with a driver mounted in it into the chamber. This changed all the results while he was displaying the results. I believe it was meant as a joke but the results were results.

Now this was like 45 years ago so I may have messed up some of the story but the end result is still true today. Many high end audio dealers advertise single speaker listening rooms.

Cheers,
Peter

PS how do I know about this. The company I worked for was the first chain to carry PSB.

Thanks for the details. I was kinda searching for test results so we can have a better idea of the difference between a sound room full of speakers or not. I heard something about this in the mid 80's but I was never prone to executing the plan for one speaker per room because it's just too much work setting up a system every time a customer was looking for gear. I think the word on the street was that the bass suffers. I was going to create a new thread about the topic but I need some spec numbers to post to make it worthy of peeps time and knowledge contribution.

 

[Shanman]

Are we speaking of other static speakers just sitting in the same room? I'm trying to get the big picture here.

 

[Doodski]

Are we speaking of other static speakers just sitting in the same room? I'm trying to get the big picture here.

Yes. Like in a room with dozens of other speakers sitting there quiescent. The idea is that the quiescent woofers absorb the playing speaker's energy and decrease the bass response.

 

[NiagaraPete]

Thanks for the details. I was kinda searching for test results so we can have a better idea of the difference between a sound room full of speakers or not. I heard something about this in the mid 80's but I was never prone to executing the plan for one speaker per room because it's just too much work setting up a system every time a customer was looking for gear. I think the word on the street was that the bass suffers. I was going to create a new thread about the topic but I need some spec numbers to post to make it worthy of peeps time and knowledge contribution.

I'd be interested in actual numbers as well. Though I've always assumed it to be true just based on the logic.

 

[SacreDro]

Any recommendation on a sub 1000$ amp new or used that does the trick?

 

[Phorize]

What do you intend to drive with it and what sources will you use?

 

[JiiPee]

Some of my favorites in this price/features category:
- Audiophonics DA-S125NC / DA-S250NC / DAW-S250NC depending on how much power You want and whether You want to have WiFi connectivity. Good set of features and lots of clean power for very reasonable price.
- Quad Vena II - A very nice overall performer if You don't need huge power, and comes with decent headphones amp and MM-preamp as a bonus just in case You might want them sometime in the future...

An important criteria for me is also that they are both manufactured in societies that respect human rights. YMMV.

 

[SacreDro]

What do you intend to drive with it and what sources will you use?

Denon DCD 600NE CD player and a pair of Wharfedale Dimonds 11.2 an another pair of French speakers. Will probably buy a DAC with USB input though I saw Rotel and other amps have USB input aswell.

 

[SacreDro]

Some of my favorites in this price/features category:
- Audiophonics DA-S125NC / DA-S250NC / DAW-S250NC depending on how much power You want and whether You want to have WiFi connectivity. Good set of features and lots of clean power for very reasonable price.
- Quad Vena II - A very nice overall performer if You don't need huge power, and comes with decent headphones amp and MM-preamp as a bonus just in case You might want them sometime in the future...

An important criteria for me is also that they are both manufactured in societies that respect human rights. YMMV.

I don't need much power since I don't have a mansion and drive some bookshelf speakers.

 

[Overseas]

Any recommendation on a sub 1000$ amp new or used that does the trick?

Rotel A11 Tribute
Yamaha AS501
Used: Yamaha AS 1100

 

[SacreDro]

Rotel has QC problems unless I go for high budget amps.
Jard to find As-1100 around 1000 Euro, just found a A-S2000 for 675 Euro or A-S1100 for around 500 Euro, don't know if new ones come close to the performance of those.

 

[Overseas]

I own A11 Tribute in Europe, its construction rigour is way beyond price.
What problems did you encounter with current Rotel range?

 

[Overseas]

Rotel has QC problems unless I go for high budget amps.
Jard to find As-1100 around 1000 Euro, just found a A-S2000 for 675 Euro or A-S1100 for around 500 Euro, don't know if new ones come close to the performance of those.

I want 5 pieces AS1100 at 500 euro each, please.