Stereo Amp ideas….

I am well over due a separates amp replacement as the hum is almost as loud as the music from the speakers 🙄

Problem is I have lost track over the years as to what is good these days. Not looking to spend mega bucks……just cant 🙁

The Amp it would be replacing is a middle of the range Sony from 11 years ago. The rest of the kit will be looked at as it dies.

I keep getting emails from Richer Sounds re their Cambridge stuff but know nothing about it.

Any thoughts?

to remove the hum just take out the main fuse and run everything on batteries…

Fix the old one?

Get a NAD3020 from 1980-something off ebay for about £30 like I did 🙂

Arcam Alpha 3 off ebay.

I suspect analogue circuit design isn't moving at a great pace, so all you'll gain with a brand new amp is remote control.

Thanks folks.

Repair I am guessing would just not be economical…….

Likeing the battery idea though 😉

I have longed for Arcam stuff in the passed but have never been able to afford it 🙁

As for NAD – I do like it and a local shop carries quite a bit of stock……

Cambridge amps are very good. Solid build, nice sound, all you need really.

Having said that, secondhand is much better value. NAD is plentiful – just narrow your search to ten miles from your home and then go grab a bargain. There will be new ones every week.

NAD stuff seems to be simple, well-built and reliable. Can't stand some of these flashy fancy 'surround sound digital processing XZ759' type things that seem to be all over the place these days. What you need is something with a power button, volume control knob and source selector switch. And maybe a little light to tell you it's on.

If you're not 'trying before buying' don't forget to check
Richer Sounds[/url]

I went on ebay and bought a Cambridge Audio C500 preamp and two P500 power amps. Old stuff, but it was super cheap (maybe £100 the lot) and allows me to bi-amp, which is brilliant.

I was told that analogue circuit design HAS been improving recently…

In regards to Arcam stuff, I picked up an Arcam alpha 5 amp and a cd player for my sis from eBay think it was about £250 for them both. Sound awesome and Arcam support is legendary. I have put first dibbs on them if they ever want rid I was that impressed by the sound.

I was told that analogue circuit design HAS been improving recently…

probably by someone wanting to sell you some ?

I had a Cambride C500 and two P500 power amps – I sold them to a pub where they are in constant heavy use and running without missing a beat for several years. And sounding good.

Glen – what did you change them for and why?

got an old Rotel ra-920ax. It's good enough to annoy the neighbours and looks nice. Must be less than £50 on ebay.

My cambridge audio A1 went pop, albeit after many years service and being lugged about all over the place in the back of ricketty vans.

Oh I have a Cambridge Audio A5 if you want it.

Don't forget your directional cables though! 😉 😆

Arcam support is legendary

Is it indeed – not in my experience.

The old Arcam 3s change hands for £30 a pop on ebay…

I have a cambridge audio amp and CD player

Cheap, basic – but sound very good to my ears

And maybe a little light to tell you it's on.

Oh get you all lah-de-lah with your fancy pants light and 'I am so much betterer than you' attitude.

😉

Look at second hand nad stuff. Try cash converters or cash generators. picked up a bargain from those guys.

nad 3220pe amp, castle isis speakers and target stands all for £50!!!

sounds brill

I've just bought a Cambridge Audio Azur 650A a few weeks ago and it definitely sounds better than my old 1989 NAD3020. Much more natural, cleaner sound with better midrange and softer less resonant bass.

Seriously, if you can get to Cardiff you can have my old A5 amp.

It is silly how cheap older kit is now – I refuse to sell my 15 year old Sony amp and lovely Sony Brookland Edition floorstanders – they are in storage until I have room to set them up again – which I may yet do in our loft room if I ever get around to it.

Oh get you all lah-de-lah with your fancy pants light and 'I am so much betterer than you' attitude.

😆

No, it's good to have a little light. Not too bright though, like one of my monitors. Have to put a bit of black tape over it because it's too distracting.

disappointing Arcam experience here too…although to be fair it was a very long time ago now.

Still running my Ion Obelisk 1 amp from 86 – volume control, 1 red light and 4 selector buttons 🙂

Also just bought a denon micro unit cd and DAB, pretty good for 300
notes. Probably could have got it cheaper if I lived in the metropolis

GF has an old denon/nad seperates set up, very hard to fault indeed. Probably worth 150 quid these days, madness!

I particularly like how my amp 'clunks' when I throw switches and turn knobs.

I must get it out and crank it up soon and annoy the neighbours 👿

Glen – what did you change them for and why?

Can't remember what I charged them. The landlord knew I liked stereos, and I mentioned that I wasn't using my "party" amps any more. I set it up with the control amp feeding two stereo pairs, one for each bar. The power amps are up above the optics with speaker wires at ceiling level.

Sounds good and goes pretty loud, despite modest nominal power output. You're only listening to a few watts most of the time in a house – my little valve amp (well, I say little, it weighs 16 kilos) only makes about 12 watts and I still only use the first third of the volume control.

LOL at 'clunks'

The Obelisk still has the 'Handbuilt by Thor' sticker of approval. I went to a hi-fi demo/love in once to hear the new Ion tuner, the guy who ran the company was dressed in baggy jumper and sported a bushy beard. Which kind of explained why Ricard Thompson sounds so good on their gear I spose. I have to say I shed a tear the day I plugged my first CD player in. A bit like the day Bob went electric – 'Judas!'

Happy days

there's an old Dennon set up in my house as well, I don't like it at all. Muffly thin sound with no depth or bass to it at all.

I have an arcam amp bought second hand years ago – it works fine.

Secondhand amps are a good buy IMO.

Lol at TJ 🙂

@ molgrips : I've sent you an email about your amp, hope you get it as that address on your profile looks wierd!
If not and your looking at getting rid can you pop me a mail, address in profile, cheers!

Right, not got one yet. That is custard, as in the yellow stuff .org

Acoustic Energy are outstanding value for money.

I had a Rega Brio that was pretty good. £300 new so probably £40 -£50 on Ebay these days. Solid performer.

I sold it and bought Audiolab 8000A and an 8000P (pre and power setup) for £400 second hand.

To be fair, the Brio certainly didn't disgrace itself by comparison, considering the (new) price difference of around £700 between the two setups.

Naim must be about the most tradeable equipment – just look at Ebay. A Naim Nait would be a nice buy.

I just got a Naim Uniti. At cost otherwise I'm not sure i could have sneaked it through !
Anyway, its farkin awesome. Bit of s/w on the iMac, streams via WiFi, sounds amazing. Now – new speakers 🙄