Need Advice On Low-budget Stereo Amplifiers

[Zurvan]

Hi Everybody,

I'm really glad of finding this place on the net.

I'm going to setup a system for a small to medium size room and was searching on the net, reading reviews, etc. for couple of days now.

The problem is my limited budget (something around $1000-$1500) for the whole system!! :) yep! I know it's kind of joke for player+amp+speakers but regretfully I won't be able to spend more.
Since this forum is regarding amps I just want to know your suggestions regarding a stereo integrated amplifier with the price around $500. The followings are my current choices :

Yamaha : AX-397, AX-497
Marantz : PM-4400
Denon : PMA-355, PMA-700EA

Do I have any more choices? What do you think about Rotel amps?
I'll be so glad if any of you had an experience with any of above amps and any suggestion regarding the place where I can find these brands/models in Australia.

I watch movies regularly, but the quality of the movies' sound is not important for me, so I prefer having a high quality sound while listening to music rather than movies.

BTW I've chosen the player (Yamaha C750 or S657), does this affect the amplifier which I should choose to buy?

Thanks in advance

p.s. : I also opened a new topic in speakers forum regarding the low-budget floorstanding speakers of my future system.

[Keith_W]

Since that other thread has a reply I think that further follow-ups should be made in that thread. Marc?

[Zurvan]

Since that other thread has a reply I think that further follow-ups should be made in that thread. Marc?
[/b]

Couldn't find any post matching my case, specially about my limited budget which is around $500 (not like $2000 in other posts), if there is any let me know.

[Drizt]

Second hand all the way if your budget is that small.

[Zurvan]

Second hand all the way if your budget is that small.
[/b]

You mean those above amps are completely craps and nothing but wasting money?
Regarding used amps, what do you seggest?
Any ideas about marantz vs denon vs nad entry-level amps? (below $600)

[norpus]

Rotel 2ch is good also

[alebonau]

a few reasonable options here. either 2nd hand as people mentioned

or a nad opener
http://www.tivolihifi.com.au/index.php?mai...;products_id=33 (http://www.tivolihifi.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2&products_id=33)

or one from cambridge audio
http://www.carltonaudiovisual.com.au/?q=node/view/99

and marantz have jsut released a cd amp pair by the looks
http://www.carltonaudiovisual.com.au/?q=node/view/757
http://www.carltonaudiovisual.com.au/?q=node/view/759

[Tweaky]

Ebay-marantz 400A if you can win the bid.

They seem to go for a lot more than the usual one third new price,there is a reason for that.
They are actually worth it.

As long as you don't require headbanging levels or opt for bass heavy material,I mean it's only 45-50w p/c.
use speakers that are rated at around 88+db at 8ohms and your in heaven for the finacially challenged.

Built like battleships and sound really good,hard to go wrong if you get one of these.
The pre amp section of these amps is run heavily into class A,that's why they sound so sweet,they even have a decent phono stage.

Try to get a 400AX if possible,even better,this one has class A biased phono stage for MM and MC,the sweetest little amp you could wish for,nothing on the market now that compares.
OR
a real rarity a Marantz PM4.
http://www.marantz.jp/bc/brand/museum/03/pm4.html
,maratz's answer to the Musical Fidelity A100.

15w a side of pure class A bliss.

Good Luck.

[tanka]

Hi there,
I think it definetely pays to take your time and shop around. I'll give you an example. I only a couple of weeks ago was looking for a reasonably cheap integrated amp for my computer. After monitoring ebay for awhile there were a lot of things that I liked that went for more than I wanted to pay. Driving past a shop in downtown gods country, (Wollongong) I saw a electronics shop that was having a closing down sale. They had an amplifier sitting in their storeroom (brand new in box) sitting under a whole bunch crap since 1994. It was a Pioneer A-300x and for $200 it was mine. I was lucky I guess, but still it pays to look around thoroughly, you never know what will turn up.
Now to the topic at hand. My pioneer seems well built and sounds good so maybe they would be worth listening to. I think the new model is called the A-109 and is reasonably priced. Sherwood used to make integrated amps, but not sure if they still do. They have stereo receivers on their US website, and they are usually good bang for buck products. I believe Eastwood HiFi sells Sherwood stuff.
Good luck and have fun!!!!
Tanka.

[davidsss]

I bought a second hand Rotel RA980BX earlier this year on EBay for less than $400. I have bought quite a lot of second hand hifi gear over the years and it has always been good - the Rotel replaced a Luxman L215 which lasted me over 10 years so that's good going. The Rotel is 100W per channel and sounds nice, and the current 100w Rotel 2ch amp is over $1,000. I'd definately recommend second hand although you don't get to listen first so look for lots of reviews.

DS

[Drizt]

Definately nothing wrong with buying electronics second hand.

My Amp and CD player are both second or third hand.

[joz]

:biggrin: Guys I know this is probably not what you guys want to see here, but recently at work our amp died,In a hurry to get sound up and running(I'm in a restaurant)I bolted down to the local HI-fi store,I think the recommendation was a cheap Yammy at over $400.
Instead I bolted down to **** smith and bought their intergrated unit for $150 on special,normaly$199.At this price its great,Ok not the last word in transparency,but more than a capable budget unit.
Power ratings ???80-100 watts, depends where on the packaging you read .
It looks like it came out of the Exposure amps factory in China.Nice aluminium facia to boot.
This will leave plenty more for some speakers.
:biggrin:

[hired goon]

G'day,

You can always pick up a cheap DVD player, to use for CD playback. Some are as cheap as $50 these days. Not the best sound quality, but it may do until you can afford a decent CD player. And you may get the added bonus of ability to use CD-R, CD-RW, etc (or even MP3, though navigating the directories without a display may be tricky).

Coupled with a **** Smith 2-ch amp and the **** Smith bookshelf speakers, you've got a $300 system, with parts that can be thrown out as you upgrade to better equipment. :biggrin:

--Geoff

[Aslan]

Dont forget that Jaycar now have a $199 stereo amp as well.
AA0470 2x100watts into 8 ohms. Five line inputs plus phono stage.
Great buying at that price.

[Zurvan]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. I think I was somehow wrong about the choices, now If would buy new ones some of my choices are the followings :

Marantz PM7001 (or the old PM7200)
NAD C325BBE (or the old C352)
Denon PMA-700EA

Since I found that I better buy a used pair of floorstandings, I'm not sure if I'm going to buy a used amp too.

The question is which of the above choices do you suggest? almost all of them have similar prices...
I'll try to read some reviews in order to compare them to each other myself, but I'll be so glad if you help me in this way.



Dont forget that Jaycar now have a $199 stereo amp as well.
AA0470 2x100watts into 8 ohms. Five line inputs plus phono stage.
Great buying at that price.
[/b]

Regretfully I don't have any idea about Jaycar amps. How do you compare their similar products to the brands like NAD & Marantz?

Thanks

[hired goon]

G'day,

There's a strange and budget-priced amp at CAV: the Dared Mp5 Valve (http://www.carltonaudiovisual.com.au/?q=node/view/728) amp, for $599.

Just a wee little single-input valve amp (around 5-6 watts, I think), and headphone amp but it has USB port ... I guess it has a DAC, and you can plug yer iPod into it, or stream MP3s from yer PC, or whatever. I dunno.

Just an odd little amp, really.

--Geoff

[Aslan]

Out of those I'd go with the Denon PMA700 if it's in your price range.
I have a PMA500 approaching it's 20th birthday and still going strong.

[Zurvan]

Out of those I'd go with the Denon PMA700 if it's in your price range.
I have a PMA500 approaching it's 20th birthday and still going strong.
[/b]

All of the three are in my price range, but I don't know which of is more musical yet...
I'm trying to read some useful reviews, I'll be so glad if anyone has a helpful comment on any of them.

[alebonau]

hey hows about my nad 2ch receiver for sale ?

http://www.planetaudio.com.au/forums/index...&#entry7819 (http://www.planetaudio.com.au/forums/index.php?showtopic=1143&pid=7819&st=0&#entry7819)

heres a few user reviews..
http://audioholics.audioreview.com/cat/amp...20_1593crx.aspx (http://audioholics.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/receivers/NAD/PRD_125220_1593crx.aspx)

its like getting a new one just half price ! :) hehehe

sorry had to put in the shameless plug !

[WINEDS]

Looks like a pretty good deal to me!

[Aslan]

I'd agree with that...........Al's NAD is good buying.

[alebonau]

Looks like a pretty good deal to me!
[/b]




I'd agree with that...........Al's NAD is good buying.
[/b]

thanks andrew & wineds. Hopefully someone out there thinks the same and looking for one of these things. :)