Amp requirements for novice set up

[danielhall360]

Hi everybody,

I'm new to Hi-Fi and have just bought a Rega RP1. I'm planning to run it into a pair of Adam A7X active studio monitors. I know they're first and foremost monitors, and not necessarily designed for listening, but I can't afford decent speakers and a seperate amp right now.

My main question then is since the speakers are active, am I right to think that I don't need an amp but do require a preamp?

I've checked out the reviews and recommendations on this site, but if I do need a preamp does anyone have any favourites that they think will work well in this setup for £300 or less?

Thanks a lot in advance,

Dan

 

[davedotco]

Hi everybody,

I'm new to Hi-Fi and have just bought a Rega RP1. I'm planning to run it into a pair of Adam A7X active studio monitors. I know they're first and foremost monitors, and not necessarily designed for listening, but I can't afford decent speakers and a seperate amp right now.

My main question then is since the speakers are active, am I right to think that I don't need an amp but do require a preamp?

I've checked out the reviews and recommendations on this site, but if I do need a preamp does anyone have any favourites that they think will work well in this setup for £300 or less?

Thanks a lot in advance,

Dan

Do you have any kind of level control with your A7x? (other than the one on the front panel that is)

If not then you have a problem. There are loads of decent inexpensive phono stages available but they all have fixed outputs, those within your budget anyway. You can combine a £100 odd ProJect Phono Box S with a simple active or passive preamp, but really not very elegant.

Maybe one of the budget integrated amps that are so commonly endorsed on this forum will do the job? One with phono stage and pre-amp outputs obviously.

I have little interest in amplifiers of this type but I am sure someone can suggest something that would fit the bill.

 

[danielhall360]

Thanks for your reply!

"Do you have any kind of level control with your A7x?"

+ At the moment they're coming from a MOTU 8PRE audio interface. That has a volume control, but I'm guessing that doesn't count as level control?

A few follow up questions:

1) Am I wrong to think that a phono stage and preamp are the same thing?

2) What would a more elegant solution be? To buy a preamp and power amp?

Thanks, Dan

 

[JamesMellor]

Maybe something like this for buttons :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NAD-302-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier-/321274605562

Pull the pre - power links out and connect your speakers to the pre out with a a longish interconnect , gives you a phono stage and a few line level inputs for other gear . No remote , maybe newer versions do have one . Does your MOTU have a line level out ?

James

 

[davedotco]

Maybe something like this for buttons : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NAD-302-Stereo-Integrated-Amplifier-/321274605562 Pull the pre - power links out and connect your speakers to the pre out with a a longish interconnect , gives you a phono stage and a few line level inputs for other gear . No remote , maybe newer versions do have one . Does your MOTU have a line level out ? James

Plenty of modern amps will do the job, all but the cheapest seem to have pre-outs and plenty have a phono stage.

Maybe check out ebay for a used full function preamplifier.

BTW. Anything that comes before a power amp is a preamp. Like an integrated, a preamp may or may not have a built in phono stage, but it will have selectable inputs and a volume contol. A separate dedicated preamplifier specifically for a record player is usually called a phono stage, pretty much all the affordable ones are fixed output, designed to plug into a regular line level amp or preamp.

Inexpensive preamps with an inbuilt phono stage seem very rare these days, more common at higher price levels.

 

[JamesMellor]

Yeah , I just was going off what I remembered from back in the day , guessing the Arcam alpha amps must also have pre-outs as they sold matching power amps.

I guess with the rise of subwoofers alot of modern amps will have preouts aswell , I guess the trick is finding one with a phono stage aswell

I think you are right , hunting up a 2nd hand pre amp is the best bet , with 300 notes you must be able to find something .

James

 

[gramps23]

You could get an excellent quality used pre-amp on ebay for around £100. I recently picked up a Rotel RC-971 for a shade under £100, and it sounds very good in my system.