Amp with balance control

[admin_exported]

Ok, here's a challenge... Budget for new amp is creeping upwards (£500-ish), and I thought I'd found an option in a Rega Mira 3; but I have to have a balance control (about 60/40 L/R) due to non-square shape of the room. Other than audio quality and some power, not a lot else matters. Ex-demo or new, brand, colours, shapes, not bovvered. But I have to be able to adjust the balance...

Note to purists, balance control=bad, yes, but moving house is really, really expensive way to improve your audio purity...

 

[the record spot]

audio purists will tell you a lot of things and a fair old whack can be ignored. A good design is far more important and that doesn't preclude balance or tone controls in general. Plenty out there, just depends on your needs and preferences, type of sound you like and so on.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't stress about the balance control being a sonic issue. If it does bother you then why not go for an amp with twin pots? e.g. some of the Croft and NVA designs (sure there are many others).

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not stressing about the sonic issues of a balance control (never owned an amp without one), just pushed the button on buying the Rega before realising the lack of a balance control - then started looking around at a similar price point and found there wasn't a lot of choice, leading me to the assumption everyone else has regular shaped room or lots of floor space in which to place speakers...

The Crofts look nice but out of the price range, NVAs in the price range have no balance controls (that I can see...). There must be some options, surely?

 

[the record spot]

You don't mind used? There's a Sansui AU717 on Ebay, ending Sunday, currently at £193 or so. That will give you £1000 quid's worth of amp in one fell swoop and sounds magnificent. I wouldn't ditch mine for love nor money and will keep it going for a long time to come. The one on the 'bay right now looks in good nick so it's worth having a look if nothing else. Nothing else to touch it out there IMO and I've been through a few amps in the last couple of years!

 

[Anonymous]

I think all the following budget brands have balance control:

Marantz

NAD

Rotel

Have a look at the manufacturers websites. For £500 you would get a lot more value buying second hand or nearly new.

 

[Anonymous]

After digging around, reading endless reviews and driving in an increasingly frustrated way around the centre of Coventry (know someone who was sent there and never heard of again, that'll be the road signage and one way system...), I ended up with a Rotel RA1520 at a price not an awful long way from my allocated budget (thanks Dave @Frank Harvey). The Rotel was the only one I could find near the price point with consistently good reviews *and* a balance control...

 

[the record spot]

Glad you got something sorted out - enjoy the new purchase!