First Amp Advice, budget £300///

[admin_exported]

Advice on first Amp with budget of £300So I'm going to be buying our first amp, though only have a budget of £300 pound. Have done lots of reading and have sorted it down to the ones I want to look at.

The first one is the Cambridge Audio Azur 740a which has dropped in price at the moment. Was £500 when it first came out but a few years old now and has just been discontinued I think. Has gotten great reviews and on paper without listening to the amps this seems the best best by for my price range.

The other top contender is the Pioneer A-A6. Though spec and power output wise it seems weaker....

The Yamaha A-S500 seems to have got a great review on here too..

Obviously keeping my options open I'm also considering Cambridge Audio Azur 550a. This is obviously in the a lower range then the 740 but a a newer model ( I assume at some point a 750A will be released). Should the 740A still be a better amp even with some of the new improvements Cambridge Audio talk about on the 550A?

Will go and try to listen to these myself but what do people think...?

 

[Anonymous]

I managed to get a cyrus 8 amp on ebay for £300 I think its amazing, though I won't claim to know much about hifis. Have a look around though there is bound to be a bargain hidden around on there

 

[Anonymous]

I will second using ebay. I got my Musical Fidelity A3 for £280. You will get more amp for your money by buying second hand.

 

[Anonymous]

Would a second hand amp like the Arcam a85 sound better then a newer amp like the Cambridge Audio Azur 740a?

 

[Anonymous]

Rather nice Yamaha CA-800 on ebay at the moment which has already been serviced - lovely mid 70s amp which i'm sure would outperform anything new in that price range. Would leave you £100 + spare as well.

The listing I am referring to is not connected to me in any way - just a similar amp to the one I am using (which was a massive improvement over a marantz PM 6003)

 

[JamesOK]

hearing_aid:Would a second hand amp like the Arcam a85 sound better then a newer amp like the Cambridge Audio Azur 740a?

I am not sure it would necessarily sound better but would sound different. The A85 was a good amp in its time (I've had 2 of them) but the warm presentation isnt for everyone. Dont forget the A85 was about £699 if I remember correctly, when it came out too.

Have you done any demos to see the kind of thing you like?

 

[Anonymous]

grandaduk:I managed to get a cyrus 8 amp on ebay for £300 I think its amazing, though I won't claim to know much about hifis. Have a look around though there is bound to be a bargain hidden around on there

I would consider a Cyrus off ebay as if you decide to upgrade at a later stage you'll get most of your money back.