Sony TA-FE370

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone

Has anyone any opinion, good or bad, on this amplifier? My faithful old Rogers Ravensbourne has recently exploded so I looked around and found this on the internet at £109. It looks like a lot of amplifier for the money.

I play mainly folk music (surprise!!) and my speakers are B&W 601.

Regards Harry

 

[fatboyslimfast]

If you want new, and are really limited to around that budget, then it'll do the job fine.

But it won't have massive levels of detail or refinement.

If you could stretch another £40, Richer Sounds have the NAD C315BEE for £150, and this would be a whole lot better. Would probably suit your tastes as well, if you liked the Rogers sound...

If you were to look 2nd hand though, you could pick up quite a decent amp for that sort of money (think Cyrus 2, Audiolab 8000a). But obviously there is risk involved with 2nd user stuff.

What sources are you using with the amp?

 

[Anonymous]

hmmm, TA-FE370...that's super-cheap entry level...I had one until I took a look under its cover...cheap, cheap, but for the price - well enough (all its electronic components might cost some 25 quid, not more).

 

[Anonymous]

fatboyslimfast:If you want new, and are really limited to around that budget, then it'll do the job fine.

But it won't have massive levels of detail or refinement.

If you could stretch another £40, Richer Sounds have the NAD C315BEE for £150, and this would be a whole lot better. Would probably suit your tastes as well, if you liked the Rogers sound...

If you were to look 2nd hand though, you could pick up quite a decent amp for that sort of money (think Cyrus 2, Audiolab 8000a). But obviously there is risk involved with 2nd user stuff.

What sources are you using with the amp?

A Philips CD player and a Sansui turntable. Which rules out the NAD (no phono preamp) and I have an irrational morbid fear of second hand electronics if I have to pay anything substantial.

Looking around I see that the Sony has had generally good reviews. Has What Hi*fi ever tested it?

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Don't think they have.

Don't get me wrong - the Sony is a solid reliable amp, just not quite up there with the more expensive offerings from Nad etc.

It would serve you well, and should produce a nice balanced sound.

 

[Anonymous]

if you change your mind about the NAD C315BEEE, you'd only have to stretch 20 quid. http://www.idealo.co.uk/compare/815007/nad-c-315-bee.html for £130

 

[fatboyslimfast]

True, but he'd still need at least another £30 for a phono stage...

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I've ordered the Sony. I'll report back when I get it. Thanks for your help.

PS. Oim from zummerzet too.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Good man, both on the purchase and your location! Whereabouts? I'm not strictly from there (north Bristol now) but from v. north somerset (v.south Bristol) originally, and have a holiday home at St Audries bay nr Watchet.

I would be interested to hear what you think when you get it...

 

[Anonymous]

Well, after much delay I have the Sony amp. I have to say when playing vinyl it's way better than the Rogers and just as good on CD. I'm both relieved and delighted and what a luxury it is to have a remote.

Cheers everyone.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Excellent news - glad you like it Folkie!

 

[robg1976]

should have gone for the nad the little extra cash for a performance thats got to be 10 times better. shame

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Well, no - by the time he'd added a phono stage, he was at least 50% over budget. Sometimes a budget is a budget and that's that.

Folkie now has a working system that he's thoroughly enjoying - what's a shame about that, and why try and make him feel bad about what he has just purchased and had the decency to report back on?

 

[robg1976]

hi you right on that mate i didnt want to make him feel bad what he got is a good buy and i hope he enjoys it sorry if my last post sounded a bit harsh looking back it did. i dfo think he got a good set up and i hope hes happy cheers fatboy