What 2nd hand amp to get?

[admin_exported]

Hello

Currently have a Cambridge Audio A5 and B&W DM610 S3 speakers. I do have a Sony CDP-XE570 CD player but I listen to 320kbps music off the iPod through a dock ~95% of the time. Just caught the upgrade bug - I am pleased with how it sounds at the moment, just think the B&W speakers would perform even better with a better amp.

Looking on eBay, I'm after a good upgrade but for around £80-£130. Things I've seen include:

Pioneer A400
NAD C320BEE
Cambridge Audio 540A
Arcam Alpha 7R
Rotel RA-01/04 - think the 04 is a bit expensive but not sure
Marantz PM4001 - dont think I should even consider this though

Looks are a bit important to me and therefore swinging towards the newer amps rather than old. Then again, sound quality is top priority so an old but very good amp would be excellent.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to go for and do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks

 

[d_a_n1979]

NAD C320BEE all the way...

For a beginner amp so to speak; its a stunner and kicks well above its price tag!

There's usually a good few examples on eBay so IMO, that'd be the one to aim for!

The Arcam Alpha 7 is ok but you'd be better aiming for an Arcam Alpha 9 or 10 integrated and both can be upgraded at a later date with their matching power amps. Superb amps with lovely detailed and paced soundstage but can appear to be 'warm' sometimes but still very punchy.

What music do you listen to? Also; what speaker cable and interconnects are you using?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I am looking for something a little warmer than the A5 i've got at the moment however just better overall.

I listen to more modern songs than old, however I'll listen to any decent track. Like guitar orientated songs heres a few artists:

The Kooks, The Script, U2, Kings of Leon, Calvin Harris, Orson, The Killers, Feeder, Eric Clapton, UB40, Eagles, A few dance tracks, (think the new Brit Awards CD possibly)

Im using QED Qunex J2P from the dock to the amp, and QED XT300 speaker cable. Cambridge Audio Pacifc/Arctic for the CD to Amp.

 

[d_a_n1979]

I'd deffo be aiming for the NAD C320BEE then.

I'd also look at changing your interconnect from CDP to amp with either a Chord Crimson or a QED Qenex3 if you can find one at a decent price on eBay (although i feel you can get them new from Amazon and Play for c£20).

You speaker cable is fine for now bit if/when you can afford it; id take a look at the Chord Carival Silverscreen; it'll really open up the soundstage!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks narrowing it down. Ive heard that the 540A offers better treble and clarity whereas the C320BEE has better bass. Is that fair?

Did you notice a big improvement changing to the Silverscreen? The way I viewed it, I took the model up from the award winning Silver Anniversary so thought it should be a good choice.

Is the C320BEE equal to older amplifiers such as A400, Audiolab 8000A, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Some people say the Audio Lab is extremely cold and clinical, haven't heard it, but the opinion on that amp is very much divided. I really don't think the lower models in the Cambridge Azur range compete with NAD but then again, this is subjective.

 

[Anonymous]

Checking out review websites, the Cambridge Audio stuff seems similar to the budget NAD stuff anyway.

Does anyone else have suggestions for 2nd amps to look out for?

 

[Anonymous]

Harman Kardon HK6550ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

C, J and V arranged in another fashion: Anything between 1976-1983 is smashing - A-X5, A-X55, JA-S55 and JA-S44 are ones to look out for.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks:

I may be able to get an Arcam A75+ for £135 inc postage. Is this worth it? The reviews arn't that great for the amp, then again, im comparing it to a NAD C320BEE rather than a higher model.

Hughes123:C, J and V arranged in another fashion: Anything between 1976-1983 is smashing - A-X5, A-X55, JA-S55 and JA-S44 are ones to look out for.

What manufacturer?

 

[Anonymous]

jazzy639:
Hughes123:C, J and V arranged in another fashion: Anything between 1976-1983 is smashing - A-X5, A-X55, JA-S55 and JA-S44 are ones to look out for.

What manufacturer?

JVC, dare I say...

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, me being slow never realised what you meant about rearranging the letters! Ill take a look however I must admit, I have not known them to be good for decent home audio.

 

[matthewpiano]

hi fi newbie:Some people say the Audio Lab is extremely cold and clinical, haven't heard it, but the opinion on that amp is very much divided. I really don't think the lower models in the Cambridge Azur range compete with NAD but then again, this is subjective.

Got an Audiolab 8000s here to try. Listening as I type and I wouldn't describe it as cold or clinical. Its ever so slightly dry sounding but very musical and very neutral. Quite beautiful sounding at times. Well worth a look, as is the NAD.

 

[Anonymous]

jazzy639:Sorry, me being slow never realised what you meant about rearranging the letters! Ill take a look however I must admit, I have not known them to be good for decent home audio.

No, I was being silly! Anyway, in the late 70s and early 80s they made some absoutly outstanding amps, but they are quite rare because of the whole "flat earth" thing (Linn, Naim) that was going on at the time. They are also incredibly reliable amplifiers that will outlast practically anything made today and especially some of the cheap 90s stuff.

This absolute beast is going at the moment; snap it up, if you can!

 

[russ74]

Vintage JVC's are very good and go for a lot less money than equivalent Pioneers, Technics,Sansui, Marantz ect. All the trash they made after 83-84 (as did all the others mentioned) I'm currently using a JVC R-S55L receiver as my main amp. Depends if you really trust spending your cash on 30+ year old amplifiers.Also own a NAD C320BEE also very good, has lots of power, good stromg bass, rich mid range and decent treble. Found mine to be overpowering though in a small room. Looks are functional rather than pretty but well worth the £100 they go for.Never heard the Arcam but looks a good price as they were £450ish new.

 

[Anonymous]

Hughes123: This absolute beast is going at the moment; snap it up, if you can!

Think i'll pass, looking for something that looks a bit more modern! Thanks very much for the suggestion though, who knows, in the future my views may change. The amp would just look very out of place.

 

[the record spot]

jazzy639:
Hello

Currently have a Cambridge Audio A5 and B&W DM610 S3 speakers. I do have a Sony CDP-XE570 CD player but I listen to 320kbps music off the iPod through a dock ~95% of the time. Just caught the upgrade bug - I am pleased with how it sounds at the moment, just think the B&W speakers would perform even better with a better amp.

Looking on eBay, I'm after a good upgrade but for around £80-£130. Things I've seen include:

Pioneer A400
NAD C320BEE
Cambridge Audio 540A
Arcam Alpha 7R
Rotel RA-01/04 - think the 04 is a bit expensive but not sure
Marantz PM4001 - dont think I should even consider this though

Looks are a bit important to me and therefore swinging towards the newer amps rather than old. Then again, sound quality is top priority so an old but very good amp would be excellent.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to go for and do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks

You could add to it my current amp, which is about 7 or 8 years old; Marantz PM6010-KI. Superb piece of kit, doesn't put a foot wrong, very clear, detailed amp, excellent all-rounder; one went for £150 recently on Ebay which is a fair price for one in good/ex condition.

Note: you would not be disappointed...!

 

[Anonymous]

Nice NAD 3020 for peanuts (£50)
I use one daily and it really does deserve the legendary status; lush, rich open sound, bags of pace and power.

 

[Anonymous]

the record spot:
You could add to it my current amp, which is about 7 or 8 years old; Marantz PM6010-KI. Superb piece of kit, doesn't put a foot wrong, very clear, detailed amp, excellent all-rounder; one went for £150 recently on Ebay which is a fair price for one in good/ex condition.

I'd second the Marantz KI vote, a nice 66 KI, 6010 KI etc.

I was actually bidding on that amp "the record" mentioned on ebay

 

[Andrew Everard]

Hughes123:Anyway, in the late 70s and early 80s they made some absoutly outstanding amps, but they are quite rare because of the whole "flat earth" thing (Linn, Naim) that was going on at the time.

How do you know? You're only 15!

You do come out with some nonsense sometimes, j'accuse...

I very much doubt anything Linn or Naim were doing in the late 70s had any impact whatsoever on sale of JVC amplifiers - totally different markets.

And they're quite rare because so many of the thousands made have gone bang and been junked many years ago.

 

[Anonymous]

...my acute senses detect some friction here!

 

[Anonymous]

ashworth_rich:Nice NAD 3020 for peanuts (£50) I use one daily and it really does deserve the legendary status; lush, rich open sound, bags of pace and power.

I get what your saying however see its your 3rd system. I can afford the 8000A that you use in your "1st". I'm wanting to get something that bit better around £120.

Seems very likely it will be the C320BEE however I'm looking out for a 540a or 640a going cheap too as WHF seems to give them good marks. Also searching for the Marantz KI models however seem to be a bit expensive at the moment.

Is it worth looking at the NAD C340 / C350?

 

[Andrew Everard]

ashworth_rich:...my acute senses detect some friction here!

Not friction at all - just I wouldn't want someone to buy something based on what appears at first to be a learned assertion, but in fact turns out to be a combination of myth and misinformation picked up 37th hand from some article written by a hack who was himself too young to be there at the time of the events concerned.

Hughes123 can be very persuasive with his seeming omniscience on all things hi-fi - no, let's make that all things - but there's some fairly slim knowledge behind many of his declarations. Youthful enthusiasm and bravado is one thing, but when it affects what people buy, that's a different matter.

It's nothing personal: I'm just concerned when advice would appear to be leading someone toward something entirely unsuitable - such as a 36 year old amplifier being sold on ebay, which the person is urging the poster to 'snap up' without having seen it or heard it in action - just because the opinion seems to have real knowledge behind it.

 

[chebby]

Andrew Everard:... I'm just concerned when advice would appear to be leading someone toward something entirely unsuitable - such as a 36 year old amplifier being sold on ebay, which the person is urging the poster to 'snap up' without having seen it or heard it in action.

Andrew I agree with most of your last post but I cannot help thinking that Master Hughes does actually have that JVC amplifier (or was it more like 'blew one up in his garage'?) or at least one very similar in vintage, brand and model type.

I can see just from his flickr photostream at least 2 other vintage JVC amps (they have the tell-tale appalling wallpaper behind them so I guess they must be genuine!) so I personally would be hesitant to 'call him' on it because it seems Jake Hughes has had (or still has) at least three JVC amps of similar vintage/type and probably knows their merits from actual experience.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:Andrew Everard:... I'm just concerned when advice would appear to be leading someone toward something entirely unsuitable - such as a 36 year old amplifier being sold on ebay, which the person is urging the poster to 'snap up' without having seen it or heard it in action.

Andrew I agree with most of your last post but I cannot help thinking that Master Hughes does actually have that JVC amplifier (or was it more like 'blew one up in his garage'?) or at least one very similar in vintage, brand and model type.

I can see just from his flickr photostream at least 2 other vintage JVC amps (they have the tell-tale appalling wallpaper behind them so I guess they must be genuine!) so I personally would be hesitant to 'call him' on it because it seems Jake Hughes has had (or still has) at least three JVC amps of similar vintage/type and probably knows their merits from actual experience.

To start with, Mr.E, I am no longer 15 - did you not see the thread in which I bought a new TV for my birthday? And secondly, I'm not full of bravado - I'm suggesting choices for the OP to consider; if you don't like them, just go ahead and satisfy your ego by banning me.

EDITED BY MODS - please do not insult Moderators. You have been warned about - and banned for - this in the past.

Anyway, it is true - I have had four vintage JVC amplifiers so far and I have compared them all in a blind-test along with my Arcam A32 with a variety of different music, sources and speakers. The tell-tale wallpaper is the "genuine" stamp!

From my experience (and I see no way in which my experience is any less than many others on this forum, especially considering my bedroom is like the conveyer belt in "Generation Game" when it comes to vintage hi-fi) the high-end Super-Class A amplifiers are some of the most musical amplifiers ever made: The treble is so sweet, you find yourself looking for the valves (of which there are none); the bass is so full, fast, deep and powerful that it belies the power ratings; the midrange is so rich and involving that it really can spook you into thinking the singer is in the room and I havn't even mentioned how well these amplifiers create a 3D soundstage!

Okay, there are some downsides: On some examples, the capacitors are leaky and the resistors get a bit too toasty, but if you look for a well respected and well presented model, the chances are very slim. I've only had one bad experience, and that was on a trashed A-X400 which was from after their hay-days...

Of the four I have owned: The JVC A-X400 (1984), JVC A-X4 (1979), JVC A-X5 (1979) and JVC JA-S55 (1976), the A-X5 is the best. Infact, the A-X5 is in another league of amplifiers to anything I have ever heard. I wrote a letter into another hi-fi magazine's February Issue that I'm sure you can find regarding this amplifier and some suitable speakers. It's PRAT could challange a Naim and yet it maintains such a rich and warm sound. It truly is the dog's doodles when it comes to amplification. To put it in perspective, it walks all over my new £1200 Arcam FMJ A32 and that's saying something.

However, it gets even better. I once caught a JVC A-X9 in a hi-fi shop window; The A-X9 was JVC's top of the range integrated amplifier at the time the A-X5 was launched and some folk think it's the best amplifier ever made, and one of the best, cleanest designs of all time too. Period.

Don't believe me? Try one. The A-X5 will cost you the best part of £80, so that's the cost of the cheapest phono stages these days; you hardly need to remortgage your house! And if worse comes to worse, you can put it back on flEbay and get back what you spent - or

EDITED BY MODS - please do not trade, or discuss trading, on these Forums.

The only other amps which could challange the A-X5 are the Marantz PM-84 and the Pioneer SA-9800, but both fetch atleast 5 times more...

Here's a photograph of the A-X9:

Photograph thanks to jgmacv.