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Cheap, small 2 channel amp for kitchen system.

wulbert

pfm Member
I'm looking for a small (size) mini amplifier to power a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 50's in a kitchen system. Source is a Yamaha WCA-50 streamer/pre-amp thing and speakers are up on top of the kitchen units, so not exactly the ultimate in listening set up. Just looking for decent sounds while I drink beer and cook dinner.

Small footprint is important. I was looking at one of these: SMSL SA-50 Amp, £67 , but struggling to believe something so cheap and small could sound good. I only need one input and don't need headphone out, although that would maybe give some use in the future.

Budget about £150 max but cheaper is better. I'm skint.

Any suggestions/ recommendations?
 
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I have a S.M.S.L SA-36A pro, which was under £35 delivered brand new earlier this year. It looks not unlike a miniature version of my Brio-R, and sounds excellent. Really.
 
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I'm looking for a small (size) mini amplifier to power a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 50's in a kitchen system. Source is a Yamaha WCA-50 streamer/pre-amp thing and speakers are up on top of the kitchen units, so not exactly the ultimate in listening set up. Just looking for decent sounds while I drink beer and cook dinner.

Small footprint is important. I was looking at one of these: SMSL SA-50 Amp, £67 , but struggling to believe something so cheap and small could sound good. I only need one input and don't need headphone out, although that would maybe give some use in the future.

Budget about £150 max but cheaper is better. I'm skint.

Any suggestions/ recommendations?


Last couple of months I use a little Fosi amp in the garage - great rich sound for such a tiny unit (good colour for a kitchen too ;) )
- beats a Topping I had a few years back (no distortion when turned up)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XZL2PQD/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

Bass response is amazing ....
 
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Last couple of months I use a little Fosi amp in the garage - great rich sound for such a tiny unit (good colour for a kitchen too ;) )
- beats a Topping I had a few years back (no distortion when turned up)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XZL2PQD/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

Bass response is amazing ....

Would you say the bass sound is good, or is there just lots of it? My speakers are pretty boomy already up on top of the kitchen cabinets, near the ceiling. I've not tried the port bungs yet, so maybe they would help tame this.
 
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Try and get your hands on an Amptastic Mini One.

I bought one recently from eBay, one of the last four for sale and paid £130 delivered including for the upgraded PSU. Frankly for the cash the performance is ludicrously good.

@Alex S even had one up for a borrow recently, although this may now be borrowed by someone.
 
Would you say the bass sound is good, or is there just lots of it? My speakers are pretty boomy already up on top of the kitchen cabinets, near the ceiling. I've not tried the port bungs yet, so maybe they would help tame this.

I would say solid but melodic - not boomy IMV but certainly with rich undertones.
One of my favourite tracks is It Could be Sweet (Portishead) - handles the bass pulse of that very well.
Another is the intro to Go Down Easy (John Martin) - no shame there either dealing with the bass tones.

(I don't like bloated bass - but also not dry or too thumpy)
 
I'm looking for a small (size) mini amplifier to power a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 50's in a kitchen system. Source is a Yamaha WCA-50 streamer/pre-amp thing and speakers are up on top of the kitchen units, so not exactly the ultimate in listening set up. Just looking for decent sounds while I drink beer and cook dinner.

Small footprint is important. I was looking at one of these: SMSL SA-50 Amp, £67 , but struggling to believe something so cheap and small could sound good. I only need one input and don't need headphone out, although that would maybe give some use in the future.

Budget about £150 max but cheaper is better. I'm skint.

Any suggestions/ recommendations?
I've been impressed with the Bantam Audio Stealth, small and runs cool too.
I've been using it with a MiniDSP 2x4HD as a pre/crossover in a 2.1 setup
 
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Just a thought, sell the WXC-50 and buy a WXA-50 (which has a built in amp). I’m using one in the kitchen and it’s just perfect. The cost difference is probably about £50, just need to keep your eyes peeled but they do crop up on here.
 
Try and get your hands on an Amptastic Mini One.

I bought one recently from eBay, one of the last four for sale and paid £130 delivered including for the upgraded PSU. Frankly for the cash the performance is ludicrously good.

@Alex S even had one up for a borrow recently, although this may now be borrowed by someone.
My Amptastic is available for loan. You will only be able to listen low level with inefficient speakers. It would depend on how noisily you cook.
 
I've been impressed with the Bantam Audio Stealth, small and runs cool too.
I've been using it with a MiniDSP 2x4HD as a pre/crossover in a 2.1 setup

Thank you for that tip. It looks an interesting wee product. One thing that worries me about the tiny, miracle amps from overseas is that if it breaks, then it effectively becomes junk, because I'd have no route to get it repaired.

Buying from a UK based builder at least offers the hope of longevity and servicing. I really hate to dump manufactured goods.
 
Just a thought, sell the WXC-50 and buy a WXA-50 (which has a built in amp). I’m using one in the kitchen and it’s just perfect. The cost difference is probably about £50, just need to keep your eyes peeled but they do crop up on here.

Not a bad idea. I think it may have been your posts about the WXA-50 which alerted me to the streamer/pre/amp combo. I wanted a separate amp so that I had future flexibility, but I think the WXA be able to function as an amp for an external analogue source too.
 
My Amptastic is available for loan. You will only be able to listen low level with inefficient speakers. It would depend on how noisily you cook.

Hi, that's a generous offer Alex. Thank you. I'll have a look at it and see if it might be worth me trying it out.
 
Not a bad idea. I think it may have been your posts about the WXA-50 which alerted me to the streamer/pre/amp combo. I wanted a separate amp so that I had future flexibility, but I think the WXA be able to function as an amp for an external analogue source too.

Yep, has RCA AUX in (and out) as well as a digital input (for TV, CD etc if required). Can’t recommend highly enough. If you wanted something more beefy (and flexible) I have a RN402 available (which I should re list for sale) but it’s obviously a larger unit. They are similar money to a WXC/WXA.
 
My Amptastic is available for loan. You will only be able to listen low level with inefficient speakers. It would depend on how noisily you cook.
Not sure I that I would describe it as producing a low level sound. My speakers are efficient at 90db and my living room was rocking with the Amptastic. Granted it's not gonna blow your eardrums or anything as it's small and low powered at 20w (on paper, I agree less in reality), but for a kitchen it would be ample for most people. If fact, with a Chromecast audio attached then it's an excellent little system.

...So good in fact that I'm going to put mine with a CCA up against my Naim Muso QB to decide which permanently lives in my kitchen.

Just need to find a small pair of efficient speakers.
 
Hi, that's a generous offer Alex. Thank you. I'll have a look at it and see if it might be worth me trying it out.
Yes, you should definitely borrow this as it would be perfect and sounds excellent. The offer by Alex is an incredibly generous one and it's a great amp. Really great.

I was very impressed and my usual amp is a Sugden at about 25x cost of this. It is ridiculously good for how much it costs.

Then you'll know if you like it and it works. If so you'll have to try and hunt one down, which would be second hand and would cost you £80-100 ish.
 
Yes, it is absolutely worth trying. I also have a Temple Audio Bantam Gold, slightly more grunt, slightly less magic but god knows where the wallwart for that is so you’d have to borrow a linear supply. The Amptastic can be borrowed with or without a linear supply.
 


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