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Plain jane amplifier?

Darren L

Darren L

Egalitarian
I'm considering new amplifiers, just in the looking or considering stage though it seems alot of amps nowadays have either a 'digital clock' or VU meters on the front fascia, I'd personally prefer a integrated or pre/power combo without these adornments. I just need a rotary volume control and some form of source selection.
I quite like hybrid designs with valves in the pre stage and a solid state power stage.
So what recommendations have the PFM massive?
It must be reasonably powerful and stable down into a 2 ohm load.
 
You'd need expert advice about what version given a 2R load - @martin clark would probably be a wiseman in this - but one of the Avondale power amps would take quite some beating, so long as they have speaker protection fitted.
Pre? An old Crroft - they are basically immune to valve changes so just need what they need. The different circuits used by Glenn do sound considerably different though - my current version sounds far better, more detailed, more betterer ( :)) than one with an ECC82 cathode follower output, not that the ECC82 sounded at all "bad".

NCC300 and a push-pull Micro (12BH7 output valves) here and certainly the Avondales beat Audiolab 8300Mb and a couple of others into the far blue yonder. I do not see myself ever changing them, either of them.
 
2nd hand Krell integrated. I'm using a black KAV-400xi and that's fairly plain looking.
 
Not sure about UK availability, but you might want to check with Rogue Audio to see if their hybrid integrateds (tube preamp/class D power amp) are safe for 2 ohm use. They appear to double their 8 ohm power rating when working into 4 ohms, always a good sign for use with lower-impedance loads.


www.audioadvisor.com

Rogue Audio Sphinx v3 Magnum Integrated Amplifier - Silver with Silver Metal Remote

<p>How can Rogue Audio possibly top the award-winning Sphinx v3 integrated amp? How about with the brand new ultra-high performance v3 Magnum version that redefines how great an integrated amplifier can sound!</p>
www.audioadvisor.com www.audioadvisor.com
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far though to be honest I'd consider what I already have to be preferable and superior to anything suggested so far with perhaps the exception of the Norma which I haven't heard.
My current valve pre and SS monos are about 25 years old though professionally recapped and in the case of the monos upgraded by the original designer.
Naim I wouldn't touch with a barge pole, same for Krell, regarding the Rogue, I've not heard any Class D stuff so that remains an unknown.
I guess I'm more or less looking for a modern (recently designed and manufactured) replacement for my own kit that's going to last as long.
 
Mick P said:
Buy a Naim - They may look as dull as a Bulldogs arse but they sound brilliant.
Click to expand...
My Naim NAP135s struggled driving a pair of loudspeakers with 3R2 impedance minima, as fine as they sounded. They were replaced by a pair of Densen B-350s that had no such trouble.

2R loudspeakers will be a tough ask of any amplifier.
 
I would consider exposure amps, simple plain, reliable and powerful.
Their vintage range mono VIII, and xviii monos I still use.
The 5101 monos I'm also running are excellent and well reviewed, no valve pre amps though, the pre amps are good too, I have 5101, xxiii, and xiii.
They manufacture bespoke active cross overs for a range of spkrs, made in UK, and sensibly priced, as much as anything in this "cheap" hobby.
Usually criticised for looking plain.
Could be right up your street.
 
James said:
My Naim NAP135s struggled driving a pair of loudspeakers with 3R2 impedance minima, as fine as they sounded. They were replaced by a pair of Densen B-350s that had no such trouble.

2R loudspeakers will be a tough ask of any amplifier.
Click to expand...
Hi James, they're not 2ohm speakers but do dip, here's the Lab test report, you'll understand this a whole lot better than I do......

Franco Serblin Accordo Essence Loudspeaker Lab Report

Lab Report Expanding the cabinet volume to accommodate a 180mm woofer brings the following top-line changes over the original Accordo standmount [HFN Jan '18]: bass extension is boosted from 62Hz down to a weighty 45Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz), THD is reduced from ~1.5% through bass and mid to just
www.hifinews.com www.hifinews.com
 
I would have preferred to see a speaker impedance and phase angle curve but from the snippets given in that link these speakers appear to be a difficult load to drive. My Shahinian Obelisks are also a difficult load and I eventually settled on a pair of big beefy amps that can provide both the Voltage swing and the current required. and that was more than 10 years ago! So you are looking for something from Krell, Passlabs, Bryston etc. In my case I bought British Meridian 559 and use them in bridge mode for an output >1500Wpc and a peak current of 150A into 1 Ohm. It does look like over kill but it works extremely well indeed and can effortlessly deliver the large Voltage swings and as much current that the speakers can handle.

The result is music that sounds live with timber, dynamics and bass from a church pipe organ that rattles yer teeth. My amps are around 20 years old and there is no evidence of any capacitor degradation. Powered on without any input and with my ear pressed against the cones of the speakers there is zero hiss nor hum - silence.

Big amps like these are heavy and mine weigh in at 37Kg each!

DV
 
wainwj said:
I can recommend the Norma Revo IPA-140, which I believe fulfills your criteria.
Click to expand...
superb amp , nearly snapped up a bargain last week but it had sold .lee on here strickly stereo has one on ebay .beautifully made , sound muscular with a smooth sound and great remote
 
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