 Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 375
devotee
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devotee
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 375 |
What I am planning on doing is getting a Sonos bundle, a Z80 that connects to my network and has access to all my music on my pc, and a Z100 which is a 2 channel 50W amp that powers a pair of speakers and has an output for a powered sub if you want to use one. The whole thing is controlled with a LCD remote. At $1,500 dollars it's not exactly cheap, but it gets me access to all my digital music (100GB worth of it) in any room I want, just add more Z100s to speakers.
Acoustic Zen Adagio, Veritas center, Axiom EP500, QS8s, Anthem AVM20, MC20,Adcom GFA7400
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041 |
Just got my 2 x Trends TA 10.1 today. No time to set it up till the weekend and let you know in a week or so how it fares. Based on specs the speakers should be in the 90db or higher range if you want to fill a nice size room.
Its bigger than a deck of cards. More like a BIG stick of butter.
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349 |
Quote:
Just got my 2 x Trends TA 10.1 today. No time to set it up till the weekend and let you know in a week or so how it fares. Based on specs the speakers should be in the 90db or higher range if you want to fill a nice size room.
Its bigger than a deck of cards. More like a BIG stick of butter.
You da man!  Please let me know what you think about it. I'll be eagerly awaiting to hear your impressions!
Ok, maybe THREE decks of cards  .
M80v2 | VP150v2 | QS8v2
SVS Pci+ 20-39
Emotiva UMC-1 & LPA-1
M22ti + T-Amp, in the Office
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,654 |
Peter, unless having absolutely the smallest unit is totally essential, then yes, I'd suggest that you get an HT receiver, both for the present use and future possibilities. If you're going to use a sub it'd be highly desirable to have an HT receiver with bass management provisions(even for two-channel use)rather than a two-channel amp. An excellent candidate is the 504 refurb from Shop Onkyo , which is by no means huge and which is available for $149 with free shipping when you register for "Club Onkyo" and get a $10 credit.
-----------------------------------
Enjoy the music, not the equipment.
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349
connoisseur
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OP
connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,349 |
Quote:
Peter, unless having absolutely the smallest unit is totally essential, then yes, I'd suggest that you get an HT receiver, both for the present use and future possibilities. If you're going to use a sub it'd be highly desirable to have an HT receiver with bass management provisions(even for two-channel use)rather than a two-channel amp. An excellent candidate is the 504 refurb from Shop Onkyo , which is by no means huge and which is available for $149 with free shipping when you register for "Club Onkyo" and get a $10 credit.
Thanks for the suggestion. That's a pretty good deal on a full-featured 7.1 AVR. Certainly a whole lot more functionality than just an amp. I didn't realize Onkyo had a direct retail side on the internet... Very curious indeed.
M80v2 | VP150v2 | QS8v2
SVS Pci+ 20-39
Emotiva UMC-1 & LPA-1
M22ti + T-Amp, in the Office
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,041 |
Hey Peter; Well this small little amps are really fantastic. The midrange and highs have soo much detail even bordering more detail than my Tube amps. Mind you my tube amp does roll off on the absolute top and bottom ranges. The midrange on this amp is truly wonderful. It is a little lacking in lower bass. The bass is there though and really tight. Mind you this could be my speakers as the drivers are big and since it is a 4 ohm speaker the bass driver might be wanting more power than 15w. This amp would be great with any speaker. It would definitely excel with a monitor in 2 channel that has smaller drivers that has at least efficiency of 90db in a small or medium room such as a M2 or M22. I also played it this weekend watching Night at the Museum wuth Ben Stiller. I had to run it max but it was definitely loud enough in my 25x23 room. I had a sub which helped in the bass department. My personal opinion I'd give it many stars for performance. Its definitely a keeper. I will do a more intensive A-B test in coming weeks with the Trends 10.1 vs my current Radii tube mono block block amps with the Zero Autoformer vs. my buddy's Bryston 4B SST vs. my dads HK reciever and see if there is any decernable difference. Quote:
Quote:
Just got my 2 x Trends TA 10.1 today. No time to set it up till the weekend and let you know in a week or so how it fares. Based on specs the speakers should be in the 90db or higher range if you want to fill a nice size room.
Its bigger than a deck of cards. More like a BIG stick of butter.
You da man! Please let me know what you think about it. I'll be eagerly awaiting to hear your impressions!
Ok, maybe THREE decks of cards .
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2
newbie
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newbie
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2 |
If you are considering any HK receivers, I urge you to listen to them with your speakers (and in your room if possible) before you emotionally commit. Depending on your ears,gear and expectations, the distortion level may be unacceptable. I bought a nice powerful HK 2 channel about 8 months ago as an "interim cheapie." I'd been using an old yamaha 1020 for years. The HK has a .07% distortion at 8ohms. I was surprised how much difference I could hear between that and the .05% of the old Yamaha. What some describe as "warm," I experience as distorted. The bummer is the .2% distortion at 4ohms. I can live with the sound on the 8 ohm speakers, but with the 4 ohms it sounds like the speakers are wrapped in a down comforter.
Last edited by rhinemaiden1; 05/10/07 09:24 PM.
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,102
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,102 |
Peter,
Something that the soundguy at my church recommended to me as a cheap 2-channel amp, is to goto a pawn shop. Most of the time they don't even know how to price amps and receivers, and you can get a steal of the deal on something they don't even understand.
-Hutz
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,833
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 6,833 |
Take a look at this test. It would suprise me if indeed you can hear the difference between .07 and .05 thd. Even at .2 I have my doubts.
Rick
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud
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Re: Small, inexpensive 2-channel amps?
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 16,441 |
Quote:
The HK has a .07% distortion at 8ohms. I was surprised how much difference I could hear between that and the .05% of the old Yamaha.
You may have heard a difference, but it certainly was not due to a 2/100ths difference in distortion. That's just crazy talk.
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