New amplifier?
Discussion
boyse7en said:
Worth looking on Facebook Marketplace too. I picked up a Pioneer VSX-LX70 for £50.
It's currently used as an amp for my Echo Dot in the kitchen. Bit overkill though
Overkill?It's currently used as an amp for my Echo Dot in the kitchen. Bit overkill though
Just a tad
But, an excellent example of what I was getting at - a £1200 power house for relative peanuts. Compare and contrast that with some of those Chinese chip-amps with b/t that seem to be recommended frequently.
O/t - I had the matching BR player back in the day. Excellent with both audio and vision and even made a decent go at a rudimentary streamer.
RSstuff said:
HustleRussell said:
We need to nail down OP's 'functional requirements'. What do they need it to do?
Two speakers, or more than two?
TV / Youtube source only or others too?
TV input- presumably wired connection?
Laptop input- wired or wireless?
Remote control?
It's not worth getting wrapped up in the finer points of sound quality as long as Youtube is the source.
I've perhaps been a bit vague. Two speakers, source Youtube from my laptop and CD/DVD player. Optical connection from the TV. Remote control. Laptop connection to amp wireless. Not sure if the amp needs optical inputs for the TV and CD player? As CD is one of the inputs, sound quality is a factor, so I've pretty much given up on the £300 budget. Two speakers, or more than two?
TV / Youtube source only or others too?
TV input- presumably wired connection?
Laptop input- wired or wireless?
Remote control?
It's not worth getting wrapped up in the finer points of sound quality as long as Youtube is the source.
Or
https://petertyson.co.uk/cyrus-one-cast-amplifier
You aren't going to get much change out of ~£800.
Or get a separate DAC/Pre-amp and secondhand amp.
RSstuff said:
I've perhaps been a bit vague. Two speakers, source Youtube from my laptop and CD/DVD player. Optical connection from the TV. Remote control. Laptop connection to amp wireless. Not sure if the amp needs optical inputs for the TV and CD player? As CD is one of the inputs, sound quality is a factor, so I've pretty much given up on the £300 budget.
I don't see why this should be a big problem.For example, I've got one of these, but black, and I paid £300-something, also used: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325573757590?chn=ps&...
Two channels, obviously. 60W per channel. Remote control somewhere although I've no idea where mine is. Two optical ins, so your TV and CD player. Sounds decent, I have it connected to a pair of Mission 702e floorstanders that I bought a million years ago. That leaves the question of your laptop which is where I think you could benefit from thinking more flexibly. A wire? Chromecast Audio or a Bluetooth streamer, for example? Practical rather than necessarily good but hey.
Edited by trashbat on Wednesday 15th March 17:00
RSstuff said:
There's an RN803 not too far from me, but they want £600 for it...
803 was a much more expensive amp (about £900 new, not worth £600 used).Here's an RN 602 on Ebay for collection at £395 - If you're near there make a £300 offer and see how you get on (make sure eveything works as it has a lot of facilities).
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266167296982?hash=item3...
tonyg58 said:
803 was a much more expensive amp (about £900 new, not worth £600 used).
Here's an RN 602 on Ebay for collection at £395 - If you're near there make a £300 offer and see how you get on (make sure eveything works as it has a lot of facilities).
I googled the 803 and a review said £700. Tried £400, but no deal. Leeds is miles away from me.Here's an RN 602 on Ebay for collection at £395 - If you're near there make a £300 offer and see how you get on (make sure eveything works as it has a lot of facilities).
As others have said, have a look on Ebay or FB Marketplace.
You can pick up a good used "traditional" Stereo amp for £50 or less. (Marantz attracts a premium, but not necessary). Speakers likewise.
Alternatively, one of the smaller-form Class D amps from Nobsound, Fosi, Aiyima. Depending upon which model you get, and how much adjustment it has, they can sound excellent. Bluetooth is available in these too.
My Nobsound amp has high, mid and low tone adjustment knobs, an internal 36V power supply and a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver. It sounds great in my garage with a pair of wall-mounted Mission 700/1s.
My Dad has one of the tiny Nobsound amps in his workshop. That sounds good too.
You can pick up a good used "traditional" Stereo amp for £50 or less. (Marantz attracts a premium, but not necessary). Speakers likewise.
Alternatively, one of the smaller-form Class D amps from Nobsound, Fosi, Aiyima. Depending upon which model you get, and how much adjustment it has, they can sound excellent. Bluetooth is available in these too.
My Nobsound amp has high, mid and low tone adjustment knobs, an internal 36V power supply and a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver. It sounds great in my garage with a pair of wall-mounted Mission 700/1s.
My Dad has one of the tiny Nobsound amps in his workshop. That sounds good too.
Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 16th March 13:31
It's like cars really.
Either buy cheap and shrug your shoulders if it dies, or pay the new price and get warranty and customer service and all that.
In between there is an area where you can pay a middling amount of money for something that has no warranty and may be for sale because it's no longer as good as new.
Like cars, old hifi can be expensive to get fixed, and newer stuff may be impossible to fix.
Either buy cheap and shrug your shoulders if it dies, or pay the new price and get warranty and customer service and all that.
In between there is an area where you can pay a middling amount of money for something that has no warranty and may be for sale because it's no longer as good as new.
Like cars, old hifi can be expensive to get fixed, and newer stuff may be impossible to fix.
OutInTheShed said:
It's like cars really.
Either buy cheap and shrug your shoulders if it dies, or pay the new price and get warranty and customer service and all that.
In between there is an area where you can pay a middling amount of money for something that has no warranty and may be for sale because it's no longer as good as new.
Like cars, old hifi can be expensive to get fixed, and newer stuff may be impossible to fix.
There are quite a few manufacturers and dealers who offer transferable warranties with their equipment.Either buy cheap and shrug your shoulders if it dies, or pay the new price and get warranty and customer service and all that.
In between there is an area where you can pay a middling amount of money for something that has no warranty and may be for sale because it's no longer as good as new.
Like cars, old hifi can be expensive to get fixed, and newer stuff may be impossible to fix.
OutInTheShed said:
It's like cars really.
Either buy cheap and shrug your shoulders if it dies, or pay the new price and get warranty and customer service and all that.
In between there is an area where you can pay a middling amount of money for something that has no warranty and may be for sale because it's no longer as good as new.
Like cars, old hifi can be expensive to get fixed, and newer stuff may be impossible to fix.
Older, cheaper stuff can still sound good. Often not difficult to repair either, especially if it is constructed from mostly discrete components, hence spares/repair stuff still holding some value. Either buy cheap and shrug your shoulders if it dies, or pay the new price and get warranty and customer service and all that.
In between there is an area where you can pay a middling amount of money for something that has no warranty and may be for sale because it's no longer as good as new.
Like cars, old hifi can be expensive to get fixed, and newer stuff may be impossible to fix.
Lots of weird suggestions for buying some old s
t off eBay and hoping it works. Why mess about with 30 year old amps and Chinese DACs when the OP can buy a new, good quality amp that meets all his needs within a modest budget?
For the record I have quite a bit of second hand hifi, but it’s all barely used audiophile stuff that would have been very expensive when new.
t off eBay and hoping it works. Why mess about with 30 year old amps and Chinese DACs when the OP can buy a new, good quality amp that meets all his needs within a modest budget? For the record I have quite a bit of second hand hifi, but it’s all barely used audiophile stuff that would have been very expensive when new.
TEKNOPUG said:
There is not much to go wrong on 2 channel amplifiers. I have a stereo amp bought new 26 years ago that has been in use daily. I have class A car amps from the 90s still in use.
Very true.Things can fail, but probably mostly just power supplies, capacitors, pots and connectors.
MC Bodge said:
TEKNOPUG said:
There is not much to go wrong on 2 channel amplifiers. I have a stereo amp bought new 26 years ago that has been in use daily. I have class A car amps from the 90s still in use.
Very true.Things can fail, but probably mostly just power supplies, capacitors, pots and connectors.
Also even a simple repair like a dead capacitor can take a bit of diagnosis and time to source the parts, so it's quickly uneconomic to pay anyone to repair it.
Playing around with old stuff is not for everyone.
Another problem is that more modern stuff can be full of special to type ICs or circuitry you can't get schematics for.
It's not like the classic amps where various people have made a lot of service information available.
OutInTheShed said:
MC Bodge said:
TEKNOPUG said:
There is not much to go wrong on 2 channel amplifiers. I have a stereo amp bought new 26 years ago that has been in use daily. I have class A car amps from the 90s still in use.
Very true.Things can fail, but probably mostly just power supplies, capacitors, pots and connectors.
Also even a simple repair like a dead capacitor can take a bit of diagnosis and time to source the parts, so it's quickly uneconomic to pay anyone to repair it.
Playing around with old stuff is not for everyone.
Another problem is that more modern stuff can be full of special to type ICs or circuitry you can't get schematics for.
It's not like the classic amps where various people have made a lot of service information available.
MC Bodge said:
Older, cheaper stuff can still sound good. Often not difficult to repair either, especially if it is constructed from mostly discrete components, hence spares/repair stuff still holding some value.
TEKNOPUG said:
What would that be then?
My suggestion from the first pagehttps://www.richersounds.com/catalog/product/view/...
wormus said:
TEKNOPUG said:
What would that be then?
My suggestion from the first pagehttps://www.richersounds.com/catalog/product/view/...
TEKNOPUG said:
wormus said:
TEKNOPUG said:
What would that be then?
My suggestion from the first pagehttps://www.richersounds.com/catalog/product/view/...
RSstuff said:
I watch a lot of youtube music videos on my laptop, and recently bought a new Panasonic oled TV. I'd like to play the youtube stuff on the TV using an amp to connect to floor standing speakers. I'm budgeting £2-300 for the amp, is that realistic and any recommendations for the amp. Plus what cable should I use between the TV and new amp. Thank you.
RSstuff said:
Budget creep is happening, so £400 is pretty much my limit.
Better than the suggestion of hooking up a 90s car stereo! Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 16th March 16:10
wormus said:
TEKNOPUG said:
wormus said:
TEKNOPUG said:
What would that be then?
My suggestion from the first pagehttps://www.richersounds.com/catalog/product/view/...
RSstuff said:
I watch a lot of youtube music videos on my laptop, and recently bought a new Panasonic oled TV. I'd like to play the youtube stuff on the TV using an amp to connect to floor standing speakers. I'm budgeting £2-300 for the amp, is that realistic and any recommendations for the amp. Plus what cable should I use between the TV and new amp. Thank you.
RSstuff said:
Budget creep is happening, so £400 is pretty much my limit.
Better than the suggestion of hooking up a 90s car stereo! Edited by wormus on Thursday 16th March 16:10
Who made a suggestion of hooking up a 90s car stereo? Or Chinese DACs?
TEKNOPUG said:
wormus said:
TEKNOPUG said:
wormus said:
TEKNOPUG said:
What would that be then?
My suggestion from the first pagehttps://www.richersounds.com/catalog/product/view/...
RSstuff said:
I watch a lot of youtube music videos on my laptop, and recently bought a new Panasonic oled TV. I'd like to play the youtube stuff on the TV using an amp to connect to floor standing speakers. I'm budgeting £2-300 for the amp, is that realistic and any recommendations for the amp. Plus what cable should I use between the TV and new amp. Thank you.
RSstuff said:
Budget creep is happening, so £400 is pretty much my limit.
Better than the suggestion of hooking up a 90s car stereo! Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 16th March 16:10
Who made a suggestion of hooking up a 90s car stereo? Or Chinese DACs?
You did!
TEKNOPUG said:
I have class A car amps from the 90s still in use.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 16th March 16:46
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