budget hifi amp recommendations

[steviedee]

Anyone recommend a decent, small, budget hifi amp to use with my airport express. Using some JBL creature powered speakers at the moment, which are fine but I actually have a decent set of speakers up in the loft that I might use. Any suggestions appreciated.

[Dandelion]

I would start here ..

http://www.richersounds.com/hifi

[Lfalex v1.1]

See what you can source second-hand?

[steviedee]

These look cool t amps

http://www.templeaudio.net/bantamgold.html

[Johngh]

[quote name='Dandelion' timestamp='1351192833' post='1848587']
I would start here ..

[url="http://www.richersounds.com/hifi"]http://www.richersounds.com/hifi[/url]
[/quote]


+1

Bought all my Hi Fi from them for a long time. Always exceptional value. I'd look at Cambridge Audio stuff, it's not overly expensive from Richer's and it'd top knotch.

[voxpop]

I manage the Weybridge store of Sevenoaks.

Always a good deal for fellow Basschatters.

http://www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk/products/category/Amplifiers/1765.0.4.3.46510.46510.0.0.0

Let me know if we have an amp that is of interest.

[Dingus]

There are some fantastic bargains to be had on secondhand hifi amps. Hifi equipment holds it's value far less than bass equipment and for not too much money you could pick an amp from the likes of Audiolab, Cyrus, Nad or a plethora of other esteemed brands that will easily outperform current new budget models. You could try looking online or at the readers ads in the back of HiFi World magazine. Hifi is my other hobby, so if you want any advice on any particular items give me a shout.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

I remember back in the day, NAD 3020..serious budget amp. Shame I blew mine accidentally.
Got Cambridge audio now, highly recommend .)

[flyfisher]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1351197693' post='1848695']
I remember back in the day, NAD 3020..serious budget amp. Shame I blew mine accidentally.
[/quote]

I've got a couple of old hifi systems that I use for playing my music (coincidentally, one of them via an Apple Airport) and one of them uses a NAD3020. I bought it second hand in the early 90s and it's still going strong.

The other system uses a Quad 34/306 pre/power amp that I bought in the mid-80s and is also still going strong.

So I'd definitely agree with the previous suggestion to look at older used gear.

[steviedee]

Now obsessively looking at ebay and gumtree.

[leftybassman392]

+1 here for second hand. You'll get a lot more for your money (and it will be well made so shouldn't go wrong).

[casapete]

+1 for Nad stuff.
Still got my 3020 along with a C350 and they're belting amps for the money.

[Alfie]

[quote name='steviedee' timestamp='1351194095' post='1848611']
These look cool t amps

[url="http://www.templeaudio.net/bantamgold.html"]http://www.templeaud...bantamgold.html[/url]
[/quote]

+1 Those things are fantastic.

[Dingus]

If one of these Temple Audio amps appeals to then try looking for a secondhand Cyrus amp. They sound great ( although the newer models sound better than the very earliest ones for digital sources like you want to use , but any Cyrus post -1990 will probably trounce one of these Temple amps ). If you want compact size then Cyrus shoebox shape is hard to beat.

[fatback]

I've got old NAD, Cambridge, Denon and Yamaha hi fi amps all over the house for streaming music. All great amps bought for pennies on ebay or charity shops.

[Ian Savage]

Another +1 for NAD, had a 310 for years which was fantastic.

[51m0n]

[quote name='steviedee' timestamp='1351194095' post='1848611']
These look cool t amps

[url="http://www.templeaudio.net/bantamgold.html"]http://www.templeaud...bantamgold.html[/url]
[/quote]

I have two Temple Audio Bantams, as long as you arent after massive volume they are really tasty little amps.

Other than that, yet another +1 for NAD....

[stu_g]

Ive got a Nad amp ive had years hooked up to some B&W 601 speakers and a cambridge audio cd4 i still love the sound it gives,cant see me ever getting rid.

[flyfisher]

Seems to be lot of love here for NAD

[Matt P]

the t-amps have been on my wishlist for ages but for a bargain amp i'd go with Dingus' suggestion of a cyrus, they're very nice bits of british kit made not too far from where i grew up. i've got a bit of an eye out for a newer hifi amp to upgrade the arcam alpha 5 in my main system and a cyrus is on the list, however the list also contains audiolab, nad, naim, roksan and a newer arcam (and there are probably a few other makes that i can't currently recall)

[musophilr]

Arcam Alpha is also good. I got one on fleabay for less than £50.

[barkin]

+1 for the Arcam.

Bought mine new in the early 80's, and it's still going strong. I recall comparing several at the time, and went for the Arcam in preference to the NAD 3020 (and the Mission Cyrus, which I thought made everything sound a bit like a disco...)

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1351197693' post='1848695']
I remember back in the day, NAD 3020..serious budget amp. Shame I blew mine accidentally.
Got Cambridge audio now, highly recommend .)
[/quote]
I've got one of those, still going strong, not a crackle anywhere on the pots, that's a NAD btw

Edited October 26, 2012 by PaulWarning

[ChrisB]

[quote name='voxpop' timestamp='1351194500' post='1848616']
I manage the Weybridge store of Sevenoaks.[/quote]

What's the "new" audiolab gear like? As good as before? Been meaning to get somewhere and have a listen for ages....

[Dandelion]

I have a NAD 302, In slate grey.