Low Budget System...

[icecream boy]

Hey all.

I've started to put together a low budget system for myself and I've found myself in need of a cheap power amp.
Initially I believed it was as simple as turntable -> pre amp -> speakers, obviously not though. I have the following components, and was wondering if anyone could recommend a suitable power amp in the range of $10 - $30, or at least give me a heads up as to what specs I should be looking for.

-Sansui FR-1080 turntable
-Bravo V2 AU1 headphone amp
-Sherwood Piccollo 4" Bookshelf Speakers

Up until now, I had been listening to my records through a set of headphones, though I'd like to be able to run them through the speakers using the headphone amp if at all possible.

I've been looking at something like this amp (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-HiFi-Audio-Stereo-Amplifier-Car-Motorcycle-PC-MP3-Music-Power-Amp-/251172076543?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BRTU% 26otn%3D18%26pmod%3D321041388888%26ps%3D63%26clkid %3D4883659727114778881#ht_2011wt_1139), though I'm not sure if it would have enough power to drive the speakers. For me right now, cheap is good as I'm not too concerned about audio quality.

[The Grand Wazoo]

I'm a bit confused - you say you've been using a headphone amp to listen to your turntable with?

Steven, you need a device to apply the correct equalisation to the signal from your turntable and to get it to a suitable level to drive speakers with. Even if you only continue to use headphones, you still need to carry out this EQ in order to hear your records properly.
I don't know the headphone amp your referring to, but I'd be surprised if it has the necessary phono stage built into it - I also doubt whether it is suitable to use as a pre-amp into whichever power amp you might decide to get.

Far better, I think, to get yourself onto Ebay or some other source of used gear and buy yourself a cheap oldish integrated amp with a phono stage built in. You could still use your headphone amp driven by the tape outputs of the integrated.

I've just done a quick search on Ebay (Aus) of completed listings in the Vintage audio/amplifiers section and literally the first thing to come up was this Yamaha amp (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Yamaha-A-560-Amplifier-Silver-beautiful-stereo-55-watts-rms-per-Channel-/281051664605?pt=AU_Electronics_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item416ffc10dd&_uhb=1), which at $25 would have been absolutely perfect for you. There must be plenty more units along similar lines that would fit the bill for you mate.

[icecream boy]

Yeah I didn't think I'd get away with it that easily :lol:

It's been more of a 'make do with' set up so far, as I had the whole set up either gifted to me or laying around collecting dust, so you can understand why I would want to try and use it.

A lot of the stuff on ebay is usually down south and paying for postage that far is quite ridiculous, not to mention the possibility of a unit becoming damaged in transit. Occasionally I'll find something locally, such as that tape deck which was literally a couple of K's away. I do have my eye on a Sansui amp (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150978684653?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_1203) which is almost equally as close, so here's hoping I get it.