upgrade suggestions please

[Buzz1024]

Well - ive done my intro in the welcome thread so here goes with the questions.
I'm in the process of setting my 16yr old up with a basic first system due to his desire to listen to some vinyl - I've not been 'into' hifi since the 80s/90s so am well out of the loop but ive set him up with a Dual 505-1, Kenwood KAF1030 amp and due to a slight bidding mess up I've got 2 pairs of speakers arriving this week - a pair of KEF Chorale 3s and a pair of KEF Coda 3s. Yep, I revisited the sort of stuff I had back in the 80s when starting out.
The Kenwood amp was very cheap and to be honest will be upgraded first - I'd go for a Marantz or a NAD but what do you guys think his next amp should be bearing in mind he's on apprentice wages.
His listening taste is surprisingly varied for a 16yr old - rock, pop, reggae & blues from the 70s to the present day and thankfully he listens at fairly reasonable volumes so quality rather than window rattling bass is the order of the day.

[walpurgis]

My 'stock' response to a request for a good amp at a sensible price is the Denon PMA-350 SE. It's very decent sounding and as punchy and powerful as any normal system needs and will drive any speakers you are likely to use. Only available second hand now, but a very worthy bit of kit (I've owned a couple). If you're lucky you may find one with the optional phono stage (for vinyl replay) installed. Otherwise, like most amps from the last twenty five years or more, you'll need a separate phono stage unit (which does not have to cost a fortune).

[Audio Advent]

You might be able to find something slightly obscure which doesn't look too special but sounds good, like an Inca Tech/I.T.D Oberon (it's just a plain looking, regualar sized amp but sounds as good as an Inca Tech Claymore). Do Pioneer A400s have phono stages? Then perhaps Creek 5050 which seem to go under the radar pricewise.

Another good one that springs to mind is a Nad C350 (doesn't have a phono stage though) - relatively recent, with remote and got a good write up by TNT-Audio: http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/nad-c350_e.html about £120 on ebay I think.

[Macca]

A better deck might make more of an improvement than a better amp. I'm not keen on those Dual belt drives. They are adequate at best.

[Firebottle]

The best improvement to the Dual 505, apart from a new drive belt, is to bolt the removable cartridge carrier/slide to the headshell.

Makes a massive difference to the dynamics and retrieval of detail. I forcefully screwed a small machine screw from the top into the brass rivet on the carrier/slide, through the hole in the finger lift, plus an extra washer for spacing.

:cool: Alan

[walpurgis]

A better deck might make more of an improvement than a better amp. I'm not keen on those Dual belt drives. They are adequate at best.

I agree with Martin. The idler Duals are very nice, but the later belt units don't do much for me really. They work, but that's it.

[dantheman91]

Denon PMA-350 SE

The phono stage is the reason im keeping mine i haven't seen another yet.:lol:

[myles]

I've been extremely happy with my Oberon. IF you can find one, you wouldn't be disappointed.

[dantheman91]

I've been extremely happy with my Oberon. IF you can find one, you wouldn't be disappointed.

Inca Tech Oberon.......

My friend had one liked it one minuet then not the next he sold it.......:scratch:

[agk]

The source is the glaring weakness in the system Greg with the speakers being the next in my occasionally humble opinion.

[Rush2112]

What a great thing to do ! There are as you have shown some real gems to be found and hopefully you have started a path to build on. Look out for Ensemble Tigre D50 and Alchemist Kraken with dual mono PSU, two great amps whose output belays their size!