Amp advice

[zappa100]

In the interests a) improved sound quality b) simplicity and c) economy
i am looking to clear out my Arcam bi amp set up and Dino phono stage and
replace them with good integrated amp with built in or add on MC phono
board.
I have a maximum of £750 to spend and at the moment have a short list of one,namely the Creek Evolution 2 (with slot in phono board).
Any other suggestions, new or used ?

Deck is Project X pack or Tech 1210mk2, speakers Ruark Icons.

Thanks in advance...........

[The Grand Wazoo]

Simple, save some cash & make yourself and this man happy!

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5854
Leaves you with some spare to get a decent phono stage.

[zappa100]

i know it's not supposed to count but i've never really liked the look of 'em !

Something to think on though..... Merd! another sleepless night :(

[The Grand Wazoo]

Ah well, you'd be the one living with it so if the look of it bothers you, then it does count! You might just change your mind if you heard it though.

[aquapiranha]

i know it's not supposed to count but i've never really liked the look of 'em !

Something to think on though..... Merd! another sleepless night :(

Blummin 'eck m8, if you don't like the look of that you aint never coming to see my set up! lol.

By all accounts that is a VERY good amp but I have never heard one myself.

Look out for a Bewitch A30, I had one and can say honestly you wont find a better sounding amp for the money.

Steve

[zappa100]

Its the display i'm not keen on...........

[Nick]

Its the display i'm not keen on...........

I think you can turn the display backlight off, if that helps :)

[The Vinyl Adventure]

good god people the man doesn't want a Cambridge audio amp! ;)
has no one got any other suggestions for him?

[Haselsh1]

You could always take a shufty at ebay. There is just so much stuff on there but take care not to buy Chinese. It's very rare for it to be designed to work on our mains voltage.

[DSJR]

£750 is a bit dead where new amps are concerned - what market there was has all gone second-hand I reckon... AVI made some truly excellent amps and their later models look and feel the bizz. A late LAB amp should be yours for £750 or so. Noone's ever complained about their amps (unless the complainant is a tetchy Naim fan) and servicing shouldn't be an issue as they should be easy to maintain.

The Creek should be fine (didn't Alex N have a word or three in designing it?). You could always add the characterful Nait 5(whatever it is these days) to the list. The Rega Mira is getting on for this I think too, although my Rega dealer mates talk more of the Elicit which is double your budget though.

What about a WD valve amp ready built. Sometimes you see assembled kits being sold for very good money, but you can buy them ready made and these are great as standard and can be breathed on if you wish to squeeze a touch more out..

Difficult price range this one. "Enthusiasts" at this level really do seem to buy good used stuff now...

[The Vinyl Adventure]

isnt mike homar selling a wad somthing for £750...

[The Vinyl Adventure]

power amp ... http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5919

[Haselsh1]

I used to own a WAD 300B PP amplifier and would have to say that it was the finest sounding amplifier I have ever had the pleasure to hear. Mine was built by WAD themselves and cost me around 1500 quid back in 1996 or so. It replaced a Musical Fidelity A100X and although better in absolute sound quality had a much poorer stereo stage. The WAD 300B PP had the most spacious and airy sound I have ever heard. I believe it is totally unique.

[NRG]

...indeed I have one but they are not terribly economical when it come to valve replacement...so here's a plug for our old friend Richard Dunn @ NVA see: http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/nene-valley-audio__W0QQ_armrsZ1 Maybe there's something that fits the bill like an AP50 with internal phono board for £770

[Alex_UK]

I have the original Creek Evo, and am very happy with it (it is possibly a bit warmer than the Audiolab 8000S it replaced, but just as musical, and with more oomph.) Not sure what the advantage in the Evo 2 is, though - often, a MkII is brought out because components become unavailable, or to relaunch the product - not always the case that the newest one sounds better...

Save yourself £350 and get an original one, ex-demo?

http://www.a1-sound.co.uk/product/creek-evolution-integrated-amplifier

[The Grand Wazoo]

Alex N. has been known to make members here the offer of building them one-off Creek specials, maybe if you asked nicely.........?

[DSJR]

That 300B though makes so much sense if the speakers aren't demanding of loading.......

[zappa100]

Would certainly consider a quality second hand item.Something like a Leema Pulse that has built in MC boardwould do. I've read that a new model is about to come out( called the Pulse 3, they've given the 2 a miss!) so maybe some demo ones around.
Missed a new one on e bay the other the night that went for £721 when my nerve failed me!! (fear of buying something ,costing that much, without audition/trial)

[Ali Tait]

I'd snap up Mike's WAD if I were you.It's so far ahead of anything commercial you could buy for that money you'd need the Hubble telescope to see it! :lolsign:

[The Grand Wazoo]

He'd need a pre & a phono stage.
I'd be having a crack at this myself.........

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Beautiful-MARANTZ-PM94-Integrated-Amplifier-PM-94_W0QQitemZ330416337567QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Audi oTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item4 cee59329f

[Ali Tait]

Yep I know,it's just the amp he would be getting for the money would be pretty much unbeatable.

[zappa100]

Don't valves cost the earth to run?
Or is that an urban myth?

[hifi_dave]

Depends on the amp and the tubes used. Some amps, like EAR and Croft for instance, go on for ever and a day and when they need re-tubing the tubes used are inexpensive.

Then again, some exotic amps go throught tubes like they are going out of fashion :eyebrows: and the tubes used are very expensive.

[Ali Tait]

Do you mean in power consumption or in terms of the cost of replacing valves?

[zappa100]

I was told by someone who'd had a valve amp that it had used a lot of electricity ...........

[hifi_dave]

I have a customer who went 'green' and sold his complete Levinson/Proceed Home Cinema system because it used too much electricity. He had it all on standby permanently and then calculated how many watts it all drew and decided to save the planet...:scratch:

[DSJR]

Valve amps almost NEVER need to be left on 24/7 or left to "warm up/stabilise for hours as certain solid-state amps do or did. Just switch 'em on, have your session and switch off afterwards...

[Ali Tait]

Well,they are not exactly efficient it's true,but then,as ever,you never get anything for nothing.If you can afford to spend £750 on something as trivial as a hi-fi amplifier,then is it's power consumption really going to bother you?

[zappa100]

Buying any hifi equipment is never trivial to me !
Just don't want it to eat me out of house and home.................

[goraman]

Take a look at Music Hall.
http://www.audioadvisor.com/products.asp?dept=188 http://www.savantaudio.com/mh502a.html

In your price range it will be the best you can get for your money.

Here is the specs for the A50.2
http://www.audioadvisor.com/pdf/MHA50_2.pdf

This is the very best solid state inegrated amp I have ever heard and it comes with MM/MC phono stage.

Some day my son will get my Manley gear and this is the amp I will use when I down size my gear.

I saw this demo at half price.


http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/145094-music_hall_a502_demo_blowout/






The less expensive option.






http://www.digitalstar.com/products/ProductDetails/A25.2.A25.2-Integrated-Amplifier.1959680.1.html?Referral=froo-ppc

[Ali Tait]

Maybe frivolous would have been a better word.It will cost a bit more to run than a typical sand amp,but then it won't be on all the time.

[goraman]

If you really are concerned about power use and going green.
http://www.midnightscience.com/kits.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_radio

[zappa100]

More worried about the electricity bill than any green issues....

[Ali Tait]

Buy a tripath amp then!