Cheap solid state stereo power amp to drive 13a's for ocasional HT use (to save tube life of main amp)

[Matty]

Recomendations please:

Names and Model nunbers would help:


It's just for BBC, YouTube, and the occasional movie...so doesn't need to be the best.
Just needs to be up to the job of driving Electrostatics and affordable.
To save valve life in my Conrad Johnson ART SA stereo power amp.
Both power amps will feed for Pre amp CJ ET7 S2

Thinking cheaper gear right now, then if I decide to upgrade its not a big deal to lose cash on it...

(Affordable gear so maybe..)
NAD
Audio Lab
Rotel
Cambridge Audio...

 

[JonFo]

Used Sunfire is a good bet, but many units are aging and need a refurb (~500). But once refurbished are the match of any multi-thousand $ amp, and great with electrostats.

New, I'd look for a good Class H amp, like an Emotiva XPA-2 Gen3, or the Arcam Class G amps.

Class A/B amps that double their output into 4 Ohms are heavy and expensive but will do as well.

 

[ttocs]

I second the Emotiva route, but would highly suggest the HC-1 mono amps. I tried a couple with my 13A last year and they worked very well! For HT they would be great. For music they actually performed quite well, but just not as well as my Krell amp. And, they never even got more than warm.

It took me a few weeks to begrudgingly send them back.

 

[Matty]

Used Sunfire is a good bet, but many units are aging and need a refurb (~500). But once refurbished are the match of any multi-thousand $ amp, and great with electrostatic.

New, I'd look for a good Class H amp, like an Emotiva XPA-2 Gen3, or the Arcam Class G amps.

Class A/B amps that double their output into 4 Ohms are heavy and expensive but will do as well

Thanks,

Can't find any Sunfire Solid State on hifishark UK.
Any idea what model numbers I'd be looking for...

Any idea of model nunbers of suitable Arcam Class G.,?

Found an Emotiva XPA-DR2 for £2250 (not gen3) yet really... am hoping to get something used cheaper...

 

[ttocs]

Thanks,

Can't find any Sunfire Solid State on hifishark UK.
Any idea what model numbers I'd be looking for...

Any idea of model nunbers of suitable Arcam Class G.,?

Found an Emotiva XPA-DR2 for £2250 (not gen3) yet really... am hoping to get something used cheaper...

I wouldn't use a DR series amp for stats. The question was put to Emotiva by someone I know of and they said not to use a DR with stats because it's a bridged design and will not work well with low impedance speakers.

 

[Russr]

You could probably find a used Bryston 4B NRB or 4B ST for less than the kind of coin you're talking about... might even find a 4B ^3 (cubed). Their stuff has a 20 year warranty, and they are (or were) distributed and serviced in the UK by PMC.

 

[Brandon Hartwick]

The new Crown XLS drivecore amps are pretty affordable and will drive ESLs no problem.

 

[Matty]

The new Crown XLS drivecore amps are pretty affordable and will drive ESLs no problem.

Thanks.
Do you know which model numbers to look for.... ?

 

[Robert D]

I second the Emotiva route, but would highly suggest the HC-1 mono amps. I tried a couple with my 13A last year and they worked very well! For HT they would be great. For music they actually performed quite well, but just not as well as my Krell amp. And, they never even got more than warm.

It took me a few weeks to begrudgingly send them back.

I'm using one on my ML center channel speaker and it sounds very good.

 

[Robert D]

Thanks,

Can't find any Sunfire Solid State on hifishark UK.
Any idea what model numbers I'd be looking for...

Any idea of model nunbers of suitable Arcam Class G.,?

Found an Emotiva XPA-DR2 for £2250 (not gen3) yet really... am hoping to get something used cheaper...

Enotiva told me not to use their differential amps with powered speakers. She said specifically no on ML electrostats. That's on the phone with their tech department. You might want to call.

 

[twich54]

The new Crown XLS drivecore amps are pretty affordable and will drive ESLs no problem.

agreed and Matty, what's your definition of 'cheap' ??

 

[Tmort]

Used Anthem amps would work very well. My MCA 225 Mk 2 amp was $2300 new (this year), does an awesome job driving my classic 9’s, including the woofers (not bi-amped), so they’ll work very well pushing just your stay panels.

 

[Matty]

agreed and Matty, what's your definition of 'cheap' ??

Good question....under £500....
Might find a £1000...
Invested my cash and am committed to Valve amps already for dedicated critical audio listening...

 

[Matty]

Used Anthem amps would work very well. My MCA 225 Mk 2 amp was $2300 new (this year), does an awesome job driving my classic 9’s, including the woofers (not bi-amped), so they’ll work very well pushing just your stay

Hifi shark has an Anthem mca 225 gen2 at euro €1300 so a uk one might show up around a £1000...

 

[MisterB]

Don’t overlook the $499 Emotiva BasX A2. I have a Gen 1 BasX A7, primarily used to drive all my surround channels, but when I was without my integrated for a few weeks, I used it to drive my 11A’s and it sounded pretty darn good. Honestly, sounded better than my 5-channel Rotel 1585.

 

[PVMIKE]

Recomendations please:

Names and Model nunbers would help:


It's just for BBC, YouTube, and the occasional movie...so doesn't need to be the best.
Just needs to be up to the job of driving Electrostatics and affordable.
To save valve life in my Conrad Johnson ART SA stereo power amp.
Both power amps will feed for Pre amp CJ ET7 S2

Thinking cheaper gear right now, then if I decide to upgrade its not a big deal to lose cash on it...

(Affordable gear so maybe..)
NAD
Audio Lab
Rotel
Cambridge Audio...

I would like to suggest Peachtree as a option. I used their Nova 300 integrated for a couple of years. I also up graded to Parasound JC5 so my peach tree is up for sale at a $1000 right now.

 

[Matty]

Don’t overlook the $499 Emotiva BasX A2. I have a Gen 1 BasX A7, primarily used to drive all my surround channels, but when I was without my integrated for a few weeks, I used it to drive my 11A’s and it sounded pretty darn good. Honestly, sounded better than my 5-channel Rotel 1585.

Thats an option..... £500 in UK...

 

[Matty]

I would like to suggest Peachtree as a option. I used their Nova 300 integrated for a couple of years. I also up graded to Parasound JC5 so my peach tree is up for sale at a $1000 right now.

Thanks but am in the UK

 

[Leporello]

Recomendations please:

Names and Model nunbers would help:


It's just for BBC, YouTube, and the occasional movie...so doesn't need to be the best.
Just needs to be up to the job of driving Electrostatics and affordable.
To save valve life in my Conrad Johnson ART SA stereo power amp.
Both power amps will feed for Pre amp CJ ET7 S2

Thinking cheaper gear right now, then if I decide to upgrade its not a big deal to lose cash on it...

(Affordable gear so maybe..)
NAD
Audio Lab
Rotel
Cambridge Audio...

Adcom is still around, though you don't hear much about them lately. My old 555 has been pressed into service many times to drive my 'stats, no real problems.

I don't believe for a second that all amplifiers sound the same. But returns diminish rapidly. The days of unlistenable solid state amps are gone. If it's just You Tube and BBC, just about anything with enough power will do. You don't say if the movies are Blu Ray quality but even still, you probably won't be complaining massed strings have a hard edge (probably the movie's fault, if you do). Very unlikely any modern, correctly functioning SS amp will into go into ultrasonic oscillation and burn up just because you hooked up a capacitive load.

Also, I wouldn't worry too much about doubling into 2 ohms. Do you care if the highs are a little rolled off? Since your main rig is tubes with output transformers, probably not.

But, how do you propose to switch amps for "serious" listening? It could be a real PITA.

 

[Matty]

Adcom is still around, though you don't hear much about them lately. My old 555 has been pressed into service many times to drive my 'stats, no real problems.

I don't believe for a second that all amplifiers sound the same. But returns diminish rapidly. The days of unlistenable solid-state amps are gone. If it's just YouTube and BBC, just about anything with enough power will do. You don't say if the movies are Blu-Ray quality but even still, you probably won't be complaining that massed strings have a hard edge (probably the movie's fault, if you do). Very unlikely any modern, correctly functioning SS amp will into go into ultrasonic oscillation and burn up just because you hooked up a capacitive load.

Also, I wouldn't worry too much about doubling into 2 ohms. Do you care if the highs are a little rolled off? Since your main rig is tubes with output transformers, probably not.

But, how do you propose to switch amps for "serious" listening? It could be a real PITA.

Thank you that's very useful to know.
Double from 8ohms to 4ohms but the next double to 2ohms is not critical...

Any of these three?
Adcom gfa 555 or Adcom gfa 555SE or Adcom gfa 555 mk2...?

Movies would be in downloaded 1080p Blueray quality on the memory card in the back of the projector.
Switching amps the plan at the moment is something like this sold on amazon.com USA

2-Way Amp Amplifier Receiver to 1 One Pair of Speakers Selector Switch Switcher Splitter Combiner​

Brand: SPECIALTY-AV

https://www.amazon.com/Amplifier-Receiver-Speakers-Selector-Switcher/dp/B0796KGVXT/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=SPECIALTY-AV&qid=1663791740&sr=8-1