I'm trying to put together a system on bargains I can pick up from on
line dealers, Ebay etc. OK I know it's not the right way to go about
things, but that's how I'm doing it...

I have an odd system. All my CDs are now stored as uncompressed files
on my PC. As a DAC/preamp, I'm using a quite old Sony ES processor.
This will constitute my front end.(Through my Stax earspeakers, the
sound is awesome.) On a whim I bought a pair of Dynaudio 42 speakers
but am now left with needing a power amp. I've always quite fancied a
Quad, and my price limit is about £300. Would say a Quad 99 be a good
match? (They seem to go for about this on Ebay). Or could I get away
with something cheaper? Any advice welcome.

"Keiron" wrote in message
m...
I'm trying to put together a system on bargains I can pick up from on
line dealers, Ebay etc. OK I know it's not the right way to go about
things, but that's how I'm doing it...

I have an odd system. All my CDs are now stored as uncompressed files
on my PC. As a DAC/preamp, I'm using a quite old Sony ES processor.
This will constitute my front end.(Through my Stax earspeakers, the
sound is awesome.) On a whim I bought a pair of Dynaudio 42 speakers
but am now left with needing a power amp. I've always quite fancied a
Quad, and my price limit is about £300. Would say a Quad 99 be a good
match? (They seem to go for about this on Ebay). Or could I get away
with something cheaper? Any advice welcome.

Hi - I have some 42s and find they work very well with a relatively low
power (25w) valve amp. I don't play *too* loud with this amp but it gives
the best sound by a pretty large margin - really brings out the lower-mid
grip of the 42s and somehow gives a soundstage that really shouldn't happen
with the tiny 42s.

On SS I've had less success - Roksan Kandy and audiolab 8000a 'thin', no
real weight, although massive sound levels with the Roksan with no
compression or breaking up of the sound. OTOH, very good with an Audiolab
8000c and an old Cambridge 100w power amp - until the Cambridge blew
something after a loudish session.

So, in my experience if I went SS again (unlikely) I'd partner the speakers
with a hefty power amp. I can't explain why the Roksan didn't cut it (230w
into 4 ohms apparently). The quad would be fine I would have thought, or
perhaps an Audiolab 8000p, or an older 100w+ decent (say Arcam, Meridian, or
perhaps one of the Japanese Rotels and Technics) amp. Personally I'd go with
one of the valve power/integrated on ebay - although I'd be the first to
admit they are not necessarily plug in and go!

Rob

In article , RJH
writes

"Keiron" wrote in message
om...
I'm trying to put together a system on bargains I can pick up from on
line dealers, Ebay etc. OK I know it's not the right way to go about
things, but that's how I'm doing it...

I have an odd system. All my CDs are now stored as uncompressed files
on my PC. As a DAC/preamp, I'm using a quite old Sony ES processor.
This will constitute my front end.(Through my Stax earspeakers, the
sound is awesome.) On a whim I bought a pair of Dynaudio 42 speakers
but am now left with needing a power amp. I've always quite fancied a
Quad, and my price limit is about £300. Would say a Quad 99 be a good
match? (They seem to go for about this on Ebay). Or could I get away
with something cheaper? Any advice welcome.

Hi - I have some 42s and find they work very well with a relatively low
power (25w) valve amp. I don't play *too* loud with this amp but it gives
the best sound by a pretty large margin - really brings out the lower-mid
grip of the 42s and somehow gives a soundstage that really shouldn't happen
with the tiny 42s.

On SS I've had less success - Roksan Kandy and audiolab 8000a 'thin', no
real weight, although massive sound levels with the Roksan with no
compression or breaking up of the sound. OTOH, very good with an Audiolab
8000c and an old Cambridge 100w power amp - until the Cambridge blew
something after a loudish session.

So, in my experience if I went SS again (unlikely) I'd partner the speakers
with a hefty power amp. I can't explain why the Roksan didn't cut it (230w
into 4 ohms apparently). The quad would be fine I would have thought, or
perhaps an Audiolab 8000p, or an older 100w+ decent (say Arcam, Meridian, or
perhaps one of the Japanese Rotels and Technics) amp. Personally I'd go with
one of the valve power/integrated on ebay - although I'd be the first to
admit they are not necessarily plug in and go!

Rob



Really surprised you didn't think much of the Audiolab this is s till a
fine amp for most all applications, a second user one would be a good
buy for your hi-fi on a budget system.

Well they still drive my 30 odd year old Spendor BC1's fine:-))..
--
Tony Sayer

"tony sayer" wrote in message
...

snip
On SS I've had less success - Roksan Kandy and audiolab 8000a 'thin', no
real weight, although massive sound levels with the Roksan with no
compression or breaking up of the sound.

snip
Rob



Really surprised you didn't think much of the Audiolab this is s till a
fine amp for most all applications, a second user one would be a good
buy for your hi-fi on a budget system.

Well they still drive my 30 odd year old Spendor BC1's fine:-))..
--
Tony Sayer


I agree Tony - I've had the 8000a 5 or 6 years and it's done a sterling job.
When i listened to the 42s in the shop we used a rega integrated amp and
they sounded fantastic. But for some reason it just didn't work with the
8000a when I got the 42s home. Very odd - I can only put it down to some
peculiarity of the 42s.

Rob