Try a used Adcom, Rotel, or NAD. You probably don't need more than 60-80 watts for the rear and can get those amps here on the Gon for well under $500. Also, every once in a while I see a '90's era Sony TA-N55 ES amp for a few hundred bucks. This amp is a workhorse (2x110 watts) and doesn't sound to shabby either. |
Carver,Rotel, Nad, Adcom, Parasound all will work for system and wallet. I agree you could do around 100w and be fine, if you get more watts thats great but dont stress. |
Surrounds do very little. Pick up something based on price alone. Do not worry about sound quality, etc. |
Prior to moving into a big $ amp I had a Yamaha MX-1. It is thin, makes great clean sound and does not creat a lot of heat at all. I still regret selling it, as I always figured it would work great for an application such as yours.
Good luckm John |
you should consider B&K amps - they are the most neutral sounding amps, and the best value out there. Easy to find one <$500. |
Stringreen... You say "Surrounds do very little."
That may be true for some discs, but for others the surround channels are equal to the mains.
Case in point is Tacet recordings of classical chamber music where certain instruments are almost 100 percent located in surrounds. This mix brings the performers into your room instead of taking you to their studio. Works well for chamber music and jazz. IMHO of course. |
To say dont worry about sound quality goes against everything you and our group stands for. Yes the surround info is limited but limited quality sound is better than limited crap sound. Go with any of those big names listed and you will get both quality and price. I am surprised to hear you say that String, its nonsensical. |
Adcom GFA-535....$400 when new in 1992. 2x60 watts. Solid piece with some weight to it. I owned one with a white faceplate ($50 extra). Adcom also made a Mark II version. You may also try the Adcom 545 and 555 amps. |
There's a Forte model 6 for sale on AGON for $500.00 obo. Great amp. |
A great amp is a Parasound HCA800, more power than ever needed, Carver TFM35 is capable of driving most any speaker so its good as a emergency spare 2 channel. |
Wow, all the advice here is fantastic!!!
So far I have been looking at most of the brands mentioned, but most of my research was done looking for 7-channel amps (I just recently made the 7-channel W4S MC-7 purchase).
When it comes to 2-channel amps I am starting with virtually no knowledge base on the models available, what's good, better, best for my price range.
That's why its especially helpful to see recommendations for specific 2-channel models. This will help me narrow the field on the best choices.
Keep 'em coming gentlemen, I enjoy reading online reviews and forum discussions and I'm not in a big hurry! |
I maintain that surrounds do little...any amp that is offered for sale on audiogon is good enough. Rear channels offer hall reverberation, and extra musical information that does not warrant big expenditures of money. Sure....if one has lots of cash get an Audio Research or Ayre amp. I am a pro violinist and have never been in a situation where the audience is centered with the orchestra around it. Even in Bernstein's Mass where there are 4 channels around the theater, the back channels offer little other than surprise as to where the sound is coming from. |
But dont we want any and all sound to be atleast quality? Iam talking middle of riad used gear not expensive. I just think saying buy anything cause its good enough and doesnt matter is in direct conflict with core values we share. Movie ibformation can be at times intense. At any rate I dont think you need to invest alot but to say it doesnt matter IMO goes too far. |
Why not get a dedicated 2 channel amp for your front left and right speakers and power the rest of your setup with your mc7. I think that would do more good than biamping with a multi channel amp and sharing a power supply with all channels. |
Why not get a dedicated 2 channel amp for your front left and right speakers and power the rest of your setup with your mc7. I think that would do more good than biamping with a multi channel amp and sharing a power supply with all channels. an excellent suggestion. |
Stringreen... "Chamber" music was composed for performance in an intimate environment... a chamber (room) in a private house. Likewise a jazz jam session occurs in someone's house.
And then there is an entire class of music, antiphonal, where half the performers are located to the rear. |
