amp for B&W CDM1 speakers?

[retrobolted]

Hi Everyone,

I'd be grateful for any advice on what I should be looking for by way of an amp to pair with a set of B&W CDM1 SEs, which I recently picked up locally used. I am really ignorant about hifi but am trying to get into it, at least in a small way, because I'm sick of the sound of ipod headphones and logitech speakers. Ideally I'd like to get a used amp in the sub-£200 range, and would be very grateful for either specific suggestions of something to look for, or general guidance on the type of amp I should be looking for, or key things to watch for or avoid, etc. As I said I am pretty clueless and although I've been reading around it is still a bit confusing to me.

thanks!

Nick

 

[belloire]

I use cdm1 se's with an audiolab 8200cdq/linn c2100 pre/power combo and love them, however, ive tried them with a friends marantz 6010ki amp (£70) and they sounded great. Have a look in the classifieds, something like a rega brio 3 or marantz should sort it, but try to demo if you possibly can

 

[Member 569079]

Try to get a second-hand Audiolab 8200a integrated amplifier which would drive the B&W speakers brilliantly.

 

[retrobolted]

Thanks Belloire and hifigear.

Belloire, I didn't realise an amp that cheap would be an option...I'll look into it.

hifigear, the Audiolab 8200 is a little out of my price range (used prices I'm finding are around £500, I was hoping for something closer to £200). Is there a big difference in quality between the 8200 and the 8000a (which I gather I could get for £200 or less)?

thanks again!

Nick

 

[Member 569079]

Hi Nick,
The old 8000A would be of similar sound quality to the latest 8200A in my view, but you are looking at an amplfier that could date from 1980's or 1990's and internal components such as electrolytic capacitors in particular do degrade over time. So reliability might be an issue in a well used 8000A or 8000S.

 

[retrobolted]

okay, thanks again hifigear. I'll keep this advice in mind as I look around for an amp.

 

[retrobolted]

Based on advice I've received so far, I'm looking at an 1996 Audiolab 8000a, which has been recently refurbished 'to new' by Audiolab, and at a three year old Rotel RA 06, which appears to be in excellent condition. They're around the same price (AL a bit cheaper), and I'm wondering if anyone has thoughts or advice. Of course I'd like to be able to demo but given where I live, that's impossible, and if I had to demo stuff I'd be stuck buying new from the local Richer Sounds.

For what it's worth, I tend to listen to a mix of what you might call 'old country' (30s-50s) and new independent, sort of folksy stuff. Probably that is enough to get me tarred and feathered here, I don't know. I live in a flat so don't expect to be able to really crank it, although I gather that both of these amps would have more than enough power if I wanted to.

I understand from reading around that some people think the Rotel goes well with B&W speakers, although who knows if that's just because they're often distributed together. I guess I'm just at a loss to know how the amps might compare. Any help much appreciated!

 

[Member 569079]

If you do buy secondhand, especially if the products are claimed to be refurbished (how do you really know?) - try to get at least 12 months warranty.