Question Amplifier recommendations... please help!

[sugarmagnolia]

So I have been hunting amps for about a month now, and I can pretty much never settle on one, but I have picked out two that If I find for cheap, I will get. These two are the Cambridge Audio Azur 640A and the Arcam Alpha 8r. If I end up never finding a bargain deal on these amps then I'll need some recommendations for others... The reason I created this thread. Give me some great amp recommendations preferably under £100, but I might be able to find deals on ones over that budget so recommend those as well. Which ever amp I decide on will be used to drive Tannoy Mercury 7.2s so it must fit the specification.

Tannoy Mercury 7.2 specs:
Freq Response (Hz): 42 - 32,000
Impedance (ohms): 8
Power Rating (Watts): 50/200 (Continuous/Peak)
Sensitivity (dB): 87

Edit: Also, how would the Arcam Alpha 7r compare against the Azur 640A? I've heard great things about both amps.

 

[Cribbster]

I have always had a soft spot for Tannoy speakers - in fact still have and use a pair of Mercury S speakers. They may be 25 years old (actually, older than that) but they still sound lovely. My experience is that Rotel tend to go quite well with them - overall a good, balanced sound. Would probably sound a bit better than the older Arcam amps. Can't really say anything about the Cambridge amps as I haven't really experienced listening to them.

 

[Deleted member 824153]

I’m a big fan of the old Arcam sound: big and warm yet detailed and refined. However, my experience is they need speakers with a bit of punch to sound their best; partner them with warm speakers and you’re in danger of creating a slightly over-warm, possibly woolly sound - unless that’s what you’re after. I don’t know your Tannoy speakers so couldn’t comment about that pairing. I don’t have experience of. Cambridge amps but there are some good prices on used Rotel and NAD amps on eBay. I’ve just picked up a NAD C3220 BEE for £100 in its original box and it sounds fantastic with a Rotel RCD 951 CD player and Q Acoustics 3020s. What Hifi website has some fantastic pages on their favourite kit from the last decade. Worth an explore.

 

[Filipedine]

Hi,

I've had a pair of Tannoy Mercury F3 and at the time I had it with a Yamaha RX-V375 (What HiFi receiver awrded).For me I can't say It was a good match, because, the the woofer sounded a bit laizy. I Ended Solving the problem by changing the speaker to Dali Zensor 1.

On the other Side of this story I also have a NAD 312, that althought more than 20 years old it still sounds better (HiFi Wise) than the Yamaha 2013.

Now electornics have moved very fast in the last 20 years, and the NAD C3220BEE si a great amp and worth audition.

Filipe

 

[vinceledge]

I have two sets of big dual concentric Tannoys and Arcam amps sound very good with them - generally well built and have a warm sound. Only using a A9 instead of the A8 for its power output.