Torn between amplifiers!

mweaver88

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I am looking for a new amplifier to suit my current set up. I have a Project Debut III SE turntable paired with Wharfedale diamond 220 speakers. I have a budget of £200, all the advice so far has been to get a Yamaha AS301 but I really don't like it! I am currently toying between a Onkyo A9010 (based on its what hifi rating/review) and a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 (based on advice from RicherSounds salesmen). Would anybody have any advice on which to go for? or if there is something else out there in the price range which I have missed?
 
My advise is audition. Regardless of what reviews say it all comes down to personal preference.

I auditioned 2 amplifiers I was torn with, both had very good ratings and very good followings. Ended up loving one and absolutely hating the other. Completely different sound between the two.
 
Dav1df my main issue with it is that the space I have is very limited and it's absolutely enormous! There's no way I could fit it in to the limited space I have but I also found the treble to be quite harsh.

Meduk1 Thanks, I will definitely be auditioning the 2 I mentioned before buying one, I just wanted to know if I was missing anything before going ahead with just auditioning those 2.
 
Would anybody recommend the Pioneer A30 or Denon PMA720AE other the other 2 I have mentioned?

Both good amps from my research by amazon users, best just to get to richersounds and demo them all, even take your own gear to, there is no bad amps imo, just different :)
 
Dav1df my main issue with it is that the space I have is very limited and it's absolutely enormous! There's no way I could fit it in to the limited space I have but I also found the treble to be quite harsh.
If you're after slimline, you could look at the Rotel RA10. I know it's a little more expensive, but for me it is one of the best amps under £500. Also, you could consider a used Audiolab 8000A, which will be well within your £200 budget.
 
If space is limited try one of the older x series Musical Fidelity amps that regularly come up on eBay. You'll be able to pick one up within budget, they comfortably outperform anything you buy new for the money you're looking at spending. Look great too.
 
The Demon PMA-720 was originally £350. It has 50sw/ch and has a PHONO input for the turntable. Very low priced at about $170. Also, somewhat compact.

Denon PMA720AE Amplifier - Superfi

But, the Yamaha AS301 has 60w/ch, and a internal DAC with Optical and Coaxial inputs.

Yamaha AS301 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

The Onkyo A9010 is a good amp, nice and clear, but a modest 44w/ch. Also with a PHONO input.

Onkyo A9010 Amplifier - Superfi

Onkyo can sometimes fudge the specs on their amps. The USA rating for that amps is -

44 W/Ch (8 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven, FTC)

That's fair, but weak. Meaning the other amps are rating their power 20hz to 20khz, which tends to lessen the rated power. Or more accurately, only testing at 1khz tends to slightly inflate the power.

If you want a nice clear crisp amp, then the Onkyo's are nice. The Yamaha are a bit warmer amps.

If your budget is that low, and If you absolutely don't need a DAC, then do consider the Denon PMA-720 as an exceptional value.

However, there is only 1mm difference between the width of the Denon and the Yamaha. Though the Yamaha is 20mm deeper than the Denon.

The absolute best value in an amp is the Yamaha AS501 with 85w/ch and a DAC, but just a bit more at £218 -

Yamaha AS501 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

How far can you take your budget? The Yamaha RN500 Network Reciever has 80w/ch, and has DAC with Digital Inputs, PHONO, etc... AND Network Streaming Capability, both from local storage and from the Internet. Price at £310.

Yamaha RN500 Networked Receiver - Superfi

Additionally, and again, just over budget but the 65w/ch Onkyo A-9030 at £249 is at least worth a look.

Onkyo A9030 Amplifier - Superfi

If you are considering a Cambridge amp, then make sure it has a PHONO input, many of the Cambridge do not have this feature.

The Pioneer A30 amp is nice, but its rated power is 70w/ch to 4 ohms, meaning it is likely 35w/ch (the standard rating) to 8 ohms. It is slightly under powered.

Actually, it took some searching, but the 8 ohm rated power on the Pioneer A30 is -

40 W + 40 W (20 Hz-20 kHz, THD 0.05 %, 8 ohms)


That's OK; it is what it is. But just so you know.

Steve/bluewizard
 
The Demon PMA-720 was originally £350. It has 50sw/ch and has a PHONO input for the turntable. Very low priced at about $170. Also, somewhat compact.

Denon PMA720AE Amplifier - Superfi

But, the Yamaha AS301 has 60w/ch, and a internal DAC with Optical and Coaxial inputs.

Yamaha AS301 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

The Onkyo A9010 is a good amp, nice and clear, but a modest 44w/ch. Also with a PHONO input.

Onkyo A9010 Amplifier - Superfi

Onkyo can sometimes fudge the specs on their amps. The USA rating for that amps is -

44 W/Ch (8 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven, FTC)

That's fair, but weak. Meaning the other amps are rating their power 20hz to 20khz, which tends to lessen the rated power. Or more accurately, only testing at 1khz tends to slightly inflate the power.

If you want a nice clear crisp amp, then the Onkyo's are nice. The Yamaha are a bit warmer amps.

If your budget is that low, and If you absolutely don't need a DAC, then do consider the Denon PMA-720 as an exceptional value.

However, there is only 1mm difference between the width of the Denon and the Yamaha. Though the Yamaha is 20mm deeper than the Denon.

The absolute best value in an amp is the Yamaha AS501 with 85w/ch and a DAC, but just a bit more at £218 -

Yamaha AS501 Amplifier with DAC - Superfi

How far can you take your budget? The Yamaha RN500 Network Reciever has 80w/ch, and has DAC with Digital Inputs, PHONO, etc... AND Network Streaming Capability, both from local storage and from the Internet. Price at £310.

Yamaha RN500 Networked Receiver - Superfi

Additionally, and again, just over budget but the 65w/ch Onkyo A-9030 at £249 is at least worth a look.

Onkyo A9030 Amplifier - Superfi

If you are considering a Cambridge amp, then make sure it has a PHONO input, many of the Cambridge do not have this feature.

The Pioneer A30 amp is nice, but its rated power is 70w/ch to 4 ohms, meaning it is likely 35w/ch (the standard rating) to 8 ohms. It is slightly under powered.

Actually, it took some searching, but the 8 ohm rated power on the Pioneer A30 is -

40 W + 40 W (20 Hz-20 kHz, THD 0.05 %, 8 ohms)


That's OK; it is what it is. But just so you know.

Steve/bluewizard

Thanks for the info. It sounds like you are suggesting similar to what others have said which is to go the route of the Yamaha. The problem with the size is that I have a limited space to put it in and the limit is on height, not width....so the Yamaha is too big to fit in the space which I have! It's a shame because if my space wasn't limited I would go straight for the Yamaha, the only way I could make it work in the space is if I had the turntable sat on top of it which would then block the vents and cause overheating (I assume?) and would also cause isolation issues?

I think for now it is between the Onkyo and the Denon (I had previously discounted the Denon because I don't particularly like the way it looks). I will be having a demo of both before deciding which suits me but if it was your choice which would you choose between those two?
 
How much space do you have to play with?
 
It a shame that a secondhand Rega brio r wasn't in budget as that is 80mm high and a bitter fit with the setup than the other amps mentioned IMO.
But even at secondhand prices, it still goes for around £400
 
It a shame that a secondhand Rega brio r wasn't in budget as that is 80mm high and a bitter fit with the setup than the other amps mentioned IMO.
But even at secondhand prices, it still goes for around £400

Yea, there's no way I could stretch to that much. I would say £250 would be absolute maximum for the time being.

Ideally I want brand new too.
 
I have just found the Onkyo A9030 for £209, would you suggest that over the A9010?

Definitely, more power is always a good thing. I have a couple of Onkyo Receivers (50w/ch), they are fine amps, very clear, and a bit crisp. The Yamaha, which I also have, are a bit warmer.

The Yamaha's tend to have more power and more features, and are attractively priced. But I have no problem with the Onkyo Receivers I have, if you don't need the additional features.

As to the power, I went decades with a 45w/ch amp, it sounded fine and served me well, but while I loved that amp, I do prefer having more power, especially for movies.

You have to tailor your choice to your needs and circumstances. As long as you do that, you should be fine.

Steve/bluewizard
 
I have just found the Yamaha AS301 (silver) for £179. I think at that price, I am willing to overlook the size of it!

Thanks for all advice
 
So there's "no way" you can fit it in, and you found the treble "quite harsh", but that now doesn't matter because you're getting it really cheap?

I will have to make some changes to the area I will be using it in which in an ideal world I didn't want to have to do but is a compromise I will make. I had a demo of 4 of the pre-mentioned amps yesterday and was advised by the salesman at RicherSounds to have another listen of the Yamaha because the harsh treble I was finding was due to my new speakers needing to be 'run in', after using them now for over 50 hours the sound was much cleaner.

After hearing the advice from numerous people about the Yamaha and having a second demo, I decided that it probably is the best option for the set-up I have.

The fact that I can now get it at a discounted rate is just a bonus!

Apologies if I'm not allowed to change my mind, in your opinion.
 
Sometimes a bargain is just too good to pass up.

Been there ... done that.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Sounds like I am too late and you have already bought this. But I reckon the best advice you got was from Dav1dF on a 2nd hand AudioLab A8000. You can easily pick these up for under £150 on flea bay. I did that more than 10 years ago and it is still sounding great. It has good quality MM and MC phono stages built in and is a real quality piece of kit. If anything goes wrong with it there are plenty of people who repair them cheaply. Generally speaking nothing goes wrong with them. Also the older A8000 models sound just as good, it not better, than the newer models IMO.
 

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