Looking for stereo amp around $500

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

I'm looking for a new 2-channel amp in the $500 range. It will be used to
listen to all kinds of music, but not for home theater. It needs to be able
to drive a 4 Ohm load comfortably, as I'm also planning on picking up some
entry level Magnepans.

I'm looking at the B&K 125.2 - a bit out of my stated price range, but a
local store has the discontinued model (not the Mk2) and I'm hoping to talk
them down some.

I'd appreciate any comments on the B&K as well as options that anyone feels
are preferable for the price.

Thanks,

Bill

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Cosworth" <billbalmer@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:cu2scg01q2b@news1.newsguy.com...
> I'm looking for a new 2-channel amp in the $500 range. It will be used to
> listen to all kinds of music, but not for home theater. It needs to be
> able
> to drive a 4 Ohm load comfortably, as I'm also planning on picking up some
> entry level Magnepans.
>
> I'm looking at the B&K 125.2 - a bit out of my stated price range, but a
> local store has the discontinued model (not the Mk2) and I'm hoping to
> talk
> them down some.
>
> I'd appreciate any comments on the B&K as well as options that anyone
> feels
> are preferable for the price.
>
> Thanks,
>
As I suggested in a previous post, using a pair of Alesis RA 500 power amps
bridged for mono would give you tons of power, but I also thought of another
advantage. It is unlikely that if you ever have any problems with these
amps requiring repair, that both would go bad at once. You could still have
music playing or HT sound while one was in the shop. I don't expect that
would likely happen anytime before ten years or so as is typical for amps.

A second thought would be to use 2 of their RA 300 amps which when bridged
would be capable of, you guessed it 300 watts of mono power into 4 ohms for
around.$280.00 per amp. Just go to your search engine and type in Alesis
power amps and you will find many on line dealers in pro audio with Alesis
products.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Michael McKelvy" <deskst49@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:cu92r202a2@news2.newsguy.com...
> "Cosworth" <billbalmer@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
> news:cu2scg01q2b@news1.newsguy.com...
>> I'm looking for a new 2-channel amp in the $500 range. It will be used
>> to
>> listen to all kinds of music, but not for home theater. It needs to be
>> able
>> to drive a 4 Ohm load comfortably, as I'm also planning on picking up
>> some
>> entry level Magnepans.
>>

>>
> As I suggested in a previous post, using a pair of Alesis RA 500 power
> amps
> bridged for mono would give you tons of power, but I also thought of
> another
> advantage. It is unlikely that if you ever have any problems with these
> amps requiring repair, that both would go bad at once. You could still
> have
> music playing or HT sound while one was in the shop. I don't expect that
> would likely happen anytime before ten years or so as is typical for amps.
>
> A second thought would be to use 2 of their RA 300 amps which when bridged
> would be capable of, you guessed it 300 watts of mono power into 4 ohms
> for
> around.$280.00 per amp. Just go to your search engine and type in Alesis
> power amps and you will find many on line dealers in pro audio with Alesis
> products.
>
Good to know, these amps present interesting low cost possibilities. Not
being able to see the backs of these amps anywhere, what gives as to the
input jacks (balanaced, unbalanced, one or the other, or both) and speaker
wire binding posts? It does disturb me a bit that these are not described,
but perhaps this is customary with "pro" components, and everyone in the
market for them know the answers.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

"Norman M. Schwartz" <nmsz@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:cubnbe02kqk@news4.newsguy.com...
> "Michael McKelvy" <deskst49@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
> news:cu92r202a2@news2.newsguy.com...
>> "Cosworth" <billbalmer@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>> news:cu2scg01q2b@news1.newsguy.com...
>>> I'm looking for a new 2-channel amp in the $500 range. It will be used
>>> to
>>> listen to all kinds of music, but not for home theater. It needs to be
>>> able
>>> to drive a 4 Ohm load comfortably, as I'm also planning on picking up
>>> some
>>> entry level Magnepans.
>>>
>
>>>
>> As I suggested in a previous post, using a pair of Alesis RA 500 power
>> amps
>> bridged for mono would give you tons of power, but I also thought of
>> another
>> advantage. It is unlikely that if you ever have any problems with these
>> amps requiring repair, that both would go bad at once. You could still
>> have
>> music playing or HT sound while one was in the shop. I don't expect that
>> would likely happen anytime before ten years or so as is typical for
>> amps.
>>
>> A second thought would be to use 2 of their RA 300 amps which when
>> bridged
>> would be capable of, you guessed it 300 watts of mono power into 4 ohms
>> for
>> around.$280.00 per amp. Just go to your search engine and type in Alesis
>> power amps and you will find many on line dealers in pro audio with
>> Alesis
>> products.
>>
> Good to know, these amps present interesting low cost possibilities. Not
> being able to see the backs of these amps anywhere, what gives as to the
> input jacks (balanaced, unbalanced, one or the other, or both) and speaker
> wire binding posts? It does disturb me a bit that these are not described,
> but perhaps this is customary with "pro" components, and everyone in the
> market for them know the answers.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALERA500 lists the following:

Inputs 1/4" TRS and RCA
Outputs 1/4" and push clip.

I believe you might be able to get an idea of the back from this website
http://alesis.com/downloads/ftp/ftp_images.htm by downloading the manual.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

An adcom 545 or 555 will be good at driving 2-4 ohm loads


"Norman M. Schwartz" <nmsz@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:cubnbe02kqk@news4.newsguy.com...
> "Michael McKelvy" <deskst49@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
> news:cu92r202a2@news2.newsguy.com...
>> "Cosworth" <billbalmer@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>> news:cu2scg01q2b@news1.newsguy.com...
>>> I'm looking for a new 2-channel amp in the $500 range. It will be used
>>> to
>>> listen to all kinds of music, but not for home theater. It needs to be
>>> able
>>> to drive a 4 Ohm load comfortably, as I'm also planning on picking up
>>> some
>>> entry level Magnepans.
>>>
>
>>>
>> As I suggested in a previous post, using a pair of Alesis RA 500 power
>> amps
>> bridged for mono would give you tons of power, but I also thought of
>> another
>> advantage. It is unlikely that if you ever have any problems with these
>> amps requiring repair, that both would go bad at once. You could still
>> have
>> music playing or HT sound while one was in the shop. I don't expect that
>> would likely happen anytime before ten years or so as is typical for
>> amps.
>>
>> A second thought would be to use 2 of their RA 300 amps which when
>> bridged
>> would be capable of, you guessed it 300 watts of mono power into 4 ohms
>> for
>> around.$280.00 per amp. Just go to your search engine and type in Alesis
>> power amps and you will find many on line dealers in pro audio with
>> Alesis
>> products.
>>
> Good to know, these amps present interesting low cost possibilities. Not
> being able to see the backs of these amps anywhere, what gives as to the
> input jacks (balanaced, unbalanced, one or the other, or both) and speaker
> wire binding posts? It does disturb me a bit that these are not described,
> but perhaps this is customary with "pro" components, and everyone in the
> market for them know the answers.