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I've been given a pair of old Wharfdales, which I'm told are/were fairly decent. I'd like a cheap amp to run them - there seems to be loads of very cheap Chinese stuff available. Just wondering if any of it is any good, or will I not notice the difference for such old speakers? Looking at Nobsound, Lepy etc. Cable input will be fine, playing from a laptop or phone - found Bluetooth to be temperamental previously. Something which looks vaguely classy/understated would be good.
Speakers are like this:
Ta,
Old pioneer or something off gumtree?
Thats where I would go - secondhand. I use a cambridge audio amp I got second-hand. Hi Fi separates have little value these days so bargains are out there.
something like this?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cambridge-Audio-A1-MK3-V3-0-Integrated-Stereo-Amplifier/113275865338?epid=93859533&hash=item1a5fc488fa:g:vU4AAOSw1Ahbo3nQ
+1 I run a pair of old Wharfedales like those with a Cambridge Audio A1 - absolutely fab as long as you get the cable polarity right.
Lepai t class off ebay
Secondhand NAD3020 were always the go to amp in the day and would match very well with those speakers.
Thanks all. Will get trawling gumtree...
Before you spend more money on an amplifier, visually inspect the speaker drivers. Many old ones will have rotten surround foam.
I’ve got one of those Cambridge Audio A1 going spare, yours for 25 quid plus shipping.
That sounds good. Will message you.
There's a comment up there about the Nad 3020 amp. I would quote it but for some reason paste won't work in the forum text box for me.
Older speakers can be quite hard to drive and the 3020 range were never that powerful. My 3020i is 'only' 20w per channel and definitely prefer speakers that are easy to drive.
Not sure if they all have pre-outs (mine does) for coupling up to a separate power amp, but that doesn't sound like the sort of thing you would be looking for.
An old Rotel RA820 would be ideal. Lovely little amp, more than enough juice to drive those speakers, or even biggerer and more expensive, like B&W, KEF, Mission, Mordant Short... clean signal path, no unnecessary bells and whistles, sold loads back in the day.
As above. After checking the foams and general condition of the crossovers (look for leaking or bulging capacitors) and cabinets, I'd look for something like an older Yamaha amp if you want to keep it in period. Think 1970s big silver thing, although this wil probably need a good service too to make sure the pots and switches are all working fine etc.
The Nad 3020 was rather underpowered and whilst a nice sounding little thing, it isn't eactly punchy.
Or a brand new class T in a tin thing, but not played with these so can't say if they are any good.
I’d look for something like an older Yamaha amp if you want to keep it in period. Think 1970s big silver thing
Might be ‘in peiod’, but they’re not really designed with sound quality in mind, they might show a fair wattage outpost, but it’s all about current delivery and having a nice big power transformer, which the Rotel amps had, along with nice simple circuitry, no tone controls, and a split volume control for balance. I had a period amp, a silver Pioneer, with a Trio t/table which had a synthetic marble plinth, and a pair of Leak speakers, (I think that’s what they were, tweeter and a pair of mid/bass drivers), I managed to melt the voice coils in the main drivers without going too loud. Rotel every time.
Most of those Chinese class T jobbies are crap, just won't have the umpf to drive those well.
If you want a small, discrete amp look at the Temple Bantam, possibly still a little under powered but you'll get a much cleaner sound.
http://www.templeaudio.net/bantamgold.html
Or these from Amptastic
Other than that if I had to recommend a decent, secondhand option I'd look at Rotel.
I have an old 971 in the loft which needs repairing.Great amp oodles of power.
One here on ebay
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153180758084
This beats the pansy shaving thread hands down
Nad +1 or Yamaha on ebay....
Most of those Chinese class T jobbies are crap, just won’t have the umpf to drive those well.
Arse. I've got one arriving today. Mind you, I'm, only asking it to drive a pair of Gale bookshelf speakers.
I'll report back.
Not my main set-up but I use a cheap Chinese Lepei amp with some Mission 701s and it sounds perfectly fine.
Got a t amp of flea bay and denon/mission scm 50 bookshelf speakers (grand total of 75 quid) and they work very well using a streaming thing...
Don't knock some of the Chines amps. There's some good ones out there. For those old Wharefdales (assuming the drivers aren't screwed, the paper cones aren't mashed and the foam surrounds aren't disintegrating) those amps will be fine.
You're not driving audiophile speakers, you don't need an audiophile amp.
Oh and there's a big market for retro amps so beware the prices! But if you can get an old Marantz or Sansui and get it serviced, you'd be surprised how much power a 30w 1978 amp has - compared to a modern 150w amp!
Pioneer A400 or A300 with Tom Evans mods.
Old Musical Fidelity Amps often go cheap.
Anyone tried any of the Chinese Naim clones?
I'm watching this thread with interest as I'm currently using an old Technics SU-Z1 amp with a pair of Linn Index mk2 speakers, sounds pretty nice but I want to upgrade the amp to get the best out of the speakers, currently the difference between CDs and Apple music via an AE is noticable but not by much, I'm hoping to widen that gap with a better amp, then maybe give Tidal or Qobuz a try.
Audiolab 8000 second hand. 50 WPC and look cool as.
We've got one of those Lepai ( I think) T class amps in my ten year old son's room playing Apple music through my old Technics speakers, it sounds fine for him and for £25 it's brilliant value but it sounds pretty flat compared to the forty year old Technics amp that was running the speakers previously. As I said above I'm watching with interest as looking for a good recommendation for a nice cheapish vintage amp myself.
I've been having a trawl on gumtree, seeing what's there and having a little google of reviews, seems like a plan, one that'll probably end up being quite expensive in a hifi component upgrading game of leap frog.
Reporting back. The Lepy LP2020A arrived yesterday. I had a quick play last night, hooking up my Onkyo CD player and amp to a cheap pair of Gale bookshelf speakers. I have to say I'm very impressed. I played some quite challenging Marius Neset tracks and it handled it very well. The supplied 12V 3A power supply lets you put out more than enough in terms of volume with no discernable distortion.
The speakers are 8 Ohms. For twenty five quid it's a real steal.