Audio Source

[s dog]

I was looking around on parts express the other day and i noticed they have a audio source monoblock 150 watts for $217.00 that sounds like a pretty good deal for a 150 watt monoblock amp. Are these amps any good, i was thinking about running my klipschs s- 3 center speaker off of one of these amps.Do you guys think i would gain anything buy going with this monoblock over my denon 4800 that im running my center with now. $217.00 bucks just sounds awful cheap for a monoblock,maybe the old saying would be ture in this case you get what you pay for, not sure about this deal. btw trying to get a little more dynamics out of my center, that s-3 is a good size speaker.

[kexodusc]

I was looking around on parts express the other day and i noticed they have a audio source monoblock 150 watts for $217.00 that sounds like a pretty good deal for a 150 watt monoblock amp. Are these amps any good, i was thinking about running my klipschs s- 3 center speaker off of one of these amps.Do you guys think i would gain anything buy going with this monoblock over my denon 4800 that im running my center with now. $217.00 bucks just sounds awful cheap for a monoblock,maybe the old saying would be ture in this case you get what you pay for, not sure about this deal. btw trying to get a little more dynamics out of my center, that s-3 is a good size speaker.

These amps are definitely a step up from most receivers, but they aren't the absolute pinnacle of amplification by any means. I have an Amp One that I bought for $12 and fixed up (just needed a new push button power switch).
It holds it's own quite favourably to some old Adcom, NAD, Rotel power amps I have.
They're good cheap power. You can usually find them for less money than Parts Express sells them. Etronics use to lowball those things out a few years back. They're a bit liberally rated in terms of power, I find. If it says 100 watts, don't expect a lick more than 100 watts.

They're preamps are terrible. Avoid.

[s dog]

These amps are definitely a step up from most receivers, but they aren't the absolute pinnacle of amplification by any means. I have an Amp One that I bought for $12 and fixed up (just needed a new push button power switch).
It holds it's own quite favourably to some old Adcom, NAD, Rotel power amps I have.
They're good cheap power. You can usually find them for less money than Parts Express sells them. Etronics use to lowball those things out a few years back. They're a bit liberally rated in terms of power, I find. If it says 100 watts, don't expect a lick more than 100 watts.

They're preamps are terrible. Avoid. Thanks for the help, i will keep checking ebay and see if i can fined one on there for less than $217.00

[kexodusc]

$199 at:
http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=audamp53a&store=&catid=4091

$190 at:
http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/sc/from-shopping.asp?id=964609186&rf=dt

You might consider getting the amp 100 or Amp One (or One/A) and bridge them for big power output too...would probably save you money, and provide more flexibility later on. Stereo amps are easier to sell 2nd hand.
I used my Amp One/A bridge to drive my sub for a month...4 ohm stable no problem and it put out 200 watts. They claim they're stable to 2 ohms...A lot of DIY-ers love these amps because they're cheap, sound good, and are tough - don't know I'd try 2 ohms with one though, but they are a good value.
I think they never caught on because of the looks, price range etc. Sometimes gear has to have a big pricetage before people take them seriously.

[s dog]

$199 at:
http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?stk_code=audamp53a&store=&catid=4091

$190 at:
http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/sc/from-shopping.asp?id=964609186&rf=dt

You might consider getting the amp 100 or Amp One (or One/A) and bridge them for big power output too...would probably save you money, and provide more flexibility later on. Stereo amps are easier to sell 2nd hand.
I used my Amp One/A bridge to drive my sub for a month...4 ohm stable no problem and it put out 200 watts. They claim they're stable to 2 ohms...A lot of DIY-ers love these amps because they're cheap, sound good, and are tough - don't know I'd try 2 ohms with one though, but they are a good value.
I think they never caught on because of the looks, price range etc. Sometimes gear has to have a big pricetage before people take them seriously. I just got me a AMP ONE A off of e-bay for $75.00 used. I want to run it in a bridged mode for my center speaker, im not toldly clear on how to do this, no manual came with the amp, the way it looks is you just put the bridging switch to mono and hook your speaker wires to each of the positive terminals, my ? is which side of the speaker wire go to which positive on the back of the amp, other words does the neg on the speaker go to the left or right positive on the back of the amp.Also where do you set the out put control on the front of the amp, do you turn it all the way up then fine tune it with the gain control on the receiver when useing a sound meter to set everything up.? Im just not sure about some of this stuff.

[kexodusc]

I just got me a AMP ONE A off of e-bay for $75.00 used. I want to run it in a bridged mode for my center speaker, im not toldly clear on how to do this, no manual came with the amp, the way it looks is you just put the bridging switch to mono and hook your speaker wires to each of the positive terminals, my ? is which side of the speaker wire go to which positive on the back of the amp, other words does the neg on the speaker go to the left or right positive on the back of the amp.Also where do you set the out put control on the front of the amp, do you turn it all the way up then fine tune it with the gain control on the receiver when useing a sound meter to set everything up.? Im just not sure about some of this stuff.
Here's the link to the manual - I love my amp one! best $12 I ever spent :D
ftp://208.187.38.55/Audiosource/Manuals/amps/

I think for mono/bridging, you only use the right inputs and 2 positive outputs...should be a picture in the manual showing how to connect the speaker..
Crank the output on the front to max. Let's call it gain in the future just so I know what you are talking about...On these amps (and most other power amps) gain controls are really "cut" stages that just run through a variable resistor setup - no need to do that here!

[s dog]

Here's the link to the manual - I love my amp one! best $12 I ever spent :D
ftp://208.187.38.55/Audiosource/Manuals/amps/

I think for mono/bridging, you only use the right inputs and 2 positive outputs...should be a picture in the manual showing how to connect the speaker..
Crank the output on the front to max. Let's call it gain in the future just so I know what you are talking about...On these amps (and most other power amps) gain controls are really "cut" stages that just run through a variable resistor setup - no need to do that here! Thanks for the link, that should do it. Now i just hope the amp works,you never know for sure what you will end up with off e-bay. I will try it out this weekend.

[likeitloud]

Thanks for the link, that should do it. Now i just hope the amp works,you never know for sure what you will end up with off e-bay. I will try it out this weekend.

I had a friends AMP3 (150wpc) for a few days for "break-in", and I'm telling you, that
unit really held it's own. It powered both some vintage JBL monitors, and some
pioneer HPM 100's, both known for soaking up power, and it never fell short once.
Good clean power, ran cool, no issues. For under 3 bills, it's a no brainer. It gave
a rotel that cost 3 times that a run for it's money. It held its own, untill the point
it was so loud, I left the room. I say "Go For It".

[kelsci]

Hi Likeitloud; HPM100s may be soakers on power, but they sure perform. My friend still has a pair of these that we both chose for him in a store back around 1982. They are finicky on the quality of the amp that is put on them, but when you hit paydirt, you get paydirt with those speakers. IMHO one of the best floorstanders ever made.

[likeitloud]

Hi Likeitloud; HPM100s may be soakers on power, but they sure perform. My friend still has a pair of these that we both chose for him in a store back around 1982. They are finicky on the quality of the amp that is put on them, but when you hit paydirt, you get paydirt with those speakers. IMHO one of the best floorstanders ever made.

I'm very happy with them, they work well for my type of music/listening volumn. I.E
classic rock/loud. I've used them with a Rotel, and recently found a Pioneer M-90,
two different sounds, but both really hammer the speakers in different ways. The
m-90 gave the speakers a "harsher" sound, which for now I prefer.