looking for input on a used $1500 amp lineup

[Tarheel_]

ok, i've been saving for years for a decent multi channel amp. I have an older Marantz 5600 (90x7) and need more power and well everything a separate amp can provide.
I don't know alot about amps and their specs make me dizzy. Since i cannot afford these amps new...i must buy online used. Anyone have input on these.

I watch mostly movies and some music.

my system in a 22x15x8 HT room in basement (unfinished)
Revel F30 (6ohm - 89 sen) full 3 way fronts
Revel M20 (6ohm - 90 sens) center
4 Inifinity Primus 150 (8 ohms 93 sens)

here is my short list (used )..i may be able to go 2k on my budget
Lexicon LX-7 (200x7)
Lexicon GX-7 (125x7)
Marantz MM803 (160x7)
Sunfire (200x7)
NAD M25 (160x7)

[elapsed]

You can still consider a new poweramp within your budget, Outlaw and Emotiva have several models that available under $2,000 shipped. Both companies allow you to return within 30 days if you are not satisfied

Outlaw 7200, 200x7, $1,849
Emotiva MPS-2, 200x7, $1,699
Outlaw 7125, 125x7, $999

I haven't used these products for myself, but both manufacturers are very popular on the home theater forums

Cheers,
elapsed

[Glen B]

I second the recommendation of Outlaw and Emotiva.

[frenchmon]

And the outlaw is a kin to the lexicon you desire.

frenchmon

[Tarheel_]

no disrepect to those companies, but i plan to keep this amp many years and i just don't want to keep asking myself...should i have gone with a higher end amp?

I'm leaning toward Lexicon...when i purchased my Revels in 2000, I demoed them with Lexicon amps and they were awesome. He also had the largest Marantz AVR and that sound good as well.

The others on the list i've just read about for years.

Just not sold on Emotiva/Outlaw yet.

[frenchmon]

ok, i've been saving for years for a decent multi channel amp. I have an older Marantz 5600 (90x7) and need more power and well everything a separate amp can provide.
I don't know alot about amps and their specs make me dizzy. Since i cannot afford these amps new...i must buy online used. Anyone have input on these.

I watch mostly movies and some music.

my system in a 22x15x8 HT room in basement (unfinished)
Revel F30 (6ohm - 89 sen) full 3 way fronts
Revel M20 (6ohm - 90 sens) center
4 Inifinity Primus 150 (8 ohms 93 sens)

here is my short list (used )..i may be able to go 2k on my budget
Lexicon LX-7 (200x7)
Lexicon GX-7 (125x7)
Marantz MM803 (160x7)
Sunfire (200x7)
NAD M25 (160x7)


Just so you would know, I live in Durham NC, and visit the local pawn shops here in my area looking for audio gear all the time. I have a Marantz 5500, with the same specks as your 5600.

Two weeks ago, I found a very good Adcom amp rated at 125 watts per channel in very good condition. The thing looked brand new. Knowing that Mr. Peabody has one of these, I asked him about it. He gave me a very good favorable review of the amp, so I went out and purchased it. The pawn shop wanted $199.00, and I got it for $179.00 out the door. This thing which is still in production today by Adcom retails for $700.00 -$800.00 at audio shop, and a tad cheaper online.

I got it home and hooked it up and to my surprise, while being a two channel amp it did wonders for my front two Paradigm speakers, and my center and surround back speaker also had a boost in volume and performance as well. I suspect that sense I was out-sourcing the front two channels on the reciever with the Adcom, the reciever gave the extra power from the internal amps to the other channels. Its almost as if the two channel amp is a 5 channel amp. And where it really shines is when I go two channel SACD. I had a good sound stage before the Adcom and an even greater sound stage now.

I may add a 3 or 5 channel Adcom amp in the near future then I will be done with my Home theater, eccept for some room treatments. Then I can start building a dedicated 2 channel system with better gear.

frenchmon

[frenchmon]

no disrepect to those companies, but i plan to keep this amp many years and i just don't want to keep asking myself...should i have gone with a higher end amp?

I'm leaning toward Lexicon...when i purchased my Revels in 2000, I demoed them with Lexicon amps and they were awesome. He also had the largest Marantz AVR and that sound good as well.

The others on the list i've just read about for years.

Just not sold on Emotiva/Outlaw yet.

I completely understand. I am a loyal Marantz fan. My two channel listening system will be driven by a Marantz Amp...just don't know which one. I was thinking about the PM7001, but I have now decided to go to their reference line.


frenchmon

[Jack in Wilmington]

I just saw a Sunfire TGA 7200 on Audiogon for $1999. 200 x 7. Brand new and 40% off list price. Sounds like a sweet deal.

[Mr Peabody]

The NAD M25 is a beast. Here you can try one with a bit of a return time.
http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/m25.asp

I also heard a brief demo of the MM8003 and it's worth the money.

BUT, if you are serious about wanting "high end" and top dog of all mentioned so far, here:
http://www.krellonline.com/html/m_KAV_p_SHCSa.html
www.spearitsound.com has a 5-channel new for $3,300.00. They also have a McCormack demo for $2,995.00. Some of the older Krell multichannel amps may be even cheaper on Audiogon but it may be worth a few more hundred dollares for the chance to return and risk free transactions.

[frenchmon]

The NAD M25 is a beast. Here you can try one with a bit of a return time.
http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/m25.asp

I also heard a brief demo of the MM8003 and it's worth the money.

BUT, if you are serious about wanting "high end" and top dog of all mentioned so far, here:
http://www.krellonline.com/html/m_KAV_p_SHCSa.html
www.spearitsound.com has a 5-channel new for $3,300.00. They also have a McCormack demo for $2,995.00. Some of the older Krell multichannel amps may be even cheaper on Audiogon but it may be worth a few more hundred dollares for the chance to return and risk free transactions.

Man that Krell looks sweet! I'll be in the STL in a couple of months...Is there a audio store to demo the Krell there?

frenchmon

[Tarheel_]

frenchmon....hey, i work in RTP and known Durham well....in the past, i've used a 120x2 Rotel and it worked very well with the Revel F30s...sold it to 'upgrade' to a NAD 218thx and it sounded lousy with my setup...and i mean terrible...sold it within weeks. So i've become gun shy on amps...i understand they all don't play well with speakers.
Having said that...3k is way out of my range Mr. Peabody. I'd love to try them, but can't.

I suspect frenchmon the Adcom will satisfy for a while and you'll want an upgrade. It happens all the time. For this reason i wanna go used and get as much as an upgrade as i can afford.
The ultimate demo i had was with Revel Salons connected to Theta pro/amp and it was a 5.1 with a Revel B15 sub. Unreal.
I'm trying to get there 1 step at a time.
Figure if i can stay within the Harmon line i'll get some synergy going. So, at the end of the day i'm gonna probably go Lexicon and hope down the road the budget gods grace me with funds to go Theta for my HT.

[Mr Peabody]

Frenchmon, I wondered if you went for that Adcom. Music For Pleasure is the only place I know to hear Krell. These guys were big Krell fanboys but only have a scant showing now. I'm not sure what the problem is. MFP says Krell doesn't have what they need any more, not keeping up, so to speak. Krell has a $30k processor out now. It wasn't broken in yet but the feedback I got was a bit under whelming. They can still build some great amps but today a company needs more than just amps I guess. If you wander in there, take a listen to some T+A, I think you will be impressed. Also, if they have the Clayton Audio Class A monoblocks, those are a must hear. And, of course, you can hear the new Marantz HT gear and all the Dynaudio. If the Sapphires are still there, those are a must hear. You don't expect to say $16k is a value but to hear how close they come to the Temptations and how they make the big B&W's sound in comparison, you'll think if I had $16k these are a no brainer.

[frenchmon]

tarheel

I've been down here in Durham for about 7 years now. My wife, who works for this company in St.Louis, was asked to move to Durham to start up a division in a company that was bought by them in 2001. That company is in Treburn Corporate Park. But now we are transfering back to St.Louis. The wife and kids are already back in St.Louis and I am still here getting the house sold.

Naw, I wont get the upgrade bug for my Home theater. While I like movies, its mostly for the wife and kids....I'm more into two channel music.

I will miss Durham, Raliegh, Cary (Cary Audio factory), Chaple Hill, Southern Seasons, and all the trees and woods. There is no better place to be for college basketball, and the Duke, Tar-heels and NC State rivalry

So have you been over to Audio Advice over in Raliegh? How about Advanced Audio over in Cary?

Mr.Peabody after your review I thought I would give it a chance. I did hear the mid bass hump, but I just turned down the center channel and have not heard it sense. (I think thats what you ment by mid bass hump).

When I get back to STL I'll hustle over to MFP. If I remember, they are over on South Hanley road? Or is it Big Bend? I think it might be Hi Fi Fo Fum thats on South Hanley? Well any ways,I'm going to listen to everything you suggested, if the store will tolerate me.

frenchmon

[Tarheel_]

bought my Revels from Advanced Audio in Raleigh. Good place to demo.

Good luck moving back.