Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with stereo and amplifier

New stereo amp to replace my broken one.

misterpatrick — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:28:05 -0800

My amplifier/receiver died. I need something inexpensive (~$200) but powerful to replace it. I am not an audiophile but like my music to sound good. Should I get a simple amplifier and an HD radio tuner or troll eBay for a used receiver? I have two sets of speakers plus woofer and need about 100W per channel. Need three or four inputs. Don't need fancy 5.1 or anything. Recommendations? The receiver I am replacing is a Sony STR-DE525. Worked fine for me but our radio reception isn't great here and the stations we listen to broadcast in HD, so one reason to just get an amp and an HD receiver. My other inputs are the computer (iTunes), cable, DVD player and turntable.

Cheap amp with great clean tone for stereo effects

relucent — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:42:18 -0800

Amplifilter: Looking for a cheap SS guitar amp to complement my Fender Deluxe 90 so I can use my effects pedals' stereo features. I have three Boss effects pedals that have stereo-out features that I would like to use (DD-7 delay, CE-5 chorus and BF-3 flanger). The idea is that I would have two amps, each driving the speaker on the right or left of the stage. So when the effects are off, it sends the signal to both equally, but when they are on, the stereo effects kick in (ping-pong for delay, spaciness for chorus, panning for the flanger).

Right now I play an American Deluxe Strat through a Fender Deluxe 90 solid-state amp. I don't care much for the amp's built-in effects or its distortion, but I love the clean channel. I would like to get another amp very cheap (probably used), and all I need is for it to have a similar-sounding clean channel - I won't use the dirty channel or any other built-in effects. Ideally it would be a Fender amp just because that stands the best chance of delivering a similar sound, but I am open to anything as long as it can be obtained for less than $150 used (or new). I am also completely open to discontinued models that are a few years old.

Any ideas? I was considering a 25W Fender Frontman, but I don't know if that will match up to my 90-watt. And the 65W Frontman amp is a little out my price range.

Home Audio 101

10ch — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:49:09 -0800

What components do I need to buy to have a solid stereo system for my home? I know nothing about home audio and I want to buy a quality turntable for playing records (including 78s) as a gift for my one and only.

I took a look at other mefi questions about turntables and found some good resources, but I quickly realized that there's a lot of vocabulary and hip-bone-connected-to-the-assumptions going on that leave me clueless. I need someone that isn't trying to sell me something to help me figure out what I need.

Fer'instance... am I better going with separate parts (and if so, what are those parts specifically) or with a "home system" (I want to avoid crappy parts just to get the 78 feature, for example).

Here are the things I'd like the system to do, in priority:

- Cost around $500
- Sound good
- Play records (78s, 33s and 45s)
- Play cds
- Play cassettes
- Play FM/AM radio
- BONUS, BUT NOT REQUIRED: Record across the above (ideally on CD)
- BONUS, BUT NOT REQUIRED: Be aesthetically pleasing

Speak jargon as long as you provide clarification (parenthetically). Links and specific make/model recommendations are appreciated. I'll be happy to converse in thread if I'm leaving details out. Thanks for your help.

Crass consumerism strikes again

FelliniBlank — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 19:34:25 -0800

Tell me how much I need to spend on audio preamp(s) and amplifier(s) to make my home stereo system sound jaw-droppingly great. Ze muzeek, she eez my life, so two years ago I upgraded some of my very low-end stereo components to these moderately better ones:

Goldring GR2 turntable

NAD C542 CD player, and

Orb Audio speaker system (two "MOD2" double-satellite assemblies + a subwoofer)

WAY better sound, baby, but that's when the money ran out, so I couldn't replace the basic Onkyo receiver with a nice preamp(s) + amp(s) to make the most of the other components.

Now I have some pennies saved and have started looking at equipment and reviews. This is where you come in. I might could swing $1500 tops for the whole enchilada if absolutely necessary, but I'd like to spend as little as it takes to get good quality gear -- new or used -- that actually makes an audible improvement to my non-audiophile, non-engineer ears. And even if I do drop the whole $1500, I'm not exactly sure how to divide it between the different components so that I'm investing the right proportion in each one.

The question:
To get preamp and amp equipment that is of comparable quality to the rest of my system and that will help it live up to its full potential, how much should I be looking to spend on each of the following:

1) phono preamp
2) line preamp
3) or instead of 1+2, a single preamp with phono stage
and
4) monoblock or two-channel amp(s) with max 110 wpc output (25-75 watts is probably plenty for my small, decently efficient speakers in a 13x20ish foot room)

Or if you think the existing Onkyo receiver is up to the job and I should put my wallet away, g'head and say so.

Other info:
-- This is just for music; I have zero interest in home theater audio. My musical tastes run the gamut.

-- SS or tube is fine, but I doubt that decently isolated hybrids are within my budget. As a vinyl-loving middle-aged Luddite who digs warm, rich sound, I'm drawn to the concept of vacuum tubes, and the basic Antique Sound Labs preamp and monoblock amps are appealing and affordable. But I don't know if I'd like the reality of tube gear. It would have to go in this type of open rack and would have at most a few inches of clearance above it, and I'm not sure that's sufficient for ventilating tube components. Also, I'd get cranky if I had to let the thing warm up for an hour before it stopped sounding like shit.

Please take it easy on the acousticalese; IANAPhysicist.

Two different sets of speakers on amp/receiver.

ObscureReferenceMan — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:33:37 -0800

Will two different pairs of speakers work and play well with my new Onkyo receiver? Hot on the heels of this question... I have a new Onkyo TX-8222 receiver. I've got two pairs of speakers; Boston Acoustics CR-57's in the living room (channel A), and Bose 161's downstairs (channel B). Reading the specs for the receiver, it says that when connecting two sets of speakers, their impedence should be between 8 and 16 ohms. The BA's are rated 8 ohms (OK), but the Bose are rated "4-8" ohms (that's what the spec sheet says). What does that mean? I guess the real question is; why does Bose list a range, and not a single number? Every other speaker I've seen lists a single number.

Will I be safe? I am 99% sure I will, but the left channel on the old receiver (TX-26) blew just two weeks ago. I had it running with the BA's and Bose 161's, and everything sounded fine (both channels on at same time, even running loud). I just assumed that it was an old age thing (the receiver's, not mine, dag-nabbit!).

Specs on the new Onkyo here.

P. S. I did send an email to customer service via the Bose web site. No reply yet.
P. P. S. I found a guy through a friend who buys old stereo components. I'll be calling him tomorrow. If you're on Long Island, and have stereo equipment gathering dust, let me know.

Stereo / amp question.

starman — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:47:51 -0800

Looking for advice on stereo speakers (and an amp setup). I have a 5.1 setup that I'm pretty happy with, but I recently came into posession of a 15-plus year-old Yamaha R-30 "Natural Sound" receiver that I'd like to use just for music (anyone else have one of these older Yamaha receivers, have any thoughts on them?)

Question is: what can you recommend for a decent set of speakers to plug into it? They don't have to be that powerful - maybe some bookshelf speakers that have a good range? Or if you have a suggestion for some floor speakers that are a "great find." Let's say the price range is $200-300 but don't hold back.

Part 2: I also have an unpowered, 80-watt subwoofer. Left and right stereo wire inputs. Any recommendations for cheap-ish amp for it? The amp output has to be a single RCA.

Help me replace my music-player!

bubukaba — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 22:51:33 -0800

I need help figuring out which audio amplifier I should buy. I'm not even sure that what I'm looking for is actually called an audio amplifier - what I mean is the thing that you plug your record player and CD player into and there are buttons to switch between the various things you have plugged into it, and then it will make it play through the speakers that you have attached to it, and usually there's a remote control. Yes, I am completely ignorant about audio equipment.

Anyway, my old one of these things blew up in sparks and smoke a few weeks ago, and I'd really like to replace it. The problem is, the one I had was purchased by my parents when I was very young, so I have no idea what I should be looking for or where I should be looking.

I'd like to buy a good but bare-bones one, hopefully costing less than $200. I'll be plugging two speakers into it (no surround sound system or anything), along with a record player and a cable that connects to the headphone output in my computer.

I'm looking for recommendations for specific pieces of equipment, and also general suggestions for websites to look at (with reviews and specifications and such).

Do I need a new sound card?

tomble — Sat, 15 Oct 2005 17:50:48 -0800

Crackly sound in my amplifier... I've just bought a stereo amplifier (sherwood brand) second hand, to replace an old Aiwa brand one. This is what I use to drive a set of large Bang & Olufsen speakers connected to my computer.

The sound is definitely more crisp - on the old amp I had to turn the bass way down and the treble waaaay up to get clear sound, and there was an annoying hiss at all volumes.

Now I'm noticing some tracks on my computer have a crackly sound, particularly with loud and high pitch sounds. However, while experimenting with this I hooked up my MP3 player to the stereo using the same inputs as I had used for the computer, and it sounds great at any volume.

I've played with input volume and so forth, and it seems that my computer's output is where the problem exists. I have a motherboard mounted soundcard.

Am I hearing crackly noises that were always present but lost to the old amplifier? Would a new soundcard be better? Any recommendations? I'm not a major audophile, but I do like clean sound.

Small audio amp?

cccorlew — Sun, 08 May 2005 12:07:04 -0800

I have a small Soundworks subwoofer with satellite speakers I want to use with my Mac. I need a small, no frills amp just to, well, amplify. Is there such a beast at a reasonable price?

How can I make my stereo quieter?

bcwinters — Mon, 15 Nov 2004 08:29:08 -0800

How can I make my stereo quieter? [MI] I have a Harman Kardon receiver (sort of an ordinary home model with a bunch of regular RCA inputs and two sets of speaker-wire outputs) and a pair of Fisher speakers that date from the 70s that my dad gave me. I have a bunch of regular devices running into a switcher box that then feeds into the stereo -- the TiVo, the PS2 & GameCube, my Mac, etc.

The problem is that even the line-level inputs like the TiVo are WAY too loud since I moved to an apartment with a smallish living room. I can't even turn the volume halfway between zero and one without feeling like I'm going to wake the dead, especially in the evening. The speakers sound great and warm and I don't really want to replace them. I am not an audiophile although I do care about halfway decent, natural sound.

I bought some highly-rated bookshelf speakers a while ago, thinking they would have a lower overall output, and they sounded so tinny compared to the floor speakers I was used to that I had to return them. Today I searched on Google for something to reduce or limit the volume and all I could find were sort of audiophile-ish devices that cost $200 or more.

Can anyone recommend some kind of not-that-expensive device I can stick between the stereo and the speakers (or between the switcher box and the stereo, or whatever) that will reduce the overall volume so I can have more control over the sound? Thanks!

Tube Amp < $500. Recommendations Wanted.

tommasz — Thu, 22 Apr 2004 11:21:42 -0800

Can anyone recommend a tube (valve) amplifier kit in the ~ $500 (US) range? I was going to buy one of the Passion Audio Kit i11 amps but the company that offered them, Rotac in Quebec, quit selling them April 1st.

Audophile Advice on Connecting my Mac to My Stereo (Jack v. Sound Card)?

derbs — Tue, 10 Feb 2004 04:07:03 -0800

Advice needed from audiophiles! What's the best way to connect my Mac to my stereo system? Also, amplifier recommendations advice, more inside... At the moment, i'm using a simple splitter from the headphone jack of my mac to 2 red/white phono leads that go into the aux input of my amp. Does the headphone jack give a good enough quality sound-out? Or is there any sort of of soundcard (like a PC soundblaster card) for the Mac? I've googled for one, but can't find squat...