Home Theater Forum - View Single Post - Help me build a setup for my smoking bar!

MaxL · 04-11-2007, 01:02 PM

yeah for me i'd by used in that case. if you've got a used/ speciality hifi shop around, go to them first. compare prices to ebay, most dealers will negotiate on used gear or throw in cables or something. in chicago i went to saturday audio and decibel audio. don't know where you are. i'd look at the marantz 1060 integrated amp, a couple on ebay now - drive 4 speakers, 4 line level inputs (don't include phono in, not line level). while 30 wpc rms sounds low, it's a very conservative rating and will blow out many new amps boasting 100+wpc. for newer gear, i had an onkyo inegra integrated amp (a-9711) mid 90's, well made, more inputs, more power (on paper), drove 2 sets of speakers. before i traded it in for my HT receiver, i pitted the onkyo built in the 90's rated @ 80wpc against my sony built in the early 70's rated @ 30wpc. i hooked up one of my cambridge audio speakers and one AR speaker to each and did a bunch of comparisons. the sony won in every category IMO. it sounded more dynamic, detailed, open and surprisingly had plenty more head room especially for the relatively power hungry AR's. i am listening to it as i type this. the only reason i'm not recommending it is because it only has 2 rear non-phono ins and one 1/4" plug aux-in in front, doesn't give you a lot of flexibility unless you get an external box input switch ($50 give or take). mind you, the onkyo was a solid piece of gear, i'm not trying to knock it.

anyway, lacking a decent local shop, i'd go ebay all the way. i can recommend more particular models if you like.

good luck

04-11-2007, 01:02 PM	#6 of 12
MaxL *Max Levine* Member Join Date: May 2006 Local Time: 03:42 AM Local Date: 12-02-2008 Posts: 424	Re: Help me build a setup for my smoking bar! yeah for me i'd by used in that case. if you've got a used/ speciality hifi shop around, go to them first. compare prices to ebay, most dealers will negotiate on used gear or throw in cables or something. in chicago i went to saturday audio and decibel audio. don't know where you are. i'd look at the marantz 1060 integrated amp, a couple on ebay now - drive 4 speakers, 4 line level inputs (don't include phono in, not line level). while 30 wpc rms sounds low, it's a very conservative rating and will blow out many new amps boasting 100+wpc. for newer gear, i had an onkyo inegra integrated amp (a-9711) mid 90's, well made, more inputs, more power (on paper), drove 2 sets of speakers. before i traded it in for my HT receiver, i pitted the onkyo built in the 90's rated @ 80wpc against my sony built in the early 70's rated @ 30wpc. i hooked up one of my cambridge audio speakers and one AR speaker to each and did a bunch of comparisons. the sony won in every category IMO. it sounded more dynamic, detailed, open and surprisingly had plenty more head room especially for the relatively power hungry AR's. i am listening to it as i type this. the only reason i'm not recommending it is because it only has 2 rear non-phono ins and one 1/4" plug aux-in in front, doesn't give you a lot of flexibility unless you get an external box input switch ($50 give or take). mind you, the onkyo was a solid piece of gear, i'm not trying to knock it. anyway, lacking a decent local shop, i'd go ebay all the way. i can recommend more particular models if you like. good luck HT: Marantz SR8000, PSB Alpha B fronts, Alpha C center, CSW New Ensemble surrounds, Martin Logan Dynamo Sub, Philips DVD, Sony CRT TV Stereos include vintage Sony receivers/amps into vintage AR and KEF speakers.