Time to get a Preamp and an Amp for under $4,000 (1 Viewer)

[Allen Marshall]

Ok,

Step 1. Get a Subwoofer
Step 2. Get a Preamp and an amp
Step 3. Upgrade to higher quality Speakers


Step 1 is complete, moving on. I know i posted a thread about what preamp and amp to get i dont know how long ago, 4 or 5 months perhaps. But new things have come to light, new budget to be met, new stuff has come out etc.

I didnt think i would end up spending so much on a subwoofer but blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda i did so my preamp and amp budget has gone down from what it used to be.

Now the companies i know of are Rotel, B&K, Outlaw, Krell, that one that starts with a B, Parasound, Marantz and Anthem.

I want a 7 channel system. I figure im gonna have these 8 ohm speakers until like 2006, so it seems to me the best way to go is the Outlaw 770. That one with 200x7 at 8, 300x7 at 4. Since all the amps i've looked at are 200 at 8 i might as well get the most cost effective one.

Also, i have no idea on the MSRP or current price or what i can get used on any of the preamps/amps except for the Outlaws...which say on the site.

If its a bad thing to have different amp and preamp companies let me know, but i dont want to get that outlaw preamp, it just doesnt cut it for me. But i have gotten used to the fact that no matter what im not gonna be able to see the screen of the preamp unless i run up to it. So, that Outlaw amp is what $1,800. That leaves only $2,200 left on a preamp. If anybody has a better solution then what i just said please do tell.

I dont know the prices of any of the preamps so i dont know if they'd fit into my budget, but anything anybody can suggest that i can fit in there would be great.

So far what has run through my head is:

B&K Ref 50/Outlaw 770
Rotel RSP-1068/Outlaw 770

Those are just because i like what they have and how they look but i probably wouldnt be able to fit either of those in huh? Used perhaps, anybody know sites that are sellin any of those used.

So that's all i got cookin, every store i've been is pretty much Reciever based so checkin them out kinda went out the window.

I dont really need more then 200wpc cause my fronts power handling is 250 and my rears are 150, and i havent been able to find any amps that have more then 200 watts at 8 except krell.

But i really want a kick ass preamp and im not saying only B&K or Rotel which by my like i wont even be able to afford in the first place.

Do any of these preamps have screen controllers or something cause there panels are so damn small. I can read the volume on my Yamaha reciever from 15ft away but everything else is to hard to make out, and these screens look smaller and i cant find where they show there controllers on any of these sites.

Im hoping once i get something more then 75 watts into my speakers that i'll decide i wont want new speakers, or atleast not until these are warn out.

Also, whats the point of the Rotel RSP-1068 havin a screen on it like that.

 

[Drew_W]

The 1068 doesn't have a screen, it's the 1098 that does. The screen is useful for those with projectors so they can preview or setup stuff withotu having to fire up their projector (And I'm sure it has other uses, that's just the main one in my head).

For $4000 though you can do this, and this is only MSRP:

RSP 1068 DTS, DD, HDCD, Dolby surround pre-amp, multiroom, component, RS-232, Dolby 6.1 and 7.1 $1699

RB 1080 Two channel amplifier 200 x 2 with balanced inputs, 12 v trigger $999 (Mains)

RMB 1075 Five channel amplifier 120 x 5, 12 v trigger $999 (Centre/4 surrounds)

(For future reference, check out http://www.rotel.com/products/retail-prices.htm) ... Their stuff is much more affordable than you think, and you can do a solid 7.1 setup like I just speced out for you, and of course with the 10-15% off you should easily get from your dealer, you'll have enough cash left over to get solidly onto Step 3.

 

[JoeHard]

Allen,
There should be no issue using different brands for your amp and pre-pro. I have a 5 channel B&K amp I used with my previous Marantz pre-pro and my current Rotel 1066 with no problem. With a 4k budget I like your pre-pro choices.I don't think You wrong with B&K or Rotel, with both available for under 2 grand that leaves another 2 grand for an amp.The B&K AV 125.7,7 channels at 125 wpc for $1800.Anthem PVA 7, 7 channels at 125 wpc for $1500.ATI 1807,180 wpc x 7 for $2000 and NAD T937 at 140 wpc x 7 at $2000, are some choices and I'm sure others will be happy to add others.Good luck.

 

[Jed M]

You could do a search on www.AV123.com for info on the Emotiva combo from Onix that comes in at an introductory price of $4000. I hasn't been released yet, but it is supposedly very close. You can read some specs by clicking on the bottom link (introducing Emotiva) on this page. I own the Outlaw 950/770 but if I were buying it all new today, I would get the Emotiva combo.

 

[Ernest Yee]

Allen - YGPM

 

[Allen Marshall]

What's YGPM

 

[Frank Zimkas]

YGPM=you got a PM