First Post!

Hi all,

As I tend to change my system quite frequently, I have decided that the best way forward is to buy 2nd hand - this way I should get a better product and I shouldnt lose much moeny when I come to sell on.

At the moment I am after a 2nd hand stereo amp, to match the following criteria:

* Around £200 mark
* Reasonably high powered - my speakers are quite power hungry
* Not too old. I dont mind buying something around say 5 years old, as long as the make is known for reliability

Can anybody please recommend any amps to suit my requirements?

It is also worth mentioning that I may be adding more speakers to the system, and have been thinking about surround sound. Ideally, the stereo amp will have matching power amps to give me the option of expanding the system with similarly designed amps.

Kind regards.

 

well, you could go for a nad - I've just bought a nad c270 power amp - and thats amazing, I haven't even bi-amped it yet, tho, locating a c270 is quite tricky imo and the nad c272 is about 450 quid I think...but sounds great tho~!

 

Audiolab would seem to fit that bill rather well, especially they're out again new. I don't much like the sound but plenty do. You should be able to get an 8000 for £200, you might even get one of the Tag 60i's at that price.
By the way Skint welcome to the forum

 

I don't know the rest of your system, so there's nothing to stop me recommending you think about Linn A second-hand AV5125 has five channels and was one of the best value products in the line-up until recently superseded by the Chakra line. I would think one could get one used for about £800*, maybe less, making the per-channel cost only a little over your budget. I have two of them and they are part of the reliable core of my system. They are entirely trouble-free, don't run too hot, take a lot of stick, accept linn active boards if you want, have a signal-sensing standby, even a blue LED

* there's one on German ebay for under 800 euros

 

I agree about Audiolab, but would urge that you do better than the 8000a. I declare self-interest that I have a s/h 8000S for sale, but recommend that model anyway. If you can get one for £200 then thats a bargain. The s/h Tag 60i is newer but not such value - try for a s/h Tag 60iv.

welcome to zerogain.

 

Thanks for the quick recommendations. Seem like a friendly bunch!

Yeah i've heard a Cyrus 3 with my speakers actually, and was well impressed with the sound, so this one is definately on my shortlist.

Hmm, Audiolab, always liked the look of these. The 8000S is the new model right? If so I doubt i'll get one for £200 just yet. I will definately have a look though. I'll also look into the others recommended, thanks.

Please feel free to recoemmend any others.

 

You won't get a new one, but you'll certainly get a second hand 8000s for £200, and as I said I nearly bought a Tag 60i for £200 a while back too. That's much the same amp in a pretty case. The new 8000s is just the same as the old one, but in a silver case and made in China now that IAG own them.
Just looked on hififorsale.com. and there's 3 or 4 8000A's in your budget, there's also a 8000s (that's the one you want) for £250, with a bit of negotiation......

 

a brief, and maybe accurate history:

Audiolab made a lot of hifi kit and enjoyed good reputation with a series of 8000 amplifiers (and other stuff too, like tuners, CDP, etc). The 8000a was their entry level. there were also preamps and poweramps and monoblocs. the 8000lx enjoyed mixed success, the 8000s was well regarded as their best integrated that could be used as pre/power.

Tag Maclaren Audio bought Audiolab, causing uproar, and aiming at the hi-end AV. the 8000lx became the Tag 60i; the 8000s became the Tag 60iv (winning prizes). other audiolab stuff became tag stuff. more than just re-badging happened, but prices went up lots.

TMA ceased trading and was bought up by IAG, who have now re-launched under the Audiolab brand, see hifibitz.com for models and pricing.

 

lordsummit,

So the 8000S is the superior model to the 8000A? I've just had a look at hififorsale, and according to two individuals' adverts, the 8000A retailed at £800, and the 8000S retailed at only £650? Are these people right? How old are the two models- andy idea? I would imagine the 8000A is around the same age as the Cyrus 3? I seem to remember these two units were out around the same time, trying to out-do eachother?

I must admit, I prefer the look of the Cyrus, but the most important thing for me is sound quality... how do the two compare in terms of sound quality???

 

ditton,

you say you have an 8000S for sale? Or did I miss-read your post? If so, please could I have some details i.e. condition, age etc. Thanks

 

yeah I do seem to remember the Cyrus 3 sounding a bit special...

hmm, decisions. Theres a Cyrus 3i on eBay now actually, but i'm not sure I like the fact that its had an 'overhaul' by Cyrus recently, as it says in the item description. I'm not sure I want something thats needed an overhaul! What do you guys think??

 

I'll send you PM (private message).

its not new, but was raved about:
http://202.186.86.35/audio/story.asp?file=/1996/2/02lab

see http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/integrated-amplifiers/audiolab/PRD_116281_2717crx.aspx

mine is black, is probably 7 years old. was bought s/h for £300 in 2002 (as I recall but will check). it held its own against anything costing twice as much new during 2004/5 when I was seeking to upgrade. it takes a bit to warm up. was last road tested by Shrink (of this zerogain parish - you could PM him). I have remote, manual (when I find it) and box.

where are you located?

suggest that you also contact guy on hififorsale as I'm in no rush.

 

Skint, I'm no expert, I thought of the Audiolab, because it's cheap, there's such a lot of them around, you wanted flexibility, and whilst it's not my bag, it's a pretty good sounding amp. Personally I really dislike Cyrus but the murder of my ear drums could easily be someone elses ear candy. I prefer a more musical less analytical sound. Cyrus always sounds too bright and rather crass to me, but that's just my opinion. I'm a valve man myself and I nearly always listen to vinyl. It's all down to taste. If I had your money to spend I would buy neither, but what I would buy wouldn't suit your requirements.

 

ditton,

sorry, but when you say it was last 'road tested', what exactly do you mean. I'm a bit new to all this lingo

 

sorry, my fault.

The Audiolab 8000S was in my main hifi system, but was the component that I wanted to upgrade having upgraded both the CD transport & dac and the speakers. I did upgrade, to a Bel Canto Evo4 which is in a different league and price bracket. The 8000S was therefore just stored for about six months (maybe 9). I then loaned it to Shrink, who is very much the Audiolab-fan, along with another bit of kit which he eventually bought from me. He was the last to listen to ('road test') the 8000S.

Before we agree anything, I ought to use this weekend to assure myself that all is in working order - I have no reason to doubt but that seems only reasonable.

 

OK. have put 8000S back on the main system, and its poweramp mode is in working order and sounding dandy. I'll check out the pre and the integrated modes, altho I know thats what Shrink was using and he said all was good. if you want to go for this, then lets decide whether to take this to PM, or to the sales bit of zerogain. where do you live/work, btw?

 

have tried out the main options - integrated/pre-power with CD, tuner, aux and powerampIN - and all giving good sound. in fact it does v.well even against the bc evo4!