Advice Needed - amp for Large Advents

[JGoulet]

hi!

I have a system which includes 4 New Large Advents. My power amp is in the process of dying so I am looking for a replacement.

Does any have suggestions either in terms of currently available, new units, or a source for an approprite used unit?

I had a Soundcraftsmen PM 860 for about 13 years which I was quite satisfied with.

Thanks for your time!

John

MA

[stan461]

What is the budget?

[JGoulet]

under $1000.

Ran across a Rotel 980BX in Cambridge MA. Any thoughts on the appropriateness of that amp?

[stan461]

I didn't think of this before. Are you running a stacked/"double" advents?

If so, then then it would be a 4 OHM load on each channel.

[JGoulet]

I have two speakers hooked to each pair of posts (+/-) on the power amp. I believe this results in effectively 4 ohms as the Advents are each 8 ohms (for each channel the speakers are in parallel)

[stan461]

I have never set up stacked Advents.

However, from extensive reading on the subject, it seems there are some amps that would fill the requirement.

Aragon 4004 - come up regurlarly on Audiogon for well under $1000. Can easliy handle a 4 Ohm load.

Aragon 8088BB - also come up occaisionally on Audiogon for about $1200. Can easliy handle a 4 Ohm load. My buddy has one, I've heard it many times and it is a great amp!

Adcom GFA555 & ADCOM GFA555II - are good at 4 Ohms and are readily available on EBay or Audiogon from $300-450.

If you wish to go new, then maybe the Emotiva XPA-2 would be a good choice. Plenty of power and nothing but great write-ups.

They should be running a sale this summer but right now it sells for $799. It also has a 5 year warranty. If I needed an amp right now, I would be looking at the Emotiva XPA-2.

http://emotiva.com/xpa2.shtm

These are all suggestions and I admit that I have never even heard a stacked Advent setup. But at least I'm trying to help.

Anyone have better suggestions, please, please chime in.

[nolanpk]

Why not find a working Crown DC 300a? I have tried one before with Double Advents and it was pretty amazing. There is an archive somewhere on this site of an article about Double Advents which is from a hi-fi review magazine circa 1973. The authors described their experiences combining Double Advents with different amps, and they decided that the Crown was the best ( of course, that was based on amps that were available in 1973 ). I have also used a McIntosh MC 2100 and a Marantz 1250 ( integrated amp ). One of my roommates in 1974 used a Marantz 250 with one pair of Advents, which is the same power amp as the power section of the 1250. Of the three I have tried, the Crown is the best. If you try one, be careful with your volume. That amp is DC coupled, which means it will output DC voltage at high current levels, which can damage your woofers. However, the power ( 155 wpc ) and the dampnig factor ( 100db ) give the Advents some serious punch. Besides, the Crown is the same vintage as the Advents.

Best regards,

Pat

[dynaco_dan]

Hi Pat

If the Crown DC-300 or A is original then a re-capping and re & re some resistors may be in near order.

It was a battleship way back when but the technology is old and local servicing may now be difficult.

I agree that it was and still is a terrific sounding amp, actually not sounding but performing amplifier.

Within it's capabilities it does get those woofers cleanly pumping the deep bass.

Tom Tyson has posted information regarding a $300.00 Crown amp here a few times, his advice, without question, is always well worth considering.

[ironlake]

When I had my stacked advents I had an ar amp. It was designed for the 4 ohm load of the 3 etc. I worked super on the advents as it was rated at 60 watts per channel into 4 ohms. there are afew on ebay and one is completely restored and guaranteed. I would really look into that.

[dynaco_dan]

When I had my stacked advents I had an ar amp. It was designed for the 4 ohm load of the 3 etc. I worked super on the advents as it was rated at 60 watts per channel into 4 ohms. there are afew on ebay and one is completely restored and guaranteed. I would really look into that.

Hi there

I have owned an AR amplifier and tuner since new around 1970.

At this time, if I knew I could get an AR amp, tuner or receiver competently serviced locally I may also recommend them for purchase.

From some of the issues that I have read about I cannot recommend buying these units.

I would suggest that a more currently made amplifier or integrated amplifier or receiver be bought, such as the Crown for $300.00.

Newly made and waranteed by a well known manufacturer.

Just my thought for today.

[ironlake]

What is your reason for not using a restored AR amp? My filter caps went out after about 10 years but ar replaced them for me with some high quality new ones and it worked fine and the guy I sold it to still has it (2012) and it still works fine. Can;t beat that recored. Personaly I would stay clear of any tube amp as there is just too much to go wrong in them plus trying to find new tubes that are good and matched.

[dynaco_dan]

What is your reason for not using a restored AR amp? My filter caps went out after about 10 years but ar replaced them for me with some high quality new ones and it worked fine and the guy I sold it to still has it (2012) and it still works fine. Can;t beat that recored. Personaly I would stay clear of any tube amp as there is just too much to go wrong in them plus trying to find new tubes that are good and matched.

Hi there

Your point of not buying a tube amp is the same, except AR used transistors, not tubes.

When the original manufacturer of equipment is still in business chances are much better of getting OEM parts than when they are gone.

I have 2nd hand information that when AR moved from Mass to their newer location there was no setup for manufacturing my AR tuner, etc, thus the scarcety of parts support thereon began.

Such as the simple part, an internal tuner pilot lights which can be substituted with something close but is labour intensive.

The original AR amp used a red bezel neon enclosed pilot light, a suitable substitute is still available as a longer bodied neon, by adding a suitable power resistor an LED bodied lamp can be used instead.

If you read the AR amp/tuner/receiver service manual posted on this site you will easliy see what parts are difficult at best and near impossible to find or even have suitable substitutes, today.

Unfortunately we have lost the vast transistor selection of old and even substitutes are getting difficult to find, at a reasonable cost.

For the suggested Crown amp for $300.00 U$ it is hard to get a qualified and competant service tech to service a dead AR amp, and other electronics today, parts and labour.

I have not been anything less than pleased with all of my AR electronics, since new, but as they get older the likelyhood of a fatality is a for sure thing.

Even Dynaco did not make their solid state electronics with stock drop in devices all the time, even something so simple as a bass and treble was custom ordered.

I am positive that more than person here knows of a past brand that used standard, off the shelf components, rather than special spec'd parts.

UPDATED 20120612 8:30 PM

Thanks to Stan for his link to that amplifier.

I just returned from there and here are my thoughts.

Nice looking equipment to my eyes.

They do not suggest using loads below 4 ohms, as heat build up and safety circuitry may kick in.

They do include in their owners manual, an extensive manual I might add, parallel speaker load wiring and their suggestions.

What I would suggest is that an anticipated speaker load of 2 ohms be considered, not long term but at least short term.

[ironlake]

The ar store has the parts for a ar amp and receiver and works on them. They also have them for sale now and then. Todays solid state amps are mostly rated at 40-15K hz and no guarante of what they put out at 30hz. Also they do not recommend 4 ohms. Todays stereo is not the worlds greatest stuff compared to the older stuff. I know you can get some good stuff on acoustic sounds if you have 4 to 5000 bucks for an amp. If you know a good high end service center the older sherwood tube stuff is great. There is a 80 watt, 40 per channel on ebay now that would be a great amp. The advents are not super power hungary and I would not put more that 100 watts into them. I broke a voice coil on one of mine with the ar amp pushing organ music through them with the strauss zarathustra opening section. Lucky then the woofers were dime a dozen on ebay and easy to restore the woofers.