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Budget/value SS power amp recommendation

Hello all would appreciate any recommendations for a budget solid state power amp for a lightly used 3rd system to pair with some tube preamps. Budget is less than $500. New, used , cosmetics irrelevant. Initial thoughts are the following but don’t know if they obtainable on this budget.  

brston 2b
older belles model
used AVA

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome. Would love to find a sleeper under the radar model or something discounted if it’s cosemticlaly challenged . Thanks
kbuzz
chrisoshea
377 posts
 
Rega power amps are low-cost, sound like music to me and often pair well with tube preamps.
harrylavo's avatar
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harrylavo
346 posts
 
A couple of Outlaw M-200 monoblocks would do nicely, and should cost about $400 on the used market.  Plenty of power, transparent, and neutral.

The later Adcom amps (5300, 5400, etc) are also very good and can be purchase for perhaps half of that.
monsterman7's avatar
monsterman7
5 posts
 
NAD, Parasound, Emotiva and Adcom all make good budget amps.  The Emotiva and Parasound are naturally a bit bright so choose your DAC's wisely.  The Tube Preamp will help with this as well.  The Adcom range is a bit more neutral in tone and has a big soundstage.   I have no personal experience with NAD.  
When picking a solid state amp try to find the one that weighs the most so you know it has the balls to back up the spec sheet.  

bigddesign3
237 posts
 
NuPrime STA-9 Class D. 120 watts/ch. Beautiful open sound. Can drive just about any load a speaker can. RCA and XLR inputs. $649
I owned one, and it beat out many amps costing much more. Can be bridged for more power. Only way I could get better sound was with a vintage Krell running Class A.
kahlenz's avatar
kahlenz
274 posts
 
Cosmetics irrelevant? Crown XLS 1002 at $299.  Those pro amps do well with low efficiency speakers.  I would not use them for high efficiency speakers (hiss).  The fans are variable and virtually silent. The fans probably will not even switch on with the load you will be presenting to them.  Try one and return it if you don't like it!
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