Fun thread. As with many hobbies there are nooks and crannies in HiFi. I’ve built three systems over years using old Crown PS-200s purchased for around $100 out of commercial audio applications - little churches, schools and even pre-THX movie theaters. Their legendary robust high current stability holds them in good stead driving low frequencies in difficult speakers. Even though they are quite fairly dissed as having a high end that sounds like crashing glass compared to audiophile quality amps, I’ve dealt with in different ways in each of the three 6U rack builds, working with preamps, attention to the gain stacking of inputs and, in one case, a good TASCAM pro audio rack mount EQ.
My current fave is minimal “rat rod” set up in my 1924 bungalow home office/master bed room. Just a PS-200 recapped by AE Techron (the vintage Crown mother ship), an unpowered Shitt two input switch with a pot and an Auris BluMe Pro Bluetooth receiver. Good SNR, good Sabre DAC in the digital receiver, and 135 watts into a pair of sweet 4 ohm Wharfedale Linton Heritage big baffle 3 ways. The company calls them 6 ohm speakers, but there’s a dip down under 4.
The knowledge here has helped me shape my affection toward these old Crowns into enjoyable sound in two rooms in my home…and the 1867 mansion down the street where our historical society works and hosts numerous community events.
The best of Audiogon chat is the non-judgmental info. Attitudes are inevitable on the Internet but I follow here because of the good advice that floats to the surface in the cast majority of threads :)