Recommended Amp for Dynaudio Focus 340 on a mega budget but low volume levels


hi,

 

(well, not a mega budget, but a mega restricted budget)

I was wondering if it will be at all possible to drive a pair of Dynaudio Focus 340 speakers with a 100 Watt @ 4 Ohms amplifier?
If I understand correctly, this would be an absolutely bad idea under normal circumstances, I could even damage the speakers.

However I will never be driving them hard, simply because they are standing in a smallish room (12m2) which is my office.
Also for that have another audio setup in my living room.

So per definition I will ONLY be listening to them at whispering or slightly above levels and I will never go above that.

For this pair though, my budget is strictly limited. And the Dynaudios are here to stay :)

Dynaudio Focus 340s, sensitivity 87 db, 4 Ohm 250Watts

I was hoping to use either a Simaudio Moon 250i or a Hegel H90 or similar as this is within my budget.
Would a Croft GC-I even work? I guess absolutely not?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Thanks for sharing your insights!

rusty1975

@fuzztone I do have that $200 50W DIY amp at home that I am going to try again, but I did indeed just pull the trigger on the EVAL1.. this cost me about 1.3k $

But what was the $USD 150 solution that you are referring to though?

 

I know what I am pleased with in my office but apparently you will have none of it. 

A $50 amp with a $100 150 VA LPS.

Next update, trying to make sense of it all while moving along and discovering, also gathering some old gear I have at home.

 

Would this make sense?

source:

1)  S.M.S.L. SU-8 DAC

2) Linn Sondek LP12

preamp:

1) Linn LK1 (optionally skipped by DAC, will need to test)

amp:

1) Purifi Eval1 Eigentakt EVAL1-SMPS1200A400 Class D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMmkK8jisDg

 

Any suggestions welcome, and many thanks for the great tips.

@yogiboy so back to Croft and not self-built class D...

its tempting... but 45 W rms @ 8Ω 50 W rms @ 4Ω

I read somewhere that you’d typically want to see output figures double between 8 and 4 ohms? So here it only goes from 45W to 50W.. is that not way too little for these speakers?

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I did once do a DIY kit actually.. (I just dug this up from an email from 2015)

worked very nicely with a Monitor Audio 2.1 set

https://hifimediy.com/product/hifimediy-t1-alps-vol-pot-tk2050-sta510-jantzen-cap/

https://hifimediy.com/product/smps300r-38v-230v-power-supply/

So generally speaking, would DIY beat Simaudio or Hegel or similar (used) in the 1K-1.5K price range?

thanks

(PS I still have hardly any idea what I am talking about when it comes to building an amp from one of those modules.... apart from that it probably involves connecting the board to a power supply and speaker connectors and screwing it inside a box

Edit2: oh internet is so great

)

I think if you want to DIY you absolutely should.  It's fun and gives you a lot of first hand experience.

 

@fuzztone LMFAO 😂😂

I did hear that these class D amps have come a long way though..

So more realistically, could anyone help me out here?

How about I build a case around this:

https://www.soundimports.eu/en/purifi-eval1.html

compared to a @erik_squires a Hegel H90 or a Simaudio Moon 250i (used) or something without a DAC but similar price?

You are fine with a modest power amplifier in a small room here. You may find the bass excessive and need to trim that, so maybe something with good tone controls.

very fascinating!! Expressed in children's language, how does this compare to e.g. a 14k $ Simaudio Moon amp?

(Just trying to set a context here.... how do these latests Class D amps compare to anything? Can we throw all other amps under the bus?)

Get the new Topping PA5 amp ($349). It rates about as good as the Benchmark AHB2 amp (10X the price). Plenty of power - clips at 110wpc@8ohms (1% distortion).