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Recommend SS amp for my K402 and stock driver


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So i have a jubenstein with K402 uppers and jbl dual 18" bassbins for lowers.  I was originally using a custom tube amp for the uppers but i have since purchased a McIntosh C2600 tube preamp and want to pair a good SS amp to drive the uppers.  Obviously a McIntosh stereo amp makes sense but I'm looking for a more affordable option for now (under $1500).  Was looking at the Schiit Agear want to know other options that people have actually heard and would recommend.

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I'm really digging Claudes recommendation on the hypex amps (NC series), honestly.   There is a guy on USAM (buckeye amps) building them very affordably.   They are silent and the highs don't have the strange sound signature of some other digital amps. Give it a go perhaps.  

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Well, you want an amp that does not have much background hiss or noise. 

 

I have been happy with the old Adcom GFA 5x5 amplifiers (535, 545, 555). They will be at least 3 decades old, that may or may not be a concern for you. They are on Craigslist all the time and selling at reasonable prices. 

 

Good luck,

-Tom

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I have been happy with Parasound HCA-750 on my K402/B&C combo, recently switched to Hypex Fushion and BMS coax with great results.  That being said, that's 2 votes for Hypex. 

 

Still running the Parasound on the center Jubscala/K510,B&C combo with great results. 

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1 minute ago, The Dude said:

That 252 is what my FA123 is. 

The hypex NC series is amazing. Very affordable, amazing fidelity, virtually zero power consumption and unlimited headroom.  Most bang for the buck possible in my book.  I thought the ICE amps sound pretty good until I heard the hypex amps. 

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Chiming in to say my McIntosh MC152 sound really nice with my Forte III's and to confirm you do really want a McIntosh amp -- ha! However, it does not fit your price criteria.

 

If I was in your shoes, I would probably look real hard at the hypex option (as suggested above). I know specs are not everything, but on paper, hypex compares very favorably to the MC152. Moreover, McIntosh also uses hypex chips in their class d amp offerings. 

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1 minute ago, Westcoastdrums said:

McIntosh hypex, overpriced, sorry.   

 

Agreed! Was not suggesting this as an option! I am McIntosh fan boy -- but not that big of one. I mentioned that McIntosh uses hypex chips to further validate the suggestions above -- it really is a solid choice.

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Just now, mdm7eb said:

 

Agreed! Was not suggesting this as an option! I am McIntosh fan boy -- but not that big of one. I mentioned that McIntosh uses hypex chips to further validate the suggestions above -- it really is a solid choice.

Understood.  McIntosh price points keep me away regardless.   Honestly, price is similar to Klipsch. They have gone way off into the deep end, new and used. 

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47 minutes ago, Westcoastdrums said:

Understood.  McIntosh price points keep me away regardless.   Honestly, price is similar to Klipsch. They have gone way off into the deep end, new and used. 


I hear you on McIntosh prices. I inherited vintage McIntosh tube gear (MX110 and MC240) and paid to restore them. I moved onto more modern solid state gear MC152 and C41 at used prices. I discovered a toddler keeps me busy enough and layering 60+ year old tube gear on was not the right life style choice for me (I did enjoy the tube gear for 8+ years, which kept my audio budget necessarily low through grad school). Going this route has allowed me to mostly circumnavigate McIntosh sticker shock. Part of selling my old McIntosh gear recently/now is trying to time the peak of the vintage McIntosh gear market. Want enlightenment? Dig up what an MX110 and MC240 traded for in 2001. I do ask myself, from time to time,  if I should have picked a more affordable route and pocketed some coin. I did contemplate the class d path, among others. Hence, my confirmation that the hypex could make a lot of sense (based on my own research and weighing my own recent purchasing decisions). 

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On his page:

 

"UPDATED 7/2/2021
Current build ETA for new orders: August 2nd
*Down payments are allowed due to the long wait times*
PLEASE NOTE: Due to a shortage on the manufacturing end for Hypex, all new NC502MP orders have an ETA of September 6th. I apologize sincerely for the inconvenience."

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