Ok, how does one find out what amps are out there and what not? (I know a bit vague)

M

MusicDirector

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Ok, I know this may be somewhat vague, but I'd like to know where one looks to find out what amps and other such audio is out there. I mean how does one hear of the names like Classe and Tenor and emotiva and all the rest so that one can read about and look at them? Is there a published list or something or does one have to be an official equipment tester or just "in the know" somehow or whatever just to know the names?
For instance, say I need to get an amp for my receiver, I'd like to look at everything to give more chances of finding something as opposed to only having 3 or 4 makes to look at or something.
 
Read Stereophile, TAS, HiFi News, read the audio sites. Attend the shows - RMAF, CES, Munich. And most importantly, read what's happening here on Audioshark.org!

A good place to start is the Stereophile 2013 Buyers Guide (free iPad app).
 
Mike said:
Read Stereophile, TAS, HiFi News, read the audio sites. Attend the shows - RMAF, CES, Munich. And most importantly, read what's happening here on Audioshark.org!

A good place to start is the Stereophile 2013 Buyers Guide (free iPad app).
Click to expand...

I suppose I could just quickly look at audio mags on-line just to get the names (which is all I need) because I do not like reading magazines of any type. I don't know any audio sites outside of forums. Forums like AS may be good for asking questions about products and great for hearing from owners of said products, but I don't look everyday and it's hard to play catch-up.
The only show I can attend is The SHOW in Newport, CA. I went for the first time last year and I don't think I'll do that again. It was the most boring, hard day I've ever experienced.
(I can't get into CES, I don't qualify and certainly can't go to Germany or the RMAF? (Royal Majesty's Air Force)? They have an audio show?
Stereophile Buyers guide, huh...Sounds like a good idea, I'll check that out. Thanks Mike. I'll have to see if they have an app for PC though. I don't have any Apple stuff. Nothing against it, just too pricey and unfortunately got shackled to Windows decades ago (even though I hate anything after WIN95).
 
Shackled by Windows. Well put. RMAF = Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. A real blast. Very consumer friendly, unlike the "consumer" electronics show. Ironic huh?
 
Mike said:
Shackled by Windows. Well put. RMAF = Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. A real blast. Very consumer friendly, unlike the "consumer" electronics show. Ironic huh?
Click to expand...

Oh, Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, I see. I don't get out much, can you tell?:lol:
I just tried googling the Stereophile Buyers guide and I just get the main site. They don't have a buyers guide, but people talk about it. All they have is offers for subscriptions which I do not want. Does one need to purchase the buyers guide someplace or is there a free digital edition or something?
 
The way I started is by posting a thread with details of what I was looking for. Example: 2 channel for under $xxx for x brand of speakers. I might even post it across a few different forums to see what kind of answers I get. From there I tend to research the crap out of whatever I'm looking at, and along the way usually find a few more different/equivalent models being compared to what I'm looking at. I'll even put a model number into google and then add "vs" after it to see what it suggests.

Unfortunately, I've had rather bad luck trying to get any kind of advice from dealers because most everything in my price range isn't worth their time. I mostly found the same thing when I visited Axpona last year, but I did enjoy seeing some of the mega buck components that I always see pictures of.

There's a reason why you keep hearing the same models over and over again such as Job, Emotiva, Adcom, it's because they typically represent the best bang for the buck products in their segment. Unless your willing to try something new, say direct from China, those brands are probably going to represent your best bet for a quality product.

I know you don't buy used or off of ebay and A-gon, ect., but I've pretty much bought everything in my system second hand so I can get a better value for my hard eared dollar.
 
Matt715 said:
The way I started is by posting a thread with details of what I was looking for. Example: 2 channel for under $xxx for x brand of speakers. I might even post it across a few different forums to see what kind of answers I get. From there I tend to research the crap out of whatever I'm looking at, and along the way usually find a few more different/equivalent models being compared to what I'm looking at. I'll even put a model number into google and then add "vs" after it to see what it suggests.

Unfortunately, I've had rather bad luck trying to get any kind of advice from dealers because most everything in my price range isn't worth their time. I mostly found the same thing when I visited Axpona last year, but I did enjoy seeing some of the mega buck components that I always see pictures of.

There's a reason why you keep hearing the same models over and over again such as Job, Emotiva, Adcom, it's because they typically represent the best bang for the buck products in their segment. Unless your willing to try something new, say direct from China, those brands are probably going to represent your best bet for a quality product.

I know you don't buy used or off of ebay and A-gon, ect., but I've pretty much bought everything in my system second hand so I can get a better value for my hard eared dollar.
Click to expand...

That's generally how I go about it,but it is very limiting. All I ever hear about are the very highest priced models from any of the makes I run across. I'm sure that there are high-end makes that have products that are a bit more affordable and that's why I am trying to find a list of them so I can look myself. In other words, there has to be more out there than 5 or 6 brands?
Yes, I have very bad luck with dealers generally speaking at least because I am not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just a simple needs guy who loves music deeply and wants the sound to be as nice as possible to my ears with what is possible to even look at. Dealers generally won't give me any time because I'm not interested in things like $60k tables or $4k carts or $30k mono blocks, etc. I don't even like looking at that stuff overall.
I don't have the income to be in the high-end part of the hobby. I'd buy used if I knew I was not buying somebody else's problem and knew it would last me at least 10 years problem-free and was a very good price. I can't purchase through sites like Ebay and such for security reasons, etc. though. I can buy used from a dealer directly though. Certain things I won't buy used though such as CD players and sophisticated A/V Receivers and such, however, things like amps and speakers, even turntables and such are fair game.
All my turntables are second hand because I strongly prefer the legacy stuff when it comes to tables. My whole second system is second hand because it's vintage and sounds sweet to me, but I also got very lucky there because I purchased the stuff just before the market dried up where I'm at and now if you can even find a peice even on the low-end side it will cost north of the high side of the mid-range products of today.
~Eric
 
I'm still trying to find the 2013 Buyers guide from Stereophile. I can't seem to find it. Is there a link to it somebody can share perhaps?
 
Join forums like this one and see what people are using and ask a lot of questions. Visit your local audio shops, check out online shops like Welcome to Spearit Sound

I am lucky living here in the St. Paul area as we have Audio Research, Atma-Sphere, Bel Canto, Magnepan, Van Alstine and Anti-cables here in the Twin Cities area.

Besides the 3 Mom and Pop high end audio shops here, the (don't laugh) Best Buy Magnolia store here carries REL, Primaire, B&W, Sonus Faber, Martin Logan, Vienna Acoustics, McIntosh and a few other high end brands.
 
MusicDirector said:
I'm still trying to find the 2013 Buyers guide from Stereophile. I can't seem to find it. Is there a link to it somebody can share perhaps?
Click to expand...

* 2013 Recommended Components | Stereophile.com

** https://www.circsource.com/store/storeBackIssDescription.html?backIssueId=5144

*** http://www.stereophile.com/content/stereophile-2014-buyers-guide

- NOTE: There is also Stereophile Collector's Edition - 10 Years - Recommended Components with 1,500+ top audio products => 2013 (& 2014) Annual (for the last 10 years): Essential Guide > to new & used audio equipment.
But! It is for sale @ the newsstands (Audio mag section; that's where I got them); and I don't believe that they are available online, but I've been wrong more than once in my life.
Good luck, in finding it for free online, with google.

P.S. If you have a direct question regarding a specific audio product, or anything else relating to the content of that audio bible, just ask me, I'll tell you what's in it. ...Best amp for the buck, most expensive one, Class (A to E), tubes, SSs, tra-la-la, just name it, I'm in.
I've already been at it for the last several years.
 
Eric

If you are still looking for a new AV receiver, then there really aren't that many brands. If you are looking for just an amp then your best resource is one of us who have used and tried many of the standard brands and not the esoteric reviewed brands. Also if you tell us what you are looking for then one of us "hoarders" may have something that fits you needs.
 
The Marantz SR7007 AV receiver is on sale right now (50% off). ...At least it is here in Canada. ...If I was shopping for a new receiver in the $1,000-2,000 range, I would highly consider it (@ $900 or so, brand new). ...Just read the reviews. ...It ain't a Krell, but it doesn't have its sticker price either.

Very desirable piece of audio machinery (HDAM modules, current feedback technology), with the right features (MultEQ XT, plus plus plus), sound quality, and looks; for that price.
A very modern receiver. ...DLNA.
 
NorthStar said:
* 2013 Recommended Components | Stereophile.com

** https://www.circsource.com/store/storeBackIssDescription.html?backIssueId=5144

*** Stereophile 2014 Buyer's Guide | Stereophile.com

- NOTE: There is also Stereophile Collector's Edition - 10 Years - Recommended Components with 1,500+ top audio products => 2013 (& 2014) Annual (for the last 10 years): Essential Guide > to new & used audio equipment.
But! It is for sale on the newsstands (Audio mag section; that's where I got them); and I don't believe that they are available online, but I've been wrong more than once in my life.
Good luck, in finding it for free online, with google.

P.S. If you have a direct question regarding a specific audio product, or anything else relating to the content of that audio bible, just ask me, I'll tell you what's in it. ...Best amp for the buck, most expensive one, Class (A to E), tubes, SSs, tra-la-la, just name it, I'm in.
I've already been at it for the last several years.
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw the "Recommended products", but did not think that was the buyers guide..good start though. If the guide isn't expensive ($20+) then it may be worth getting one. I'll check the news stands or what not.

I'll get around to asking about specifc products when I land on them.
 
Jack said:
Eric

If you are still looking for a new AV receiver, then there really aren't that many brands. If you are looking for just an amp then your best resource is one of us who have used and tried many of the standard brands and not the esoteric reviewed brands. Also if you tell us what you are looking for then one of us "hoarders" may have something that fits you needs.
Click to expand...

Yes, still researching and saving (have a little more to go..almost there). Yes, not a lot of brands...Onkyo, Denon, Pioneer, Yamaha, NAD, Cambridge (just found out they make them), Anthem and Marantz. That's ok though, it's overwhelming enough with those. I have a big spreadsheet comparing them and the models within. Next step is for me to read some honest reviews, ask question about particulars here and another forumand go out and try to find physical specimens to look at.
After that comes looking and research on an amp.
 
NorthStar said:
The Marantz SR7007 AV receiver is on sale right now (50% off). ...At least it is here in Canada. ...If I was shopping for a new receiver in the $1,000-2,000 range, I would highly consider it (@ $900 or so, brand new). ...Just read the reviews. ...It ain't a Krell, but it doesn't have its sticker price either.

Very desirable piece of audio machinery (HDAM modules, current feedback technology), with the right features (MultEQ XT, plus plus plus), sound quality, and looks; for that price.
A very modern receiver. ...DLNA.
Click to expand...

The 7007 is on my list. That sale is only in Canada. No worries though, when the time comes a deal of some sort can be had. Yes, the HDAM and current feedback tech, makes a lot of difference. The 7009 has MultiEQ XT32 which would be a step up for meas my Onkyo has MultiEQ XT). It also has many other abilities my Onkyo does not have as well as better build and circuit design.
 
Mike said:
Read Stereophile, TAS, HiFi News, read the audio sites. Attend the shows - RMAF, CES, Munich. And most importantly, read what's happening here on Audioshark.org!

A good place to start is the Stereophile 2013 Buyers Guide (free iPad app).
Click to expand...

Exactomundo. Do your homework.
 
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