Amp/Preamp situation

[Mister]

Hi, I'm having problems trying to figure out what to do with my listening environment around here... At the moment, I have my sound card out to a Altronics Preamp, and a home made 50 watt amp, my speakers are Jamo Power 566's (500watts each), the preamps tracks have been worn out, cause its like very old, and the quality is horrible, the amp is almost dead as well, and I need to buy new gear. I can't decide between these options.

1. Buy a Yamaha (60watt amp). Sell existing Preamp/Amp
About $400

2. Buy a Jands J600s (350watt amp Second hand) then Sell existing Amp and Fix existing Preamp.
About $600

3. Buy a Jands J600s (350watt amp Second hand) then Sell existing Amp and buy a mixer / amp of some kind.
About $800

I have looked at other alternatives... but so far these are the only ones that are within a decent budget for me at the moment.

[Blue Bear Sound]

I don't understand... why do you have a preamp in between your soundcard and the amp?

I've never heard of Jand..... but some common studio amps are Hafler (P-Series), Crown, Bryston, and QSC...

Forget the Yamaha amp... the ones I mentioned are far better..........

[Son of Mixerman]

Originally posted by Blue Bear Sound
I don't understand... why do you have a preamp in between your soundcard and the amp?

Same reason why you have a preamp between your microphones and the mixer inputs. Some power amps made for home use require a preamp because there is no internal preamp section on the inputs. Alot of guitar amp are very similar to this. For instance nearly all tube amplifiers whether for home or for stage use a preamp section thats built in. Dig out some schematics on the net, you'd be surprised how many devices have internal preamps.

SoMm

[Blue Bear Sound]

Say WHAT??????

By it's very defintion, an amplifier takes either a line-level signal as input, and amplifies that signal with enough level to drive speakers/monitors attached to that amplifier as outputs.......

There is absolutely no need for a preamp in this situation..............

[MISTERQCUE]

Originally posted by Blue Bear Sound
Say WHAT??????

By it's very defintion, an amplifier takes either a line-level signal as input, and amplifies that signal with enough level to drive speakers/monitors attached to that amplifier as outputs.......

There is absolutely no need for a preamp in this situation..............

You gotta' goid point there Cuz!!

[knightfly]

I have an older SAE "preamp" I've used for a routing amp - it was originally designed to be part of a high end stereo with separate power amp(s) - it's probably called a preamp because of the phono inputs, but it's really more of a "router/tone control" - it has 3 band EQ with a defeat switch, inputs for 3 tape decks, 2 phonos, 2-3 aux's, some filters, mute switch, etc - When using this for anything other than phono inputs, it doesn't really "amplify", but nonetheless that's what the nameplate says it is...

Maybe this is similar to what mister is talking about??!?

[MISTERQCUE]

Originally posted by knightfly
I have an older SAE "preamp" I've used for a routing amp - it was originally designed to be part of a high end stereo with separate power amp(s) - it's probably called a preamp because of the phono inputs, but it's really more of a "router/tone control" - it has 3 band EQ with a defeat switch, inputs for 3 tape decks, 2 phonos, 2-3 aux's, some filters, mute switch, etc - When using this for anything other than phono inputs, it doesn't really "amplify", but nonetheless that's what the nameplate says it is...

Maybe this is similar to what mister is talking about??!?

Same here! I own 3 separate power amps and use a Gemini and a PHase Linear pre-amps to drive the power amps. But don't confuse these pre's with pre-amps used for line-levelling!

[knightfly]

Perzackly... :=)