Budget reference amp preferences?

[thane1200]

I've come to the realization that after only a year or two mye Alesis RA300 has died. Unless I can find a schematic to accurately diagnose it, I'm out an amp.

So, my logic goes like this: Do I...........
#1 find cheap/decent reference amp and continue using Alesis Monitor One mk2s?
#2 find budget active monitors as a temporary solution and use them as secondary monitors later?
#3 sell the Monitor Ones and replace them with a system that's really nice?

My TOTAL budget can only be about $250.00, and seeing as how this is diddly squat: what do you guyz think?

Thanx for any assistance.






PS. With monitors and amplifiers I prefer NEW

 

[iratecaller666]

You asked for it ...

If I had 250$ and needed a reference amp, then, I'd be seriously considering:

REFERENCE AMPLIFIER A500

.. by *drumroll* Behringer.

K. You can stop laughing now, I'm dead serious.

Hey 250$ won't get you an actual pro reference amp, but I'm sure the Behringer works just fine despite the name.

Tristan

 

[SonicAlbert]

I've come to the realization that after only a year or two mye Alesis RA300 has died. Unless I can find a schematic to accurately diagnose it, I'm out an amp.

So, my logic goes like this: Do I...........
#1 find cheap/decent reference amp and continue using Alesis Monitor One mk2s?
#2 find budget active monitors as a temporary solution and use them as secondary monitors later?
#3 sell the Monitor Ones and replace them with a system that's really nice?

My TOTAL budget can only be about $250.00, and seeing as how this is diddly squat: what do you guyz think?

Thanx for any assistance.

PS. With monitors and amplifiers I prefer NEW

Unfortunately, with your budget option #3 is not possible. So I'd say get the best power amp you can find for $250.

The next option would be to buy a couple of powered monitors in the $300 range. But since you already have the monitors, you can probably get a better power amp for $250 than you can a pair of monitors.

The additional issue is that you've discovered a problem with cheap gear, i.e. it doesn't necessarily last that long. I wouldn't go near a Behringer amp. See if you can find a low end Hafler, for example. Mackie makes the M-800, but that might be beyond your price range. See if Crest or Crown have an amp in or near your price range.

 

[CoolCat]

part of the cost$ of quality is reliability/life of product...this is the materials.

so unless we can afford buying for long term (high priced), its a tricky question.

You probably could have it repaired for cheaper. Probably an output amp is a good guess. Open it up, buy the output amp, solder it in....probably $20?
Should be 2 of 'em on the heatsinks. Get your diode checker/DVM out and see if both read the same, could be another idea?
the fuses are checked out I assume.
or have someone fix it.
If not the repair job, I'd get a $250 amp. I can't see how you'd get a active set for $250 that will last. Again I'm assuming per your previous threads you listen at louder volumes. 85-100db. Your gonna need some power under the hood.

your monitors are paid for and working fine....so a nice $250 amp?
for $250 active set of monitors? .. I don't think you'll get as loud a system as the amp and your monitor combo.

 

[SonicAlbert]

Coolcat brought up a good point regarding quality. A mistake that is often made regarding value is considering only the initial purchase price. In reality, the cost of an item is the purchase price divided by the number of years it is in use.

So a $250 amp that is used for a year before breaking down costs $250 per year. A $500 amp that works trouble free for 4 years costs $125 per year--half the cost and far better quality. Most likely that amp will work for beyond 4 years as well. I still use gear that I bought in the 80's, for example.

The cost per year is the real factor in considering value, and will tend to steer you toward better purchases in my opinion. Because it takes you out of the mindset of looking only for the lowest inital cost.

Of course, I understand that sometimes a budget is a budget and you simply only have so much to spend and not another dime more. I've been in that position many times myself.

 

[thane1200]

I ended up buying a Crown power amp...it's pretty clean and it'll get the job done until I go ACTIVE!

 

[SonicAlbert]

I endend up buying a Crown power amp...it's pretty clean and it'll get the job done until I go ACTIVE!

Good choice, I like Crown power amps. There's no rush to go to active monitors is your current setup is giving you good results.

 

[thane1200]

Good choice, I like Crown power amps. There's no rush to go to active monitors [if] your current setup is giving you good results.

At this point the fact that I still have no dedicatable room for my "studio" is the major lapse in my monitoring "chain." This amp will *crosses fingers* last me a long time, and be useful for a small PA or sound re-enforcement setup in the future.

 

[CoolCat]

passives or actives

Crown should have some pump.

I'm not sure I could tell the difference between active or passive, with only my ears.
the room acoustics thrown in, i'm not sure if i can even tell anything at times.

but follow thru on the Alesis repair...you may get!

then you could better Bi-Amp bigtime, brother... .