[lazybum]

Any recommendations? Ive tried searching but they yield mostly portable amps. e.g mini3, cmoybb
Is there a desktop amp (must be able to be plugged to the wall)around that price that is better than those portable amps? Not willing to diy myself though.
 
Ive read about the musiland02. Heard great things about the dac but is the amp section good? Better than the mini3 and other similar portable amps?
And does it have a 3.5mm mini input?

 

[REDH0RN]

I am learning about desktop amps and choices depend on impedance of your phones and the sound you are after (tube = warm / lush & solid state = more revealing of source / material and detailed). For about $140 you can get a hybrid Little Dot I+ that is capable of powering most phones and is highly regarded here. For around $100 choices would be very limited. Perhaps a member more familiar with various offerings will chime in...

 

[Uncle Erik]

Not everyone is keen on the $140 amps.

Your best bet is to go with a vintage/used receiver. I'd trust an older Marantz or NAD over many of the new amps that cut corners to lower price. The old receivers are depreciated and people only want 5.1 receivers today, so the old ones are a bargain. You'll also get a phonostage if you want to get a turntable, a radio tuner and the ability to drive speakers. Further, most of them will have a tape loop/record out where you can connect a dedicated headphone amp later and still use the receiver for everything else. It's the best way to go when you're on a budget.

 

[Kanye East]

Glad to find this thread as I'm a college student.

 

[Pokefan]

Bravo V2 Tube Amp?
 
I've never heard these myself but I've heard good things about them. I'd like to give it a try some day though.
 
Official Thread
Bravo Audio - funny looking little tube amps

 

[kboe]

Uncle Eriks got this one down pat. An older Marantz receiver would make a great amp for $100.00.

 

[lazybum]

The bravo amp look interesting. Too bad ive committed to buy a used MOVE amp already. (edit: dang got beaten in the deal)
Well maybe ill consider it if the move doesn't satisfy me.
 
for the Marantz receiver, which model do you suggest? I did a search on ebay and it came up with receivers of a vast range of prices 0.0
By the way what is a receiver anyway? How different is it from a regular amp? Sorry quite new to this.

 

[Pm0unt]

A receiver is an integrated amplifier/pre-amp/source selector. 
 
There is a thread right now concerning this topic, just do a search for 'integrated,' there are a bunch of impressions/recommendations/etc.
 
*edit:  This is the title of the post I was talking about (I don't know how to link to it)  BY REQUEST: Best sounding HP jacks on integrateds/receivers

 

[REDH0RN]

Quote:
 
what is a receiver anyway? How different is it from a regular amp?
 
 
Receiver is amp / pre-amp  / tuner (radio) all in one box
 
Integrated is amp / pre-amp no tuner
 
In a separate component stereo system an amp would supply the power and connect to a pre-amp that in turn would allow you to connect various components. Like CD players, tuners, etc...
 
Integrated's and receivers are cost effective way to gain many features in single piece. Many old receivers were very well constructed and have great sound.

 

[SoSpecial]

Quote:

Not everyone is keen on the $140 amps.

Your best bet is to go with a vintage/used receiver. I'd trust an older Marantz or NAD over many of the new amps that cut corners to lower price. The old receivers are depreciated and people only want 5.1 receivers today, so the old ones are a bargain. You'll also get a phonostage if you want to get a turntable, a radio tuner and the ability to drive speakers. Further, most of them will have a tape loop/record out where you can connect a dedicated headphone amp later and still use the receiver for everything else. It's the best way to go when you're on a budget.

Did this tonight and I am so glad I did.

 

[REDH0RN]

Search result:
 
There were two series of the Marantz 22XX receivers. 

There were the receivers with the dark dial face made during the early 70's and those with the silver dial face made during the late 70's. Most of these later series Marantz receivers had a "B" designation, i.e.: 2216B. 

Each model was tuned to sound a bit different. The 2230 has a very tube like sound, as do the Marantz "baby" receivers ... the 2215, 2216, 2216B, and 2220. The XX designation stands for wpc output into 8 ohms across the entire frequency for a period of 60 minutes. The 2270 was a bit different as it produced 70 wpc into 8 phms and only 45 or so into 4 ohms (you would expect it to be different).

The higher wattage receivers ... 2285, 2300, and 2325 are very much in demand. The 2250 and 2265 are nice ones to start out with.
 
 

 

[lazybum]

Was looking through ebay and just realized that its not going to work out. No one will be willing to ship those heavy pieces of brick from the US all the way to Singapore unless i fork out 100 bucks in shipping.
My best bet seems to the bravo amps. Well they're cheap anyway. Anyone knows better alternatives?
 
And anyone knows how well the mini3 and musiland02 perform? Ive heard great things about the mini3 but i was thinking if could get more out of my money by spending on a desktop instead of a portable amp.