[Meloncoly]

Planning on getting a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 9.2s and I have a sub left over from my previous escapade into speakers, the Sony SA-WM250 (100W 8" Sub). It has a RCA jack for input as well as the normal clips. I know I can go on Ebay and search for amplifiers, but I don't know much, if anything, about amplifier companies. Any good recommendations on models that would work well with the Wharfedales? Price range would be under $200. Thanks.

 

[Alai]

How loud do you want it to go? And why are you using such a terrible sub with those decent speakers? Lol.

The Acurus A100X3 is an excellent 3 channel amp that is rated at 100W. I can't say if you can find one for under $200 though...

How much wattage are you looking for the amp to output? Are you using it for movie purposes or music? In a big room or small room? And how are the acoustics of the room?

 

[HD-5000]

I'd look for a nice, used receiver on craigslist. I somehow snagged a Denon AVR-3805 for $100 a few months ago. The performance is in a different league compared to anything you can get for $200 brand new. Great deals are out there.

I'd look for a vintage Sansui, Marantz, Yamaha, etc receiver/integrated amp.

Stay away from entry level AV receivers. They tend to have terrible levels of distortion when driven to anything that could be considered hard.

 

[Meloncoly]

I'm using the crappy sub cause I would rather spend more money on an amp than a new sub. My room is about 10ft x 17ft, and the acoustics of the room sucks. Going to use cinder blocks as stands for the speakers. I don't know the wattage that I would need, and I was hoping that someone that has had experience with the Wharfedales would chime in.

 

[Alai]

Cinder block sounds terrible as stands. You realize cement is made to vibrate (i.e. resonate) to withstand things like wind and earthquakes?

I am pretty sure cinder blocks will color your sound in a bad way.

HD-5000's advice is really solid. The brands he listed are great for vintage receivers. Also you can check out Harmon Kardon receivers (vintage or recent) and check out some of Outlaw Audio's receivers. I think I've seen an older version or two of the stereo receiver sell for $200. Solid piece of equipment with a great amplifying section.

 

[Meloncoly]

On the cinder blocks, I've seen many people use it, and many people seem to say it works, but aren't aesthetically pleasing. I don't mind too much about the appearance because I have no one to show off to, and it's better than the speakers being on my computer table. Although looking into the brands is one thing, finding a good one amongst the brands without knowledge is another. Anyone have a specific model to start my search off? Any opinions on the Yamaha RX-V690 or the HTR-5230?