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Handling Heavy Amps

There are several amps I’m interested in possibly purchasing but I’m dissuaded because of their weight. I’ve had lower back issues so I need to be careful. I live alone. Even if my wife was still alive she would not have been able to help much. Also Children live far. I see that many of you have these 60-100 pound behemoths and I wonder how do you manage. If I buy from my dealer he’ll load it in my SUV. However when I get home it will be difficult to get it out and onto the garage floor where I can place it on my handcart. Then when I get it next to my rack I need to maneuver it out of the box and up onto the rack. I guess I would need to see if my dealer would deliver it and place it on the rack. Probably for a fee. So that may work. But then if I need to paint, move furniture, resell the unit whatever I would need help. I think I can handle up to 40lbs. So how do you handle these amps? Is it a concern for you?  I’m spoiled by my Benchmark 12 lb AHB2. It’s also the reason I’ve been investigating Class D amps. 

jfrmusic
macg19
940 posts
 

I'm in the same boat with low back issues - but with L4&5 fused, 2 disc spacers etc. 

FWIW I recently bought a BAT VK3500 to power my Harbeth 40.3 XD's. I'm really happy with it. It weighs 50lbs. I managed installing it without any difficulty - but it sits on top of the cabinet. Putting into a rack might be challenging though. 

 

ghdprentice
7,051 posts
 

@jfrmusic 😊

@aewarren 😂

@pindac Wow, a social high end audio guy. Didn’t think one existed. The Venn diagram of audiophile does not intersect with that of social humans. I think I have had four folks over to hear my system in twenty years.

roxy1927
135 posts
 

I just got a 100lb amp. The delivery guy brought it into my apartment and I took it out of the box and put it on the bottom shelf of my stereo rack. I'm in my 60s and managed it fine. I was worried. To be honest I'm having a senior moment and don't know how I managed it by myself. Hope I have no future back problems.

pindac's avatar
pindac
2,864 posts
 

When the Amphitheatres were being built, the designs were all about the projection of sound ands how it was Auditorius for those in the seating provided.

Auditorius become in modern terminology a Auditorium is a word with a few hundred years origin, which is a bit of a Hybrid term covering both Amphitheatre and Auditorium.

Audio as a word is much more modern, relating to electronics involved in producing sound.

It looks like sound has a very long history of being produced for an assembly of individuals to receive, maybe I am a traditionalist in my approach, and lucky to know quite a few like minded traditionalists.  

jerry_b2
15 posts
 

As someone now over 70, I enjoyed this discussion as it certainly applies to me.  My story:  Bought two very heavy Mark Levison 23 amps nearly 30 years ago and put them up on a shelf with no help. Just recently had minor service to them. It was  a PITA to get them down, into my car, into the repair shop and then again to get them home and back up on the shelf.  I needed help at every step.  My costs:  Beers to my sons-in-law and the admission I needed help.  These amps currently power my Egglestonworks Andras whiich weigh in at hundreds of pounds each....which also were a PITA to send back to the factory for upgrades...and came back with even more granite. My hearing loss is to the point that what I own is good enough for me to still enjoy and I plan to keep the amps and speakers in their current positions...hopefully for at least another decade if lucky.  After that.....headphones at the assisted living home. Life is hard. Suck it up. Nothing is free ....and if it is worth it to you, you gotta pay for it somehow.

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