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suggest an under $2000 amp to match 4ohm speakers

Hi Y'all,

I'm looking for suggestions for a used power amp under $2000 to power Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand speakers.

CURRENT STATUS: Mozart Grand speakers are 4 ohm, 90 dB. Current amp is a Linn Klassik integrated: I like this little integrated amp (with cd player) but it got too hot yesterday when I got to playing a record a little bit too loud. It gave me a bad taste of things to come. My phono preamp is Conrad Johnson PV10, recently bought used here.

PREFERENCES: Would prefer a power amp with balance control (and maybe treble/bass), as the listening room is awkward (crampbed man cave in basement). Would prefer a remote. Would prefer something that can be serviced in USA or southern Ontario, if need be.

LISTENING: I listen most intently to acoustic jazz on vinyl and cd; thus, I prefer maximum midrange warmth and depth for horns. Also listen to rock, hiphop, soul, classical, but less regularly.

BUDGET: Am working on a scholar's budget (plus two kids etc), so $2000 used or new is a true budget ceiling.

INITIAL THOUGHTS: I live in southeastern Michigan, so don't get to audition much used gear except in local audio salons with limited offerings. I'm thinking that Conrad Johnson used gear is probably a good match, but not sure about impedance load issues. Above all, I prefer "musicality" over "analytical" sound, as I want to sound like I'm listening to the music live and can hear the wood on the drums and woodwinds pianos (if that makes sense). Must avoid brightness above all.

Thanks for any thoughts.
paanders
timo62
280 posts
 
A used Conrad Johnson Stereo Amp would work fine with the Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand.
I have these speakers and use Conrad Johnson with them. They blend very well together , very smooth and musical.
paanders OP
43 posts
 
Thanks for all the suggestions so far--including the welcome suggestion of doing nothing. That suggestion reminds me of Basho (always a good thing):
"Exhausted, I sought
a country inn, but found
wisteria in bloom."

Otherwise, yes Prima Luna comes up a lot in my research. Don't know of Belles (yet). And a CJ power amp (MV60) is a most enticing idea.

Regarding the Conrad Johnson PV10, I'm only using the phono stage at present. The Linn Classik is an all-in-one unit with a CD onboard (plus radio plus alarm clock!).

Regarding the power amp v. integrated question. I like the PV10's phono stage and I bet the unit is nice for CD too. Should the Linn Classik leave this little set up (if that happens) then I would switch in a Rega Apollo CD player I have in a second system and put it through PV10 as well probably.

You can probably guess from my components --Rega, Linn, Conrad Johnson, Vienna Acoustics-- that I'm a mid-fi music lover desperate for "musicality" in the mid-range (even at expense of detail, esp. in high freqs) and woody warmth and "liveness" in the sound.

Is this about "coloration"? Perhaps. Most of the music I listen to has five or fewer closely-miked acoustics musicians playing live in a somewhat reverberant studio setting: think ECM or Columbia's 30th Street studio, or Rudy Van Gelder's joint.
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
A powerful Jolida is less expensive (in your budget as new actually) than a Primaluna, you can play with the "ez bias" which makes you a part of the amp instead of a mere bystander, and tubes are simply more fun. Mid-fi is a weirdly lame category having little to do with gear sound, and much to do with gear cost...also I would stay away from anybody recommending "music style specific" gear as I also listen to a lot of acoustic jazz (as well as Mahler and Steely Dan, etc.) and it can have the same demand on gear tonality and capability as any other type of music.
pcs
109 posts
 
Paanders,

I have a very nice CJ MF2500a power amp. 240 wpc into 8 ohms, 400 wpc into 4 ohms. It should sound great with your speakers. I am in WI and would sell for a very reasonable price if you are interested.

Let me know if you would have any interest.

Paul
dayglow
1,886 posts
 
Paanders-Many of us know and have heard the synergy between Primare and Vienna Acoustics. I would strongly consider the I31 intergrated amp, depending on condition expect to pay $1200-$1500. I have heard Prima Luna with very good results on VA speakers. but it was with the Prolouge 7(mono blocks) not the intergrated. IMO the Primare I31 is the most cost effective choice.
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