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
I have *just* purchased the CJ MF-2500-A that's listed here right now.

I was in a local shop last weekend though, and I heard the Mozart Grands being pushed with some McIntosh gear and they sounded lovely. Mc stuff is *not* in the <2k range, but when I told them what I had purchased (along with a CJ PV-15), they said those speakers and equipment would go perfectly together. I was actually considering buying a pair of the Viennas, until I heard the Paradigm Studio 100s. Those are what I bought.

Good luck.
Thanks for tip so far! I'm hoping this thread will be useful to other future readers as well.
Yamaha A-S2000. Balance, tone controls, neutral spacious sound, mm/ mc built in. Drives my 6ohm Daedalus w/ease. Remote, headphones....

I like it enough that I'd purchase the 3000 when it's available. In fact I will
In all likelyhood never get rid of the 2000. It's a 'sweet piece of kit'. Looks
& build that should say Esoteric or Luxman. For me it's a 'desert island' type of piece that won't let you down. Versitle, good looking, fun. The kind
ya settle down with...
If the PV-10 has enough range of balance control for you (my PV-11's balance control did not), a great, new amp that would work for you would be the Odyssey Audio Khartago or Stratos. Lots of power, stable into 4 ohm loads, extremely musical (especially for solid state amps). I have similar priorities to you, and my Stratos HT3 has served me quite well for over seven years. The Prima Luna integrateds do not have balance controls, btw.