A "Pro" power amp or Stereo Receiver for Yamaha NS10's?

[austinside]

Hey all, I'm an intermediate level recording hobbyist, and an unlce of mine just sold me an old trusty pair of Yamaha NS10 studio monitors that he just doesn't use and were collecting dust. i got them at a steal deal for 300$ for the pair (What he paid for them back in 1995, so he broke even and was happy). i've only used Active speakers before, so i I've never matched a power amp to speakers. Whats a good "trusty" Amp to get along with the yamahas? I don't need a huge million watt amp, just something middle of the road for low level mixing. Also, I have an older Kentwood Stereo comsumer receiver/amp layin' around that I could use? the Impedences and wattage are compatible, but would i be sacrificing my audio chain and sound quality at all by using the Consumer Receiver rather than a dedicated professional Amp? I also like to use Balanced signals whenever I can.

Any inputs or suggestions would be great. Thanks a lot. -AR

[albee1952]

I would stay with a pro power amp for a few reasons. 1-they seem to have more headroom. 2-they are usually made to accept a balanced input at +4 while a home unit will only have unbalanced RCA inputs at -10. 3-they are rack-mountable for a slicker setup.Some of the Samson and Alesis amps are decent and inexpensive. Next better would be QSC, then maybe Hafler. Bryston is top dog for studio monitors(but you will pay a premium for that 20 year warrantee).

[murph16]

Wharever you do, make sure to "over power" those NS10s. If you are gonna use a Stereo receiver, use one with A LOT of watts...the more power they get, the more efficient they get. I have a low-end Alesis power amp that I use for MY nearfields (B&W Solids) and I HATE it. I will be replacing the Alesis as soon as possible cause I've been hating the sound of that amp for a year or so now. I think I will be replacing it with my Yamaha Stereo receiver from my living room when I upgrade my home theatre this Summer.
The more power, the better.

[Chris Richmond]

AR,

You won't regret putting a good amp in behind the NS10's. I ran an Alesis for years to the NS-10's (because I didn't use them to mix) and thought it was fine. I just bought a used Bryston 4B from someone on Audiogon.com http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ran&1179704336 and the difference was very apparent.

It looks like he still has one left. I'll provide a good reference for him. The amp was still in wty, and had barely a scratch. He even split the shipping with me. His name is Doug.

Good luck,

-Chris

[francois]

Bryston 4B

[Barnabas]

I also like to use Balanced signals whenever I can.

Why? Unless you are running long cables, you could get a cleaner signal unbalanced. All amplifiers are unbalanced, but pro amps add an unbalancing circuit to the input. Extra circuits mean additional chance for coloring the audio.

I use an old HH Scott home stereo amplifier with my JBL studio monitors.

[albee1952]

Why? Unless you are running long cables, you could get a cleaner signal unbalanced. All amplifiers are unbalanced, but pro amps add an unbalancing circuit to the input. Extra circuits mean additional chance for coloring the audio.

I use an old HH Scott home stereo amplifier with my JBL studio monitors.

A cleaner signal UNBALANCED?? Right, and Monster cable really does time-align the signal......no offense intended but your statement has no basis in fact. There is no difference in the CLEAN of a signal between balanced and unbalanced, given short cable length(try 20' or more and all bets are off). There is a potential for a huge difference in noise, which is why balanced is used in every professional audio system. Home stereo systems are unbalanced to cut cost and for no other reason(at least not one that I will buy). All amplifiers are not unbalanced. All home hifi and cheap (semi-pro) amps have unbalanced input circuits but I suspect that if you follow the circuit design, you may find things change on their way to the power stage. We'll need an experienced circuit designer to take this discussion to the next level(that's not me). Read up on CMMR and the use of transformers in audio circuits for starters. Also, its tough to isolate grounds(eliminate ground loops) in an unbalanced setup.

[Jim Casey]

I like the Carver PM 175 a lot for passive monitors including NS 10's - I also like the PM 125. In Chicago, at most top studios I have been in, the NS 10's have been run on the PM 175. Find one on Ebay for under $200 - NICE sounding amp.