Wanted: Amcron/Crown 300a Amplifier

by **donmarrese** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:53 am

Not sure if this is the right place for this post..(mod, if in wrong place, pls relocate) but I'm looking for an Amcron 300a amp..I'm based in London, but can travel..

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by **ef37a** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:48 pm

Funky Junk?

Dave.

by **donmarrese** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 12:52 pm

They are just down the road from me but a bit expensive
Thanks for the heads up ..

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by **ef37a** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:44 pm

donmarrese wrote:They are just down the road from me but a bit expensive
Thanks for the heads up ..

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Ah! Well the 300A has been around a long time and like the early Quads and Radfords have probably gained a bit of a cache' amongst certain people? Pushes prices up.

Why a 300A pray? Power amps have never been cheaper and whilst that amp was killer diller in its day I would think there are plenty of modern units that are at least its equal?

Dave.

by **Hugh Robjohns** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:03 pm

There are a few on ebay, such as:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Crown-DC-300A- ... /110957557

by **Wonks** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:04 pm

Hugh Robjohns wrote:There are a few on ebay, such as:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Crown-DC-300A- ... /110957557

That's if you just want a front panel! :headbang:

by **donmarrese** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:12 pm

They are just down the road from me but a bit expensive
Thanks for the heads up ..
The last one I bought, got for 230
These on eBay, are too dear for me...

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by **Martin Walker** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 7:38 pm

Well it seems that £350 to £400 is now the going rate, so you might have to wait some time until someone tries to sell one who is prepared to let it go for less.

However, as Dave mentioned earlier, why do you particularly want a DC300A?

Martin

by **Hugh Robjohns** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:15 pm

Wonks wrote: That's if you just want a front panel! :headbang:

Oops! :oops: sorry.... I thought it looked a bit cheap...

H

by **donmarrese** » Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:11 pm

I'm going through a 70s 80s studio amplifier phase at the moment.. especially those without fans built-in internally..
I've been through the valve amps + modern domestic transistor amps..but studio amps take you to another level...not sure whether it's sheer power, or better components...my favourites to date are Omniphonics Research S100, Tresham/Tannoy SR 840 and the Amcron 300a.
Put a valve pre amp, (say a croft) in front and it's a job well done!

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by **resistorman** » Sat Aug 11, 2018 2:49 am

You might have a look at Hafler amps... I always loved their sound. And you can find them cheap.

by **ef37a** » Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:01 pm

You might also Google around to see if anyone ever picked up the 2 grand (iirc) that Peter Walker put up yonks ago for anyone who could reliably demonstrate a difference between two very well designed but different amplifiers run inside their ratings?

As a reviewer pointed out in SOS only a few issues ago, we have NO idea of the quality or detailed specification of the amplifiers in active monitors and yet I can never remember one being called into question? I can only conclude that the imperfections in even the best speaker drive units still overrule any, real or supposed, in even fairly "bread & butter" power amps?

Dave.

by **donmarrese** » Sat Aug 11, 2018 12:53 pm

I take your point, there are lots of variables at the output end.

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by **Trevor Johnson** » Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:22 pm

You might also Google around to see if anyone ever picked up the 2 grand (iirc) that Peter Walker put up yonks ago for anyone who could reliably demonstrate a difference between two very well designed but different amplifiers run inside their ratings?

He probably wasn't thinking of using his ESL-57s as the speakers then, as their impedance drops to near 1 ohm at about 10K! Low enough for well designed (solid state) amps to shut down and poorly designed ones let the smoke out. A pair of KT66s or a Quad 303 is what was needed: I suspect that you, Dave, would favour the former!

by **ef37a** » Sat Aug 11, 2018 10:06 pm

Trevor Johnson wrote:
You might also Google around to see if anyone ever picked up the 2 grand (iirc) that Peter Walker put up yonks ago for anyone who could reliably demonstrate a difference between two very well designed but different amplifiers run inside their ratings?

He probably wasn't thinking of using his ESL-57s as the speakers then, as their impedance drops to near 1 ohm at about 10K! Low enough for well designed (solid state) amps to shut down and poorly designed ones let the smoke out. A pair of KT66s or a Quad 303 is what was needed: I suspect that you, Dave, would favour the former!

Good heavens no! Valves are fine for some applications but cannot come close the accuracy that solid state amplifiers give.
I do not think Walker's idea was to "expose" other makes as inferior to his own? He was I understand trying to put some "science" into amplifier discussions and counter the "subjectivists" claims. He also was quoted as saying his Quad ll was more than good enough and the 303 actually about 100 times better than it need be. The 303 was developed because of the coming of small, low sensitivity loudspeakers that need more than the 15W or so the valve amp could deliver. The 303 of course needed limiting resistors fitted so as to make it safe with the ESL.

Funny you should mention amplifiers, loads and HF! Just the other day I came across a piece in the Jan/Feb '75 AES journal by A,N,Thiele on that very subject.
I think there were several designs around that could drive electrostatics at the time. The DC300a being one but not for long unless you were very, very careful!

Dave.

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Wanted: Amcron/Crown 300a Amplifier