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Old 10-10-2020, 02:12 PM   #1
panicaftermath
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Default Power amp gone. Replace, or switch to active near fields?

The Sony power amp powering my ns-10m studio monitors stopped working and is too old to be repaired. It stopped working once before and I was able to somehow get it back, but I'm done trying this time.

I like and am used to the ns-10's and would be content to continue with them and a new amp. But what would be a good replacement?

I would also consider getting a pair of similar actives like the HS5 or HS7. I like the simplicity of an active pair. And can possibly sell the ns10s for more than the cost of replacing them.

The ns-10's are also fragile and difficult to repair with original parts, which is another reason I'd consider letting them go.

But I'm torn between the two approaches, either replacing the amp, or going with actives.
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Old 10-11-2020, 01:17 AM   #2
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If your ears are well attuned to the sonys, just buy a replacement amp.

Mind you, if you were using a Sony hifi amp & replace it with a modern monitoring amp, you could find that the overall sound changes significantly. I have a 1979 Quad 405 stereo amp that has powered my (now secondary) tannoy dual concentric monitors for a couple of decades. I had it refurbished by the current owners of Quad a few years back & it has never ever let me down, so it is likely that if your sony amp is old enough, it IS repairable. Check with a proper electronics tech as to its repairability before you give up & move to new powered monitors.

Nothing wrong with them at all, I have a pair of Unity Audio The Rock IIs which are bloody magnificent. But a bit dearer than repairing my Quad or the Tannoys!
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Old 10-11-2020, 08:45 AM   #3
panicaftermath
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Thank you for the reply.

The amp is a Sony TA-N80ES, in service for the last 30 years. About 5 years ago when I first had a problem with it I looked into repairs at a couple of local places and it was not too encouraging in terms of cost.

The problems were intermittent (one side no output, alternating with both sides very low volume) and I somehow got it back into a position where it was working again, really just luck and lots of switch flipping, and maybe some slapping the sides. I didn't open it up. The thing weighs about 60 pounds.

But it and the studio were not used often in the years since as I was mostly living and working elsewhere. Now I am slowly starting to use this space more often, and the unreliability is showing up again.

Right now I'm looking for ease and simplicity, and reliability.

So I'm wondering what would be a decent amp for driving a pair of NS-10's?

But also wondering about going with a new system using actives.

In the meantime, I've got no usable sound in that space.
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Old 10-11-2020, 09:37 AM   #4
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Depends how flush you are with cash I guess?

Personally, I'd buy not too expensive active monitors (my friend has the yamaha ones you mention, I went Mackie, we both had to upgrade around the same time) just to get back up and running, then open that amp up and see if its an obviously bulbous blown capacitor or something not too difficult to fix, give it a damn good clean and go from there.

If your space is acoustically treated well, the change in speakers shouldnt be too much to get over, but obviously, traditionally, the NS10's do have a very specific sound you might need to adjust to not having any more (not that I have ever heard any or have any direct experience other than reading things about the NS10's)

I kinda think any new amp is gonna colour the sound somewhat, but I dont know much All I can say is what I think I would do in the same situation.
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Old 10-11-2020, 11:20 PM   #5
panicaftermath
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Well I'd be more flush with cash if I unloaded the ns-10s!

It's an interesting problem to have. I think I would miss the ns-10s. They are what I've been used to for ages. But I'm drawn to the idea of replacing them. But that's mostly because the HS5 (or HS7) is designed in that same near field tradition, which seems to minimize the risk of too great a change.

I know very little about amps. But I knew that Sony amp would eventually go and I'd have to decide to replace it or go active.

Maybe it's time for a full change over?
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Old 10-12-2020, 08:53 AM   #6
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Yeah, I'd go for new speakers tbh.

I did it cheap by buying one at a time. I had one speaker for a month or two until I could afford the other one
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Old 10-12-2020, 10:47 AM   #7
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Behringer A800 has similar output to your Sony and is fanless (nothing in the looks dept but who is bothered at that price point) , £168.00 from Thomann in the UK.
Find on ebay for less???

I would think is plenty good for ns10s but then again your Sony is/was a high class unit... so?
Just some food for thought!
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Old 10-14-2020, 07:47 AM   #8
Philbo King
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I'd go with active ones. Passives are so 20th century...
My current setup is JBL 308P's (active). They replaced a pair of Tannoy 5" passives powered by a Peavey 225 watt/channel power amp.

I still use the 150 lb. Peavey power amp as ballast in the bottom of my rack, to keep the rack from ever tipping over.
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Old 10-19-2020, 02:23 AM   #9
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On the other hand, my Tannoy NFM 6 Mk2s still work just fine through my (updated by Quad) 1979 Quad 405 amp. I use them to compare notes with my main monitors, a pair of Unity Audio The Rock IIs, which although they cost over ten times what the Tannoys did, are bloody amazing especially for a non-ported cabinet.

Either way you look at it, there are good points and bad points to using either passives with an amp versus actives.

No real winners here.
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Old 10-19-2020, 04:18 AM   #10
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I'd pickup a stereo receiver from craigslist.
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