Soundcraftsmen - Why no "bites" here?

[jbeckva]

(no affiliation with this ad on "da bay".. )

Hey All,

When I was deciding on what amp to get the past week, I was actually considering this guy here..

Soundcraftsmen Amp (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250499462709&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:VRI)

I changed my mind and went with the Yamaha's instead, but I'd figured that there would be at least one bite for this, wouldn't there? 250 watts with some old excellent reviews from the old stereo mags. Aint the prettiest amp, but hmmm...

What am I missing?

[Fast Forward]

(no affiliation with this ad on "da bay".. )

Hey All,

When I was deciding on what amp to get the past week, I was actually considering this guy here..

Soundcraftsmen Amp (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250499462709&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:VRI)

I changed my mind and went with the Yamaha's instead, but I'd figured that there would be at least one bite for this, wouldn't there? 250 watts with some old excellent reviews from the old stereo mags. Aint the prettiest amp, but hmmm...

What am I missing?The Sound Craftsman with VUs are lookers

[Scorpion8]

What am I missing?

Shipping weight and thus shipping cost? *dunno*

[jbeckva]

Shipping weight and thus shipping cost? *dunno*

That don't bother me... I like my amps like I like my women... *devil**eyepop*

(hahahah)

Seriously tho... wonder how much it does weigh?

[Acoustic]

Maybe because it's a class H pro amp that was "designed for the pro musicians". Most folks know about Class A, B and A/B. But what is an H used
in the way of home audio. Just wondering if that is part of no bidders. *scratchchin*

Edit: So is that your woman in your avatar? *grin*

[imasoundhound]

the amp sold for $170. that's kinda low for the amp. don't know why, except to blame it on the poor economy, timing, location, etc. as stated, it is designed for PA use, thus is not as desirable for audiophile use, though it can hold its own with a lot of home audio amps. plus the amps are pretty common. as far as weight, i can tell you that my ma-5002 is quite hefty, and i would imagine that amp weighs a little more than mine.

[Web Police]

It looks cosmetically beat up to me. *scratchchin* That would affect my bidding. Now for $100 I may bid on a beat up amp, but any more than that I'd like a better specimen.

[Marek]

Superb amp.

Either very similar or the same as there hifi amps...

Tons of power, 300wpc into 8 ohms, 450 into 4, stable into 2 ohms.

Will easily outpower similar mid fi amps and can hang with the crown and mac giants.

Aprrox 50-55 lbs.

[jbeckva]

Superb amp.

Either very similar or the same as there hifi amps...

Tons of power, 300wpc into 8 ohms, 450 into 4, stable into 2 ohms.

Will easily outpower similar mid fi amps and can hang with the crown and mac giants.

Aprrox 50-55 lbs.

That's what I was thinking too. The seller also said it had 12 TO-3's per channel on the outputs, which is right up there with the monster Crown ComTech 800 I had at one point. I'd still say that for 170, whoever finally ended up getting it got a great deal.

This site here (http://www.hifi-museum.com/pa/sc_fs.htm) has images of a couple of reviews.. one "Audio", the other "Stereo Review".. Not a disparaging word... *Hi5*

(I still like me M-80 tho :P )

[Marek]

I like Yamaha too...:)

What's nice about soundcraftsmen is they are very tough, there protection circuitry is just about bulletproof. They were designed and made in so cal as well.

That one linked to was a major score for whoever got it.*Hi5*

That's what I was thinking too. The seller also said it had 12 TO-3's per channel on the outputs, which is right up there with the monster Crown ComTech 800 I had at one point. I'd still say that for 170, whoever finally ended up getting it got a great deal.

This site here (http://www.hifi-museum.com/pa/sc_fs.htm) has images of a couple of reviews.. one "Audio", the other "Stereo Review".. Not a disparaging word... *Hi5*

(I still like me M-80 tho :P )

[itzmike]

I had the 5002 (without the VU meters) with 250 watts and another one 9cant remember model #) with 140 watts biamped togather. Julian Hirsh of Stereo Review said of the 5002. "Its as good as anything else". I bought mine on that review. Maybe someone can post it here. I had a Nikko 120 watt amp and it was better. In 1990 I sent the 5002 off for a $500 mod. All new wiring, capacitors, gold jacks etc. Came back and it was a smoothie. It benched out 30 more watts too. Was more 3 dimensional with a tubelike midrange. I regret selling it on Ebay or Audiogon in 2003, but my new Bryston 4BSST is clearer. Something I'll never forget. IT NEVER RAN HOT!! I ran it turned up with a pair of OHM I's which can take a 1000 watts and very hard to drive and it never shut down. Very stable. A great DJ amp. Class H. I'll have to google that and see why it never took hold. Mike

[Kent T]

Bryston and McIntosh amps are still superior. And they stand behind them even when over 30 years old. Yamaha is decent, older Crown is excellent, their newer amps aren't as good or as durable. Soundcraftsmen was like Crown but not as rugged under hard, constant use. I have McIntosh amplifiers which drive JBL 4311 speakers in broadcast control use which go 30 years of constant use before they need any service. Same with Bryston amps. Both companies never built anything but top end gear and never cheapened to go mass market.

[Fairchild]

I am just starting down the Soundcraftsmen road, I have so far acquired 1 PCR800 and watching for another one, I got a Soundcraftsmen bridge earlier in the week, I plan on making a traveling system for when I spin records at the local pub. When bridged the PCR800 is 600 watts into 8 ohms and still stable to 2 ohm, that ought to rock their socks off.*grin* 600 watts a channel should get anyones attention.

And I won't have to take my main system apart anymore.*Hi5*

Jim

[RedGrant]

I had the 5002 (without the VU meters) with 250 watts and another one 9cant remember model #) with 140 watts biamped togather. Julian Hirsh of Stereo Review said of the 5002. "Its as good as anything else". I bought mine on that review. Maybe someone can post it here. I had a Nikko 120 watt amp and it was better.


Can you clarify? Do you mean Soundcraftsmen was better than Nikko?


Currently I am looking for a mosfet amp for my project.




but my new Bryston 4BSST is clearer.



How about brightness? Is Bryston brighter than Soundcraftsmen?

[RedGrant]

Bryston and McIntosh amps are still superior..

Do you mean sonically or repair wise or both?

[Des-Lab]

Maybe if the seller were to chop the asking price by 90% and throw in an all expenses paid all inclusive trip for two to Tahiti as a sort of "thank you", maybe someone will step up.

I dunno.

[bodine]

Why tahiti? tahiti has pirates

[jbeckva]

Maybe if the seller were to chop the asking price by 90% and throw in an all expenses paid all inclusive trip for two to Tahiti as a sort of "thank you", maybe someone will step up.

I dunno.

Who you replyin' to? (akin to "whatchoo talking about, willis?"). *eyepop* I was ready to give the dude full asking price for it, no haggling.

It was at the last minute where I saw me M-80 and C-60 both that I changed my mind (and heck.. gave THAT dude full asking price as well). Still one of those "I value it at 'x', you are offering it at <='x', therefore I will pay 'x'" things, eh? *Hi5*

[Warped Bezel]

Maybe if the seller were to chop the asking price by 90% and throw in an all expenses paid all inclusive trip for two to Tahiti as a sort of "thank you", maybe someone will step up.

I dunno.

I got the RP-2204 EQ a few years for 10 dollars...I can't drink anyway and certainly not an umbrella drink (RUM MAN, DO YOU HEAR ME)?*eyepop**devil*

[Pacific Stereo]

I know Ralph Yeomans- after Pacific closed, my cousin ran his retail outlet (Atlantic Stereo, heh- still running, but sold long ago) in Costa Mesa for years.

Soundcraftsmen products were very solid. I think that they never really achieved critical mass because the products were sold in such a limited fashion. Fedco was Ralph's bread-and-butter, and there wasn't much more distribution other than a smattering of other dealers.

[RedGrant]

Soundcraftsmen products were very solid. I think that they never really achieved critical mass because the products were sold in such a limited fashion. Fedco was Ralph's bread-and-butter, and there wasn't much more distribution other than a smattering of other dealers.

Well, at least they didn't make the mistake Luxman/Alpine made.