Sub plate-amps in the UK

[CaRRiT]

hey people. first post

im looking to get a plate amp in teh UK and this is proving difficult to find. Im looking for something of about 160W @ 4Ohm with the standard bunch of connectors ie, line level, speaker level, cutoff and volume control. U know the sorta thing. Like the one partexpress supply

Now i know PE ship to the UK but its costs £54 for teh amp and £45 for teh shipping!!! and thats without any import tax i'll get landed with when it arrives over here

The only one i have found so far is from a place called CPC (ive used them for other electrical components) but they only have one which is 90W @ 4Ohm and costs £116+vat.

Please help.

Thanks

CaRRiT

[kelticwizard]

Parts Express is a wonderful company, and I would encourage anyone from anywhere in the world to order from them.

BUT:

United States Electrical System is 115 volt, 60 Hz. My understanding is that Engish and Irish Electrical System is 230 Volt, 50 Hz. Maybe the 50 Hz part might not come into play, but the 230 volt part certainly will.


Ceck carefully to make sure any electronics you are thinking of ordering from Parts Express has a 230 volt switch. They have excellent telephone tech help-it would be worth the long distance telephone charge to make certain.

[kelticwizard]

Here's an excellent place.
http://www.bkelec.com/
Click on "Modules and Hybrids".

Sub Plate amp 200 W into 4 ohms
149 pds including VAT, (being American, my keyboard doesn't have that L looking thing that means "pounds".

I have a cyber friend who is a DJ in Ireland. He has lived for a time in England. He orders all his equipment from BK Electronics, and gives them his very highest recommendation. The amplifier he relies on for his DJ gigs is a BK Electronics unit, and he says it is wonderfully reliable.

[CaRRiT]

thanks for the linkage wizard. The plate-amps they supply there seem to be more for stage speaker subs rather than home theatre ones, as they dont have the ususal connections and speaker level inputs and outputs. Also the cost of the 120W @ 4ohm amp is £150.

I've found out what taxes i'd have to pay if i was to order from PE. I'd pay 4.5% "Duty Tax" on the actual item, also i'd have to pay 17.5% on the item and any shipping charges. In total when ordering two #300-792 amps it brings the cost up £107 per amp (over twice the value of its direct US to GBP conversion!)

Any other suggestions as to places where these are available in teh UK would be appreciated. Especially home theatre ones such as PE sell.

Thanks

CaRRiT

[kelticwizard]

The BK 200 Watt, (not the 120 Watt), is 149 pds. The 300 Watt is 184 pds. I might mention that while they do not have speaker inputs and outputs, your amp/receiver does not require a "SUB OUT" to run the BKs. The units can be run from the TAPE OUT, CD OUT, AUX OUT or whatever from your amp/receiver, (a simple wire combines both Left and Right channels) while your connections from your speaker outputs go directly to your main speakers. To my knowledge, plate amps with speaker level inputs/outputs don't really filter the signal to the main speakers anyway.

Once the TAPE OUT signal reaches the BK's, it has both it's own volume control and frequency adjustable crossover. Without knowing your system, I am guessing that it might work. A quick call to BK might get you some tech advice if necessary.

I noticed the Parts Express units have a 230 Volt switch. That would tend to indiciate that their manufacturer might make the same or similar units for non-American companies. While on the phone to Parts Express tech help once, he did allow which speaker company makes one of the Dayton models-maybe you can find out who makes the Parts Express amp. A quick call to that company might yield a British retailer. Maybe one of the people on this forum who owns the Parts Express plate amp can tell you who makes it.

Finally, if you own a business or a friend owns a business with tax numbers, getting it ordered that way might save something.

Good luck.

[Boris]

Hi

I'll second that BK Electronics are excellent. Their plate amps are fine for home theatre. They do have high level speaker inputs (using the Neutrik Speakon connecter supplied) but no outputs.

However if you don't need/want all the features of a plate amp have a look at the raw amp modules (on the same page).

Their MF300 is powering my Shiva sub, I use the sub out from my Denon 3801 straight into the amp. All that's required is a little soldering, hide or box it and you've got 300W for £83.

Cheers
Boris

[CaRRiT]

thanks again for the replies (im a total n00b to this so sorry if the questions seem obvious)

Had an email back from PE and the HT amps are made especially for them by some manufacturer in Tawain.

from the email:

These amps are manufactured specifically for Parts Express by an overseas supplier. They manufacture them to our specifications, so you will not be able to find any other source for them. I believe the manufacturer is in Tawain. There is no mfg name on the product, for this manufacturer makes products in bulk quantities.

Been looking at those amp only module on BK how do you setup a connector to them? (ie an RCA plug) and how do u alter the power output ie the volume?

Thanks again
CaRRiT

[kelticwizard]

From the Email to CaRRit from Parts Express: "They manufacture them to our specifications, so you will not be able to find any other source for them."

I worked once for a huge electronics retailer. They had the same language for their audio electronics. During a conversation with my manager, he told me, "Yeah. real unique specifications. Like take the manufacturer's base model and put the ON switch on the left instead of the right. That's the kind of unique specifications we give the manufacturers".

If the supplier makes a high quality product for one large retailer, the chances are good they make products of similar quality and specs for other retailers. That is why retailers are loathe to give out the name of their suppliers and one of the reasons they make sometimes cosmetic changes so they can make the claim that their product is "unique".

On the other hand, Parts Express is a classy enough outfit that very possibly this amp really IS different from other amps the manufacturer makes. Or perhaps that amp is sold only to subwoofer manufacturers for their finished product.

Anyway, CaRRit, you gave it a shot. Good for you.

Regardless, the BK Electronics option looks pretty good, so it looks like it's working out anyway. Just thought that I would add that BK Electronics amplifiers are good enough that an American outlet picked them up as well. Looks like quality goods.

[Boris]

Hi

The MF modules have two tags for the signal input. One tag for the signal and the other for the screen/earth. I use a length of good quality screened audio cable from Maplins with a phono/rca connector on the sub out, then the other end is soldered directly onto the amp. If you wish you can solder male phono connectors onto the amp so you can unplug at ease.
The signal output is the same.
On/off is switched by the wall socket.

The volume is controlled by my av receiver. BK Electronics sell a potentiometer (£2) which will lower the signal input to the amp module. This is how pro and I think plate amps work. The volume knob isn't boosting, it's lowering the input signal voltage. It's recommend to have these wide open when using pro gear and plate amps. In my set up I don't use the potentiometer as I have enough control with my receiver.

I hope all that makes sense. ?

Cheers
Boris

[CaRRiT]

yup, i does make sense. Thanks for the reply. Got a few options to think about now

cheers guys

CaRRiT