Behringer A500 Amplifier: Objective Test Results

[mike c]

the EP2500/EP4000 would give you the most watts for the buck
the P2500S would give you 250w x 2 at 8ohms at best, but you don't need to modify the fan (the behringer's fans are noisy)

i would not consider the EP1500/EP2000

this is the behinger fan mod:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45137

 

[highfigh]

I am finding this thread very interesting, it is a certainly a mamoth one. I always like it when people love and underdog product.

How is reliability of this power amplfier shaping up ?

cheers

I installed one in a bar/restaurant over two years ago and it's on from 9AM until after 1AM every day. One bartender, who I call 'Miss Noisy' made it cut off because she cranked the vokume up past the safe range but that's the only thing that has happened to cause it to do anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Bjorn]

the EP2500/EP4000 would give you the most watts for the buck
the P2500S would give you 250w x 2 at 8ohms at best, but you don't need to modify the fan (the behringer's fans are noisy)

i would not consider the EP1500/EP2000

this is the behinger fan mod:

Thanks.
Is there a audible difference between EP2500, EP4000 and P2500S? Sound quality is more important to me then most watts for the buck. 250W x 2 might be fine.

And can these compare to high quality power amps? I already have Hypex (UcD 400w HG with HxR). The Hypex amp is the cleanest and best I've heard to this day. Actually compared it to a Labgruppen iP-450 PA amp. The Labgruppen was close, but lacked some of the opennes in the high frequencies compared to the Hypex. That experience gave me a clear sense that when an amp reach a certain point in quality, they all sound the same. Labgruppen iP-450 wasn't quite there though.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

All amps (unless tube or have errors in design) sound the same.

My 2c for amp recommendation goes for this amp:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/XLS1500/

Due to both balanced and unbalanced inputs , temp controlled fan, better brand and great value

 

[Bjorn]

All amps (unless tube or have errors in design) sound the same.

My 2c for amp recommendation goes for this amp:


Due to both balanced and unbalanced inputs , temp controlled fan, better brand and great value

I have to disagree. We are very sensitive to crossover distortion and many amps don't measure well here. (I was going to post some links, but not allowed before I have more posts her.)


I've a Crown XTi-2000 which I bought for passive subs. I'm telling you, driving the speakers fullrange with the XTi-2000 it's like barbed wire to your ears. You have to be deaf to not hear it when you compare it to a clean sounding amp. And just in case you wonder; No, I don't hear a difference when it comes to cables and other snake-oil.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I have to disagree. We are very sensitive to crossover distortion and many amps don't measure well here. (I was going to post some links, but not allowed before I have more posts her.)


I've a Crown XTi-2000 which I bought for passive subs. I'm telling you, driving the speakers fullrange with the XTi-2000 it's like barbed wire to your ears. You have to be deaf to not hear it when you compare it to a clean sounding amp. And just in case you wonder; No, I don't hear a difference when it comes to cables and other snake-oil.

Crossover distortion occurs in push-pull class AB or class B amplifiers [http://www.aikenamps.com/CrossoverDistortion.htm]

XLS1500 is D class ....

 

[Bjorn]

Crossover distortion occurs in push-pull class AB or class B amplifiers

XLS1500 is D class ....

Yes I know. Mentioned it because you said all amps (besides tubes) sounded the same. Which isn't something audio researches (like for instance Floyd Toole and Lauri Fincham) have come to conclude.

Whether class D has crossover distortion or not can be discussed as far as I know. Class A certainly doesn't have it though.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Yes I know. Mentioned it because you said all amps (besides tubes) sounded the same. Which isn't something audio researches (like for instance Floyd Toole and Lauri Fincham) have come to conclude.

Whether class D has crossover distortion or not can be discussed as far as I know. Class A certainly doesn't have it though.

I could live with this, but on the other hand if B or AB amp does indeed has clearly audible issues that means the issue was not addressed properly in design stage and as I said "or have errors in design"

 

[Bjorn]

Yes. That sounds reasonable.

While we're at it. Are there any low cost active preamps out there that are as good as it gets or of very high quality?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Yes. That sounds reasonable.

While we're at it. Are there any low cost active preamps out there that are as good as it gets or of very high quality?

Emotiva USP-1 highly rated for stereo pre-amp, but I won't get pure stereo pre-amp without proper bass management.

 

[GranteedEV]

Whether class D has crossover distortion or not can be discussed as far as I know. Class A certainly doesn't have it though.

Class D by definition does not have crossover distortion.

It's basically a class A amp turning on and off at about 300khz as required by the signal. There's some bad class D amps out there too so they can get a bad rap but there's some excellent ones that measure amazingly. I want to get the new Hypex NC1200s

I've a Crown XTi-2000 which I bought for passive subs. I'm telling you, driving the speakers fullrange with the XTi-2000 it's like barbed wire to your ears. You have to be deaf to not hear it when you compare it to a clean sounding amp.

Very different topology.

 

[Pyrrho]

Watch some of the other videos. Shocking. I blame it on Chinese assembly, not German engineering.

Chinese assembly can be excellent, if the masters pay for it. But wanting cheap and wanting good are not always compatible. Behringer has decided to go with cheap.


If I were looking for an inexpensive new power amp, I would probably go with this one:

http://emotiva.com/upa2.shtm

It does, however, cost more.