Extreme Budget Amp Shootout

[gcmarshall]

would anyone else like to see a review of budget-priced, but (claimed) poweful separate amplifiers? for example, a comparison of the actual real-world performance of 200 wpc (or more) amps such as the ones i list below (that retail mostly for under $200) as compared to much more expensive amps. i think it would be a very popular test and article to see if, for such a small investment, one gets reasonable (or maybe even very good performance) from these buget amps. wouldn't you like to know, for example, if the $200 audiosurce amp one/a run in bridged/mono mode (200 watts into 8 ohms) gives you, for example pulling a number out of the air, about 90% of the performance of a name-brand 200 watt amp costing 3, 4, 5 or 10 times as much? i believe this site does a good job of reviewing mid-to-higher-range separate solutions (ie, Rotel, Parasound, etc.), but i also believe a "extreme budget amp shootout" comparing the budget amps not just against one another, but also against bigger brand names, would be very appealing, especially at the very attractive 200 watts or more power range.

anyone else want to "sign this petition"? sort of a battle of the el-cheapo's, for lack of a better description, that i think would have mass appeal given that most people either don't have the cash for the big-boys, or are too conservative to spend that kind of money on the big boys.

examples of sub-$200 amps that i think would be good candidates for this:

1) audiosource amp one/a (operated in bridged/mono mode)
2) behringer A500 (run in mono)
3) outlaw m2200 (not quite as cheap as the others, but still a relative bargain price-wise)
4) others?

 

[jcPanny]

Budget Amp

I think the new Emotiva BPA-1 has potential from your budget amp list.
http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=processors&product=49.1

Also note, I haven't seen many recent Audioholics reviews of high or low end models. From what I can tell, the Emotiva MPS-1 7 channel amp was the only review from 2005 and the rest were from 2004. Perhaps this is because the amp models and features change much less frequently than receivers and electronics.

 

[pearsall001]

gcmarshall

Great idea, I would love to see the reviews on budget amps among themselves & more importantly against more expensive amps. I can't believe all the hits on this thread & only one other reply other than myself. I think maybe they're afraid of the findings especially if they just dumped some major coin on a new amp. I can only comment on the A500 amp. I have 2 of them running in mono. I am extremely, extremly pleased w/ they're performance. I am now looking at things differently than I did before. I was solidly entrenched in the old way of thinking, PERFORMANCE COMES W/ A BIG PRICE TAG. Not any more & the A500 is definetely proof of that. As far as other amps go I have read great reviews on the Outlaw mono. Also Crown & Ashly come well reviewed. Anybody want to lend out a Krell or Mark Levinson for the reviews. We'll be kind as not to offend anyone. Speaking of Krell I just received the Jan issue of The Absolute Sound mag. The whole cover is on the Krell Evo amps, the Evolution Two Preamp & the One amp. Starting at $90 grand. Come on get real w/ this stuff. Of course the reviewer said they were fabulous. They better say that because Krell dumped a ton of money into the magazine. Let's tear them apart & take a look inside to see what the hell is inside these bad boys to warrant that kind of money. Are people w/ money that gulible or just plain old stupid? Let the reviews begin!!!

 

[AudioSeer]

I would be interested to see a Panasonic SA-XR55S (digital amplifier) compared against those amps.

 

[mtrycrafts]

would anyone else like to see a review of budget-priced, but (claimed) poweful separate amplifiers? for example, a comparison of the actual real-world performance of 200 wpc (or more) amps such as the ones i list below (that retail mostly for under $200) as compared to much more expensive amps. i think it would be a very popular test and article to see if, for such a small investment, one gets reasonable (or maybe even very good performance) from these buget amps. wouldn't you like to know, for example, if the $200 audiosurce amp one/a run in bridged/mono mode (200 watts into 8 ohms) gives you, for example pulling a number out of the air, about 90% of the performance of a name-brand 200 watt amp costing 3, 4, 5 or 10 times as much? i believe this site does a good job of reviewing mid-to-higher-range separate solutions (ie, Rotel, Parasound, etc.), but i also believe a "extreme budget amp shootout" comparing the budget amps not just against one another, but also against bigger brand names, would be very appealing, especially at the very attractive 200 watts or more power range.

anyone else want to "sign this petition"? sort of a battle of the el-cheapo's, for lack of a better description, that i think would have mass appeal given that most people either don't have the cash for the big-boys, or are too conservative to spend that kind of money on the big boys.

examples of sub-$200 amps that i think would be good candidates for this:

1) audiosource amp one/a (operated in bridged/mono mode)
2) behringer A500 (run in mono)
3) outlaw m2200 (not quite as cheap as the others, but still a relative bargain price-wise)
4) others?

Sure, why not, if they have nothing better to do
The A500 was tested by The Audio Critic and most of it posted in a thread already but no harm in another test to supplement it.

Also, maybe the testing crew would be interested in their or rather David Rich's test load called the power cubed loading:

The instrument for the test is made in Sweden; it produces repeated 1 kHz tone bursts of 20 ms duration into 20 different complex load impedances across the amplifier (magnitudes of 8Ω, 4Ω, 2Ω, and 1Ω, phase angles of –60°, –30°, 0°, +30°, and +60°). The graphic output of the instrument shows the 20 data point connected to form a more or less cube like polyhedron. The test really separates the men from the boys when it comes to real-world loads rather than just resistances.

 

[groov']

I signed up

OK, you've got my signature under your petition. Everyone should sign this unless you always want at least 110% of more than the best possible sound under superideal circumstances (with guarantee certificate of course). For me 90% would do...

Now, why not do the same el cheapo shootout with speakers, to start with monitors.

Here I have already a candidate: the ( Dansih) Eltax Monitor III, which cost about 100 dollars a pair(!). I've never heard such a good sound for so few bucks. Even the British What Hifi? magazine (normally very nationalistic) gave these litttle bastards 5 stars.

 

[davie]

Great idea!

I've been itchy recently for a 200wpc amp; though I don't know how you can get one below US$200... If I can also suggest comparing against an older Adcom 555 ($400), or a NAD 272 ($500 B stock) level before comparing them to the much higher end stuff, that will be great! Also, throwing in a mid-end receiver (like a Yamaha 1500 ) to the comparison chart will be good too! At least it'll give other people (like me ) a relative scale to see if it's worth it or not.

Well, all these suggestions but I don't know how I can contribute. Afterall, I don't have an amp and that's why I've been looking.

 

[Reignman]

Do it!

I've read others on this same topic.. I think this would be great.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Don't forget to add some more pro sound amps, such a Gemsound, Crown, Mackie, QSC, Alesis, Hafler, American DJ, Peavey, EAW, American Audio, Crest, Gemini, Nady, ...

Here's a nice find for surround sound:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Rane-6-Channel-Pro-Power-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ7383125992QQcategoryZ23787QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[patnshan]

I am actually looking for an ultra cheap, 2 channel amp to power some junk bookshelves in the dining room. I was thinking audiosource, but I'll have to check out some of the others on your list.
Thanks,
Pat

 

[pearsall001]

Ultra cheap is too good for your junk bookshelves. Drop down a notch a get 'em a Krell, they'll get up & boogie for you.