great info on site help me buy Ashly amp

[woodyf]

I was suggested to view this forum by Ron Temple for more information on seperate amps. After a month or so of reading I started shopping.

After reading these threads regarding these $200 to $300 mid line pro amps, I thought I had found the solution to my dilemma.(trying to drive 250w@8ohm with a receiver) So I researched separate amps, and pro amps.

However these $200 to $300 amps turned into $800cnd to $1000cnd.
The only amps I could find in the $400cnd plus tax range where the cheaper brand names such as Alesis, Behringer, Alto. The used ones I found was on their last legs. The darn things had distortion, had lots of floor noise(hum and hiss) or where over $1000cnd. The low-line Crown and the QSC where all in the $599 plus category. The more affordable where the smaller models.

Finding a good affordable amp, with low floor noise, low distortion, and gobbles of power was not as easy as I though.

I shopped the Toronto area during my Christmas vacation. I went to a "high end" store. They had suggested an Ashly ftx-2001 amp. They stated it had the best sound for my application, that they carried. However, It was $1700cnd plus taxes on sale!!!
They sold every flavor of amp thinkable, even HK, Lexicon(starting at $3kcnd,)Merantz.....Crown..QSC..ect......................... ...... yeah, I was drooling...

Next day, I went to a chain Music and Instrument store, and found a used Ashly FET-2000 M, same specs as the Ashly ftx-2001 amp , but for $400 with a 3mth warranty. Instead of asking a sale men to help me, I went straight to the technician in the back. I pumped him for info, without telling him my interest in the Ashly.
After telling him my situation, he steered me to a Ashly amp and a Yorkville studio amp new or used. He said they are the smoothest, most transparent amp out there as a proamp goes, used in a home or studio application. So I picked it up.

It sounds amazing! No hum or hiss even at very low levels. My speakers have more dynamic range and lower details that they lacked. I even have good bass from my mains, combined with my sub placed in the back of the room just went "through" me.The extra dynamic room of this amp was felt right from the beginning.
Simply Amazing!

The mids slightly improved, but the highs did not improve, but sound"ed" Good before the change.

Once my 3mth warranty is over I will replace the fans for whisper quiet ones, However the current ones are quieter than my home computer.

My system:
Athena AS-F2.2 mains
AS-C1.2 center
AS-R1.2 rears
Ashly FET-2000 M
HK 235
LG 7832 DVD
LG DVDRW
15" sub custom box driven by Old Sherwood high current amp
Bell expressvu 6100HD
Hitachi 51S500 rptv

A special thanks to Ron Temple for all the help. My system is finally done...
Well for now anyways.

Here is the spec sheet of the amp.

Ashly FET-2000 M
EIA Rated Output/ch
8 ohms 300W
4 ohms 500W
2 ohms 675
8 ohms mono bridged 1000W
4 ohms mono bridged 1350
THD
1KHz, 8 ohm 0.004%
20 Hz, 8 ohm 0.01%
20-20KHz, 8 ohm 0.05%
IMD (SMPTE) 8 ohms 0.004%
IHF, 8 ohms 0.01%
Damping Factor >100 20Hz--20KHz
Bandwidth 100KHz
Slew Rate 50V/uS
Frequency Response +/-0.5dB 10Hz--50KHz
Rise Time 2uS 10%--90%
Full Power Input Sensitivity 1.7V
Hum and Noise >110dB below full output
Weight 65bs

Here are some Ashly pics of the interior.
http://groups.msn.com/barley/frontdiffoilseals.msnw

 

[woodyf]

I had never heard of Ashly before.
I was hoping that other people would share their expeirience with them.

 

[WmAx]

I had never heard of Ashly before.
I was hoping that other people would share their expeirience with them.

I have not noticed Ashly amplifiers mentioned here before. However, Behringer and QSC amplifiers are pretty popular here, and they offer solid performance for a bargain price.

-Chris

 

[woodyf]

I have not noticed Ashly amplifiers mentioned here before. However, Behringer and QSC amplifiers are pretty popular here, and they offer solid performance for a bargain price.

-Chris

The QSC, and Crown amps that was affordable in my area where there lower line amps.

My cousin worked as a stage sound and light tech assistant. He had access to Behringer and Crest amps. We tried a Behringer EP1500, Behringer 500a.
He could not totally get rid of a ground hum and a little hiss on the EP1500.
The 500A sounds OK on mids and highs but lacked in the lows. My bass had little change from the HK.
Then we tried the Crest CA 4(harsh) and the Crest CD 1000 witch sounds great and great lows but well out of my budget($1500+).

I tried different amps at pro stores with monitor close Field speakers....
I loved the sound of the Crown CE 1000($700+tax cnd), but did not the sound from Crown XLS202($400+tax cnd) was not as good, I found it harsh and not enough wattage.


The QSC rmx series was not available to me to audition until my Toronto trip.
I tried the rmx and PLX series. The PLX was much more musical, but $$$.
The RMX850 sound good enough for a serious thought, but was still $450+taxes cnd. Once I heard the Ashley, I fell in love. Very smooth and transparent. However it was way out of my Budget. I just lucked out with a good used one at another store.

Canadians get really gouged up here for amps and electronics. Even though their is only 15% diff. in currency, the price tend to be 60% higher than our counter parts. As for Ebay, the weight factor of these amps would be murder on shipping. The would also be seized by customs because they are not csa approved. To get an amp approved would cost another $75cnd.

The popular pro amps here are more expensive here, and do not present a bargain.