Sherbourn PA 7-350 Seven-Channel Amplifier Preview

[admin]

The Sherbourn PA 7-350 is a beast of an amp. With a massive 3.3 kVA toroidal power supply pushing 350 watts into 8 ohms, 4 ohm stability, and seven channels of amplification, the PA 7-350 is a monster. At over 100 pounds and with convection cooling and a high efficiency, "Soft Switch" class H design, this truly is an audiophile-grade amplifier. If you define "audiophile-grade" as "tons of power, every feature you'll need and none you don't." If you define it as "full of silver/platinum/chocolatey bits, marketing speak, and pseudo-science," well, you're looking at the wrong company. This should be an amp that custom installers will love to get their hands on.

Discuss "Sherbourn PA 7-350 Seven-Channel Amplifier Preview" here. Read the article.

 

[3db]

I can't help but notice that the Outlaw and Sherbourn look very similar on the inside.

 

[avliner]

+1 and I'd say the Sherbourn is quite identical to the Emo as well.
AFAIK, Sherbourn and Emo are the same company now, so no surprises here...

In other hand, it's a beast of an amp. and you might as well need a generator or a small powerplant to feed this hungry toy, though

 

[timoteo]

WOW!! Emotiva & Sherbourn are sister companies!? I didnt know that. Interesting ive gotta look into that.

 

[PENG]

I would agree with 3 dB that it looks like an Outlaw but definitely not the EMO. I may be wrong but I thought none of the EMO models has any PS transformer that big, not even close.

One thing about a transformer (3.3 kVA) that big is that the initial inrush current will be very high for a typical 15 or 20A 120V circuit. Without any solid state control circuitry to regulate the inrush current, it could draw anything from 150 to well over 300A depending on the design of the transformer and the point on wave switch timing. So I am pretty sure it has some sort of "soft start" circuitry. Even with soft start feature, an amp like this need an independent 30A circuit all for itself.

 

[haraldo]

Looking at the attached measurements, at the bottom of page 9, THD is approaching 1% at very very low levels, is this not a bit too high

 

[zildjian]

The Sherbourn amp is different than the Outlaw 7900. They do look similar, but that's it. The Sherbourn amp is a digital switching Class H amp. The Outlaw 7900 is a fully balanced Class A/B amp. I own the Outlaw 7900, and it's a fantastic amp, powerful and clean. Only down side is needing two 15 amp circuits to run it off of, but that's a plus too cause it will do what it says it will do in the specs if hooked up properly on two circuits.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

And the Outlaw amp is the same as the ATI AT3007 amp and the Lexicon 300WPC amp as well. All made by ATI in California.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1326056048

Emotiva & Sherbourn are made in China.

 

[gene]

Looking at the attached measurements, at the bottom of page 9, THD is approaching 1% at very very low levels, is this not a bit too high

The levels are too low on that type of test to accurately show THD. An FFT analysis would be more revealing in that case and should be shown at 1 watt and full power bandwidth to get a more accurate picture of amplifier distortion. This is something I will do if I conduct a formal review of the amp.

 

[GranteedEV]

The Sherbourn amp is different than the Outlaw 7900. They do look similar, but that's it. The Sherbourn amp is a digital switching Class H amp.

erm..

First of all, switching amps aren't digital. They're analog pulse width modulating.

Second, Class H isn't pulse width modulation anyways. It uses switching voltage rails to get big numbers during dynamic bursts but it's normally similar to class AB for most of its operation.

 

[zildjian]

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[zildjian]

And the Outlaw amp is the same as the ATI AT3007 amp and the Lexicon 300WPC amp as well. All made by ATI in California.

ATI AT3007 For Sale | AudiogoN

Emotiva & Sherbourn are made in China.

The only difference if I'm not mistaken in the Outlaw 7900 vs the ATI AT3007 and Lexicon ZX-7 is that the Outlaw is wired to run off two 15A circuits and the Lexicon and the ATI are wired to run off a single 20A circuit. Feels weird to call any of the above anything but an ATI since they all are ATI made... The ATI ATI... vs the Outlaw ATI... & Lexicon ATI...