2. amps-preamps
  3. 1170999828

The Best Amp for the Price of Dirt

The Berringer a 500 Reference Amp that can be purchased on Musican's Friend web site for 194.00( each) to your house in the US of A w/ a 2 year warranty is a KILLER. I have several amps and these are scarey. Granted they were designed overseas & built in China... However, they are 19lbs GIANTS . Don't take my word go to the "Audio Critic" web site for a full review. This is my one an only give-away . Use it or loose it. Best to 'All
crem1
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Zaike...I checked the website and since I last looked at it they have added the comparative pictures of the circuit boards. They are certainly giving you a lot more capacitors. Interestingly the specs are about the same, eg: THD+D 0.04% at 9 watts into 4 ohms.

My take is that for $30 it's worth trying just out of curiosity, but at $160 or thereabouts there are many alternatives.
crem1 OP
672 posts
 
Check out the tnt web site that containes a rave review on the sonic impact ($39 ) and the T- Preamp ( $ 80'ish) for 15w @ 8 ohms w/ high eff speakers of your choice. Appears to be one way to go . Lots of DIY tweeks to ramp-up the amp .

The current issue of TAS has a combo review of a NAD int.amp and CD player for $700. More bread no tweeks. Perhaps another alternative.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
Eldee: Are any of these many alternatives at $160 for something with an equally small footprint/portable? And are any of them new, or would they all be 'vintage'?
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Zaike...Portable? Not that I know of. But the Behringer a 500 mentioned by the thread starter would compete on price. I have a Panasonic multichannel receiver SA XR-70 that I use for TV and DVD viewing, which includes five amps comparable to the Sonic Impact (but more powerful) that I picked up at Best Buy for 200 and change. It drives three Dynaudio monitors, very well I might add. There is a big difference between $30 and $159.
zaikesman
3,017 posts
 
...$129 to be precise.
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