The Best Amp for the Price of Dirt

D: Tisch , tisch may you live to be as old as Mr. Aczel.

To distill Mr. Aczel's review , the A-500's are pretty good. Cheap and inexpensive have different meanings. These inexpensive amps deliver far more technology than the retail price reflects. For someone on a budget that wants 0-500W Mono Blocks , these amps deliver or at least these two do.

As spring comes in my part of the US of A, I turn off my tubes (too hot) and rely on solid state for a few months. I counld care less should Peter has a hearing problem of not, the A-500's handel the job for my summer months and any other time. Oh, D have a little more respect for your elders. Soon enought your hearing will be abuzz with age.

Mr. Aczel's hearing problems have nothing to do with getting old:-)

D: Mr. Aczel is not the objective of this thread. The A-500's offer a significant value for the money. Thats it.

As mentioned to the Editor of Stereophile a few years ago , audio products designed elesewhere (as the A-500) and manufactured in China are going to become a norm. With Quad and B&W who's next? Crack the top of the 500 and see the reason ... I think I hear a buzz...

Just A Thought : Here are a few universal issues to mention with amplifiers; the design , execution of the design and manufacturing process. If the design is properly engineered and is fully executed in the manufacture , the product should produce the expected result. Makes no difference if we are discussing widgets or amplifiers. The greatest difficulity is execution. With lots of compromises made for reduced manufacturing cost, each has a impact on the finished product. For example,when one examines Edison's machines/processes, those machines in exsistence still work and most to his qualifications, and most are over a 100 years old. Its simple and time honored , garbage in garbage out. Superior engineering & design in , superior manufacture in , excellent results out. Hasn't changed since the clovis spear points to today. But what is important is to recognize what is "real" vs what is "hype". And for that only your circumstances and your ears are the ulitmate decider.

The sole point in acknowledging the A-500's had to do with the fact they were such a surprize (for the money) and that perhaps a cash strapped audio-head would see them as a hold-over or a reference, as they decide.

Davemitchell- Perhaps Mr. Aczel is a re-incarnation of Mr. Hirsch? If these listeners can be satisfied with the Behringer equipment in their listening rooms, let them enjoy their savings. By the way SameDayMusic.com offers the amp for $199.00(free shipping), and they have most excellent customer service, and a satisfaction guarantee. I've ordered a lot of Behringer gear for the stingier/less critical of my pro-sound clients from them. I use a DEQ2496 to check my listening room's response now and then(the 61 band RTA is great). I'd never have it in the signal path though, even as a pink noise source(if it went, it might take something valuable with it). OH- musiciansfriend.com has the A500 on sale for $180.00(free shipping). Their customer service is pretty good too.