09-23-08: Cwlondon
Johnnyb53
At a glance, I would think a pair of SLA2s might also be a biamping dream on a budget?
How about an SLA4? It is a 4x100wpc (8 ohms) amp with the same wide bandwidth (10-40KHz), low noise ( 100) as the SLA4, and also fits in a single-height rack space. It also has a 2-ohm rating, so its current delivery must be pretty good. Although the Behringer is advertised as a 280wpc amp, it tested at about 120 wpc into 8 ohms, both channels driven, with the frequency response rolling off at 10KHz and fairly high noise levels.
For about the price of two A500 Reference amps you can get an ART SLA4, with 4 channels or 100wpc, wider bandwidth, lower noise, and better stability into lower impedances.
Can anyone else comment on how the build and/or sound quality might compare to Behringer and other cheap as dirt candidates?
I'm also active on a guitar discussion page, and while Behringer is considered OK there for the low amount of money spent, it's with the understanding that the build quality is not that great. The ART Pro Audio, however, is considered high quality.
Aczel stated that no one should be able to hear the HF rolloff. I say "poppycock!" For one thing, cymbals and violins make overtones out to at least 16KHz, and overtones define the tone quality and personality of the instrument.
Secondly, HF rolloff below 20KHz means the amp has an audibly slower rise time. If the ART SLA series is truly linear out to 40KHz as claimed, their rise time is four times as fast as the Behringer. This makes a significant difference in keeping the music sorted out and clear. Definitely translates into inner detail among other things.
The Stereophile Review of the Outlaw Audio RR2150, which also rolls off starting around 10KHz, also shows a visibly slower and rounder corresponding square wave response as illustrated and explained
here.
