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experience with Threshold SA/2e or S/500 amps?

does anybody have experience with the older threshold sa/2e monoblocks or S/500 stereo amp? either owning the amps or in comparisions to new amps like: classe, mcintosh, pass labs? i will be using them to drive a pair of Totem Mani 2's. The SA/2e's are rated at 100 watts class A which might be a little low on power for the mani's. I have never owned a pure class A amp and maybe these amps have the necessary erserve power for the mani's. the s/500 would have enough power but they are a class a/b amp. i'm looking for an amp that are warm sounding with enough power to control the mani's. any thoughts?
rbstehno
rbstehno OP
1,438 posts
 
Thanks to all of you for your replies. i was in a bind and i wanted to get opinions on how these amps sounded. i was in the middle of purchasing a preamp and i didn't have any means to demo the threshold amps so i wanted to turn to all of you for input on how these amps sounded. when i went back to purchase the monoblocks, they already sold them. I ended up purchasing all classe seperates.
thanks
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Thanks for the follow up, It's always nice to know where these things end up. Good luck with the Classe'.
lou_3rd
74 posts
 
I would not have gone Classe', even though you could send them to Jon Soderberg for improvements. I was going to suggest an S/500 with a trip to Jon's.
stefanovitch
64 posts
 
The SA/2e has a better temerature compensation than original SA/2 and a slighty quiter background. I would hesitate if they are faster or not. I do own a SA/2e which is exceedingly rare and I barely hear any difference.
It sounds closer to the SA6e, so I do assume.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
rbstehno OP

I owned a Threshold S500 and they are a great amps.
They like to be biased hot into Class-A so the heatsinks are at about 60c after 2hrs this makes them sound sweet.
Nelson said to me once, palms of hands on the top of the heatsinks and you have to remove them after 6 odd seconds is around 60c (brick layers need not apply).
Here is a circuit diagram and adjustment measurements I have in case you need them.
https://ibb.co/JjS2N72
https://ibb.co/GxrPxK1

Cheers George
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