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Submitted by
karister99
a AudioPhile
from Date Reviewed: June 4, 2011
Bottom Line: The Acurus A250 is one of the most powerful amps in their line and this is a great all-around sounding unit. I like the fact it has plenty of power to push most hard to drive speakers with ease. Once you've matched the unit with high quality equipment one can hear all the little details from the speakers. This unit is a well built with very clean plain and simple model with great very detailed broad sound-stage to it. This is a very musical and robust power amplifier can have a major improvement in any system with appropriate matching equipment and no worries driving speakers like Thiel's, Hale's, Vandersteen's. Don't find them much in the used market due to owners tend to keep them long, if you find one highly recommend, as you'll like what this powerful amp has to offer.
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Submitted by
CCC
a AudioPhile
from Date Reviewed: March 31, 2011
Bottom Line: I bought this piece from a dealer that had it burried in their stock room, new old stock for $400.00. Hooked it up to a pair Usher loudspeakers. A/B it to my McIntosh amp with HiVi speakers, the unit sounds neutral, clear and accurate. Most problems of harshness or brightness is most likely caused by having inferior speakers, preamps or other source components. Great sounding, great buy for an amp, if you can find one.
Strengths: Great neutral, clean amp, built to last amp for a great price.
Weaknesses: Must be matched to other high quality componests to get best sound quality.
Other componets:
McIntosh C32 preamp (2) McIntosh MR7082 Tuner
McIntosh C31V preamp McIntosh MA6200 Intergrated Amp
McIntosh MC2200 Amp Luxman PD272 Table with Denon Moving coil Cartridge
McIntosh MC2205 Amp Dual CS5000 Table with Ortofon MC20FL moving coil cartridge
McIntosh MC2120 Amp Pioneer PD65 Reference CD player
McIntosh MR7082 Signature Audio Srd23 Tube CD player
Acurus A250 Amp Luxman D105U Tube CD player
B&K PT3 Preamp Nakamichi CD2 & CD4 CD players
Hivi, Vifa, JBL and Usher monitor speakers.
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Submitted by
PerryC
a AudioPhile
from Date Reviewed: February 10, 2011
Bottom Line: I totally agree with you automaticmojo. It's as simple as garbage in, garbage out. You have to sit down and listen. Not for one minute. Try hours of listening and let your ears adjust to the sound. Tha's what I did. First I thought it was bright. Well it was not. It sounded way better that my modified Dynaco ST70/VTA amp. I'm talking wider sound stage, transparency, reat imaging and presence, very dymamic. right amount of bass, and great with vocals. I listen to classic and modern jazz, classical, motown, and the more I listen, the more I get into the music. I can listen for hours with no fatigue.
Forget about the reviews. Audio is all about matching. Expensive does not mean it will give you the best sound, you are wrong brother. I got mine for $400 and I can say it's a great score.
Set up:
Sonus Faber Concertino on PARADIGM 18 inch lead filled stands
Audible Illusions Modulus IIA
Acurus A250
Thorens TD 125MkII
Rega RB600/Incognito Wires/JA Michelle/Shure A97XE
CANARE Interconnects/Tara labs
CANARE 4S11 speaker wires
SONY CDP 120
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Submitted by
automaticmojo
a Audio Enthusiast
from Date Reviewed: January 30, 2011
Bottom Line: First off, I am quite positive the main reason this amp had gotten some bad reviews here probably has more to do with a marginal Stereophile review than anything. I think many of their earlier reviews lauded those solid state amps that had a tube sound, or should I say perhaps a worn tube amp sound with out of spec caps, etc i.e. over emphasised midrange, with veiled highs and muddy, wallowing bass.
In my experiecne with the proper breakin, this amps is a extremely neutral, clean sounding amp with a huge reserve, particuliarly into 4 ohm loads. It's not going to change the sound, what you put in, is what you get out-subpar componenets, source material etc-that's the way they will sound. It's not a 'coverup amp by any means
The owners manual clearly states that it requires around 250 hr of break in to reach it's fullest potential. Any brightness you may have heard early on is gone by this point. Other than a good power conditioner, no special cables are needed in my experience. I use Blue Jeans cables, and they sound fine.
This amp reminds me of my H/K Signature 1.5 amp-nuetral, clean, no add-no subtractions, withn loads of reserve as well.
I use a H/K PT2300 to drive this amp, which powers a pair of restored and upgraded 4 ohm ESS AMT3's- very revieling speakers. I have also had very good luck with a H/K Citation 21 (US built unit) as well.
With the Great Heils, if this amp had any sort of brightness, it would be readily apparent with these speakers. It has none- I run the tweeter control on the speakers in it's normal postion, but even with it in the bright posistion, it doesn't sound overly bright.
My recommendation is if your looking for a superb sounding amp, for difficult speakers to drive, 4 ohm units like Infinities, etc, this amp will fit the bill.
If it hasen't had the required hours on it, make sure you give it some time.
I read many reviews here, and it continues to amaze me how many people are so quick to trash a product (or ride the Stereophile bandwagon-lot's of those people here) with out really finidng out how to use the product properly. I think they get a kick out of throwing wrenches in the works-and probably is a trait of their character-believe those reviews with some reserve and caution-as they seem to provide little real helpul or informative information. Danny Downers, anfd proud of it!
Give this amp a chance, and I guarantee would will be rewarded with clean, dydnamic reliable sound for many years-and a bargin IMHO for the $300-$375 they seem to go for.
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Submitted by
Leadax
a AudioPhile
from Date Reviewed: November 28, 2010
Bottom Line: As an Acurus fan I really thought this Amp would do the job. Great build quality, lots of horsepower. Musical no way. Just sound that can get real loud. Very disappointed. For tin ears only.
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