nick fournier

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.33 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $750.00 from from an audiogon mem

Summary:
i replaced my rotel ra-971mk11 6 months ago for the acurus dia-150. the model i purchased was one of the last ones produced by mondial designs in 2001. right off the bat this integrated has guts..lots of it,thanks to its 150watts per channel under 8ohms! its a smooth operator tough!its solid on all the frequency range without been too aggressive sounding,this amp has lots of airyness for an SS integrated. one thing everyone should think about doing with this amp if they own one is too upgrade the power cord,i switched the factory supplied cord for a xindak fp-1 power cord and voila! the soundstage opened up way more,lows were deeper and slammed with authority..this is a must! i am driving a pair of monitor audio silver 10's with this amp,even with my transport been fed to a muse model 2+DAC wich has a very low output of 1 microvolt,i do not need a third of the amps output to easyly drive my speakers! this integrated is a bargain in the audio industry,definetly if you can aqcuire one used unit wich go between 600$ to 750$ u.s on audiogon.

Strengths:
-offers a lot for its price(better if you get one used!) -plenty of power reserve. -authority without being too agressive -build quality is impressive(these were assemble by the u.s military!)

Weaknesses:
at that price,nono that i can think of!

Similar Products Used:
rotel,arcam,classe...too much to enumerate!

Price Paid:  $565.00 from audiogon

Summary:
Wow! talk about an improvement to my audio set-up. I could not believe my ears when I first heard the Acurus DIA-150. I was not sure if I was hearing the door bell ring or the phone...or was it the tv in the other room. There were so many different sounds coming from my old CD's that it left me to wonder why I hadn't purchased this amp sooner. I was totally enlighted by the music from this integrated amp. This Acurus angle will live with my system for a long time.

Strengths:
Far better than i had expected for a integrated amp.

Weaknesses:
NONE!

Similar Products Used:
Audio Research VT-60 Tandberg Amp & Preamp Muse Model 100

Price Paid:  $1750.00 from Audio Excellence, To

Summary:
The DIA-150 is a simple, elegant concept that is executed to a level that belies its affordable price. It is an efficient, high-current amp that includes a passive volume control and source switching. I acquired mine as a demo from my local dealer (for ca$1750) after it compared favorably with the Musical Fidelity A3 and A300 integrated, which I was considering. At the time, I was powering PSB Stratus Minis with a Bryston 2B. The difference was astounding; although it's not that remarkable considering the power difference and the inefficient load presented by the Minis. They need a good deal of juice to really perform. (See my review) Since then, I have spent 8 months with the large and current-hungry Apogee Centaur Majors. The Acurus powered them without any problem, and handled itself with aplomb even at uncomfortable listening levels. The Apogees were borrowed from a friend. When he needed them back, I brought home what must be the most incredible bookshelf speaker out there: the Reference 3A MM De Capo. (See my review) Thankfully, I got the last of the old ones, with the beautiful black gloss finish. (Take a look at the new ones and you'll see why). These speakers are very efficient (92 db) compared to the others I've been using, but definitely take advantage of the power offered by the Acurus. Bass heft and definition is incredible. The De Capos are extremely musical, but still very revealing. I am still trying to figure out of they need more refined amplification than the DIA; I may audition the CJ CAV-50. The DIA is definitely open and transparent, but it may be a little on the cool side harmonically. Hence the tubes. The DIA-150 is an excellent amp, though. Because of the simple design, it has a clarity that most integrated amps can't match. Its impressive power reserves make it a good choice for genuinely difficult loads like the Apogees (Apogee and Acurus demonstrated together at a number of shows, specifically with this amp), while it is delicate enough to avoid embarrassment driving a top-flight monitor like the De Capos. Like any amplifier, AC makes a big difference. For some time, I ran the DIA straight from the wall with the included ac cable. Don’t do it. Its true colors were not revealed until I made two changes: 1) bass definition and harmonic integrity increased remarkably when I added a Van den Hul Mainsstream power cable. 2) The noise floor and clarity improved remarkably when I plugged it into an APC Smart-UPS1000. This is an uninterruptible power supply designed for network servers that uses a sinewave generator. Highly recommended. It generates 700 watts max; I confirmed with the folks at Acurus (now owned by Klipsch) that the DIA pulls 500 watts max. Do not spend the money on a PS Audio unit until you try this thing. The DIA is an excellent package, and offers real power and refinement at an affordable price. In the sincerest form of flattery, a start-up audio company is now making a much-publicized unit which is essentially the same design. Given the demise of the Acurus brand, I can see why. Value: 5 Overall: 4 System: Micromega Stage 6 (Musical Fidelity NuVista interconnect) VPI HW-19 Jr, Musical Fidelity X-LPS (Van den Hul D102 mkIII) Acurus DIA-150 Reference 3A MM De Capo monitors on Lovan Reference 24" stands (Van den Hul D-352 Hybrid) Van den Hul Mainsstream power cables, APC Smart-UPS 1000VA w/ sinewave generator Monitor Audio ASW 100 subwoofer (movies only!) Future upgrades: Conrad Johnson CAV-50 (?) Musical Fidelity A3-24 Upsampling DAC bi-wire run of VdH D-352 Hybrid Reference 3A subwoofers (to be released 2003)

Strengths:
Power, simplicity, clarity, detail, nicely-executed remote w volume, balance, mute, etc.

Weaknesses:
Lack of pre-amp outs for bi-amping, subwoofer, etc. Binding posts and RCS jacks could be of better quality

Similar Products Used:
Musical Fidelity A3, A300, NuVista M3, Krell KAV 300i, Bryston 2B

Summary:
Tough and tight with my Martin Logan Scenarios.

Strengths:
Clean neutral sound with no sagging anywhere along the frequency spectrum. Burns in and purrs. Solid quality construction.

Weaknesses:
Still need to push them to 10 o'clock to get ML's at best levels for my smallish room. May be a function of ML's power-hunger.

Price Paid:  $550.00

Summary:
I received a DIA 150 this week at an amazing price. I am most impressed! It is lovely to look at and a perfect match to my NAD c540.

It has more power than my B&W CDM 7 se's need. This thing really is a strong amp. The bass is fast and exceptionally clear. The amp is neutral - with little coloring of the sound. I wouldn't call it bright in the least, just accurate and different than some of the English integrateds that I've heard that have warmth as their strongsuit.

It seems to work well with my varying musical tastes. Classical is lovely - the clarity of strings is astounding. I have never heard voilin sound better. Though my speakers clearly are not the best for good ol rock and roll, there is a vast improvement here with the Acurus. It is great with jazz.

All in all a beautiful, rock-solid, great sounding product. FAR better sounding than the Bryston B-60. It's worth the money.

Strengths:
Neutrality, tight base, power!, soundstage

Weaknesses:
None - apart from that there are no preamp/amp growth capabilities

Similar Products Used:
Adcom, Rotel, Marantz