Summary: Hello,
I'm into tube amps. I do not listen to SS anymore ever since I tried the CJ MV-55. Now I have been getting a desire to purchase a pair of Magnepan speakers. My CJ tube amp performed poor with other maggies I had tried before. So I decided maybe I should look into a relatively inexpensive SS to run the bass and use a good tube amp for the mids and highs. I did some research and found a review that spoke very well on the Sonograghe SA 250. I didn't mind the price but I was looking for something a bit less like the MUSE 100 for around $300. Anyway, lots of forks wrote about the SA-250 having a tube sound with rolled off highs. I was a little concerned because in the event I wanting to use the amp independently, I might be disappointed. I own five great tube amps that cost much more than the retail of this SS. When it arrived, I was somewhat happy with it's appearance over the Muse. I first listened very carefully to my set of 300b mono block amps so I could use as a reference to how well the SA-250 sounds. My system is very nuetral and is in no way bright. With this, I expected to hear what some have written about. I let the amp warm up for only 10 minutes. Then played the same CD again. To my ears, the amp has very good detail and extention in the top. Not rolled off. It was not as smooth as the tube amps. The midrange was very open and clear with great soundstaging and imaging. But once again, not as smooth. SS amps need longer to warm up at least one hour before they sound their best and I'm pretty sure this amp is not going to disappoint me. I'm very happy with the purchase.
Similar Products Used: CJ-MV55
CJ CAV-50
Canary 301 mk 2
Consonance M500
Rogue M120
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Summary: Utter and complete disappointment is all I can say.
Second from the bottom of my long list only beat out as the worst amp mankind has known being the Carver Silver 7t
Strengths: Ooooo...shiny front
Weaknesses: - Muddy
- Too warm sounding
- Highs rolled off
- Completely uninvolving
Similar Products Used: Carver
Phase Linear
Bryston
Sonic Frontiers
B&K
Denon
Adcom
..many others
Summary: Its all been said before but has to be said again.What a sound.Everything is how it should be,if you can find used dont hesitate.Runs cool,plenty of punch awesome bass,clean and clear as it gets,plus it is cj,cant go wrong Blows any integrated out of the water,such as those 40 watters,no comparison at all
Strengths: All of above
Weaknesses: none
Similar Products Used: Tandberg,Rotel,Arcam
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Summary: I am very pleased with this amplifier! To say it is one of audios best kept secret is an understatement. First a quick peek under the hood reveals an excellent parts compliment with superb layout & engineering. But the best part is yet to come, the sound quality! The sonundstage is expansive and deep, very transparent & refined. I tried several preamps on it, Marsh, Adcom, & Conrad Johnson, specifically the CJ PV12L. All of them sounded excellent but the CJ PV12L had taken the SA-250 to a level that would be tough to beat, alot of synergy! I have read some reviewers comments in regards to bass. Let me say this, it is every bit as good any other high quality amplifier rated at 125 watts per channel I have heard. The bass is both tight & tuneful. Anymore than this would over-shadow its superb sound quality. I strongly recommend this amp. Another quality product from Conrad Johnson!
Strengths: Sound quality, superb engineering.
Weaknesses: Not at this price point!
Similar Products Used: Other CJ amps, Musical Design, B&K, Bryston, PS Audio, any many more.
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Summary: This power amp lacks features : non-removable 18 awg power cord, fixed sensitivity, one pair of speakers, no xlr connection, NA-DA !
But the sound is wonderful. Bass are above average (deep and powerful), medium absolutely exceptional (crystal-clear), very good soundstage, highs non-proeminent but detailed, the Holy Graal (or Nirvana, etc.)!
I am using it with a slightly bright system, and with B&W Matrix 802s2 speakers.
Strengths: Sound !
Weaknesses: Lack of features (nada)
Similar Products Used: Quad, Adcom, Rotel, Parasound Power Amps
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