dr.venkmann

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Stunning value new or used. I have had many amps come and go in my current 4 amp collection but only the QUAD 405-2Mod and the Exposure repeatedly pass the new ampt tests I have every year. I currently own 4 very special (to me) systems that have bee carefully pieced together and the Exposure Sper XVIII is still the best amp I have under $2k new and $500 used.
70 watts into 8 ohm and 140 into 4 ohm this amp can drive the most difficult speakers I have encounterd and is the only one that could run the QUAD ESL 988's without a burp.

Bass is superb. MIdrange is superb and the highs are even better.It has no faults in staging and dynamic range is a knock out. Try the opening of Debussy's La Mer for example and you wil find yourself checking to see if the amp is on and the CD us actually playing because it impart absolute black silence into the signal but a few minutes later - after yoou adust the volume upwards to better hear the opening movement you will be blasted from you chair by the crescendo so be careful about adjsuting volume with this thing!

Exposures are simple to look at and draw no attention to themselves. Some say they are ugly or unimaginative with a black lucite face plate and a single led on a rocker switch the only sign the amp is alive. This simplicity carries on into the innards of the amp. If a multitude of curcuit boards and terrifically complicated desig is an indicator of quality to you, you will not like what you see. WHile all parts are top shelf stuff and much is custome made, this amp is the closest thing to "straght line with gain" that you are likely to see. That is a summation of it totality. It is a wonderful musical amp that gets out of the way of thelistening experience but is so good that your music source and player are up to snuff or you will hear it - warts and all!

Find a good one. Buy it. You will not regret it even if you have tin ears.

Sincerely,
Dr. Venkmann (Ret.)
Canada

Price Paid:  $600.00 from ebay

Summary:
I bought this amp second hand off ebay after reading some favourable reviews. I had my previous amp to hand and in the beginning side by side comparisons were not promising. At first I felt that the margin of difference to my old amp was too small. It seem more mellow ( or should I say relaxed ) and ever so slightly more transparent but at twice the price second hand and 4 times the price new I expected more. However after leaving it on for about a week it seems as if the amplifier once night suddenly came on song. The top end opened up and the bass did become better defined. The soundstage is wide though not very deep. Also the midrange is very good. In summary I do enjoy this amp but the leap in sound quality is not as high as I hoped. My current system Source: Sony SCD XB940 QS preamp: rotel rha 10 preamp Speakers: KEF Q35.2 interconnects: TCI whatever - no sure Speaker cable : Shark high capacity silver plated.

Strengths:
good top end and well defined bass

Weaknesses:
soundstage is not very deep

Similar Products Used:
Rotel RB-971 MKII, Rotel RA-971 MKII