Price Paid:  $200.00 from eBay

Summary:
This review is for the DH220.

After 25 years, the only good piece left alive in my old stereo system was my NAD 3020 integrated amp, a legendary giant-killer in the budget audiophile category for many years. So when I received a settlement for my motorcycle accident recently, I went and bought both a HT setup, and a whole new (& used) 2-channel-only system. The Hafler is the stereo power amp I'm keeping. I am quite happy with it.

I've been listening to my new system about two months now, and am VERY pleased. I've been hearing new detail and complexities from very familiar albums. I particular, I can follow bass tracks note-for-note that used to get lost in the rest of the music. How much of this is due to the amp versus the rest of the system is hard to estimate, but the Hafler sure isn't holding the rest back.

It is also very easy to listen to for hours; very non-fatiguing, especially with vinyl, and most CDs, in my (mostly older) collection at least. It is also very revealing of some source material's shortcomings. A Linda Ronstadt CD (Hasten Down the Wind) sounded awful - harsh, nasty, and not at all like my vinyl copy, which sounded better than ever.

I am convinced that the enthusiam for tube amplifiers, seemingly growing right along with the re-emergence of vinyl, is a compensating reaction to poor-sounding CDs, often newer ones, compressed and loud, produced by tin-eared, clock-punching, rap-happy sound "engineers", in the worst sense of the word.

While I am curious about tube amplifier sound, and may try one someday to satisfy that curiosity, unless I win the lottery, I am likely to be enjoying my Hafler for the rest of my life. Highly recommended :)

Strengths:
Detailed, transparent sound, with particularly good bass.
Rugged construction.

Weaknesses:
Can get quite hot at high power output levels. Give it good ventilation.

Similar Products Used:
NAD 3020, Dynaco ST120, Marantz, Rotel

Rest of system:

Music Hall MMF-5 turntable
Denon DL160 high output moving coil cartridge
Marantz CD5001 CD player
Apt-Holman pre-amp
Hafler DH220 power amp
Magneplanar MMG speakers

Price Paid:  $2.00 from ebay

Summary:
This amp is the greatest better than most resent foreign amps I have tried.

Strengths:
power ******

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
Sony,RCA,B&W

Price Paid:  $250.00 from somebody in the trad

Summary:
This review is for the DH-220. This was my first power amplifier for home/car back in 1994 when I was 16. I owned this amp from 1994 to 1997 until I decided to concentrate on car audio and the amp was giving me some problems with humming and I had to keep filtering my preamp to help with the problems. This was a good first amp for me as I learned a little more about home audio since then. When working properly with the Cerwin Vega VS-120's I would shake not only my house but houses 100 yards away with the windows shut which explains the power that it put out with the correct speakers. The power rating on DH-220 is 115 RMS into 8 ohms.

Strengths:
Bass, power, ability to get extremely loud. A good first amp as these are about 21 years old now. A good amp to DJ smaller parties.

Weaknesses:
can get really hot easily, will blow fuses if your not careful, can have a filtering problem (at least in my experiences with this amp coupled with the compatible DH-110 Hafler preamp)

Similar Products Used:
Audiosource AMP Three which I now own with no problems!

Price Paid:  $220.00

Summary:
DH 220 revisited
I had borrowed a similar unit from a friend a couple of years ago and apparently written some poor review of which having revisited seemed a bit unjustified. This just goes to prove that matching vs. price and product reviews count the most. At that time I had compared the 220 with the QUAD 405 the Adcom 545, Sumo Nine for a possible budget set up. Tis was first matched with a Metaxas Marquis pre-amp and then with a Le Tube pre amp. I have said that the 220 seemed a bit veiled and fuzzy. True at the time. In confirmation I also have to say that I prefer the QUAD among the three.

THE 220 REVISITED
I recently bought a mint condition 220 from a friend who needed to liquidate. Matched this first with the Following preamps: Music Reference RM5, Carver Hologram and finally with the Superphon Signature Line. I used the Soliloquy 5.0 and B&W 201 prism also for comparison. As you could see I did take some time to review. Pleased note that I also matched the items to keep the set-up at a budget level. Various cables used: Monster M1, Audio technica bi-wire and Linn. Silver interconnects, Tara labs. Player was a Cal Audio DX1 with Chesky Ultimate demo disk

THE RESULT
My opinions haven't change during the first two pres. However when I did change up to The Superphon and the B&W Combo I found the Hafler singing with authority. Open sound stage, Transparent/Airy/Delicate. It Lacked the low frequency UUMPH of the Adcom 545 (BTW I prefer the 545 to the 555. Smoother/less grain) and the cleaness of the QUAD however the overall presentation was quitre involving. Details you could pick from the air and hardly any fatigue. I was actually hooked and wanted to keep the set-up for myself. Alas, my guests always look for the tubes apparently allured by the mystique they bring.

I keep my mind open and believe you should have both SS and Tubes. I've been in the used Audio Business for some time now and although the Hifi Market seems to be going in favor of tubes, I believe that in some cases due to an almost infinite range of sonic qualities produced by matching, it is hard to make a realistic distinction. Try placing the components behind a curtain. Is there anyway you could tell between SS, Tube, Hybrid? Class A vs. Class AB? 300B vs. 6AS7, EL34 vs. KT66? Bi polar vs. Mosfet? GIVEN 10 different speakers? The possibilities are endless and I'm quite sure that given enormous time you'll burn out (just like my dad) THINKING RATHER THAN LISTENING AND ENJOYING!!!

BOTTOM line. With the risk of putting my foot in my mouth: Given the match mentioned above, I find the DH220 One of the better values i've come across! Yes it is an excellent Amp for the price.

There I said it.

Strengths:
Airy, detailed, non-fatigue

Weaknesses:
Lean Bass

Similar Products Used:
For this review: Adcom GFA545, QUAD 405-2, Sumo Nine Plus Class A

Price Paid:  $155.00 from Ebay

Summary:
First the bad: the Hafler has a straight ahead, in your face sonic quality which makes for a fatiguing listening experience. To my ears, it makes my music sound flat and a bit grainy on the top end of the freq spectrum. Bottom, though, is nice and tight...plenty of power here. A/Bing this against a modest Yamaha receiver a found the Yamaha, although lacking in power for my vintage Infinity's, more transparent and airy. Now the good, the PA-3B mod from Musical Concepts has gotten excellent reviews from a wide variety of listeners. For 300 bucks ($430 installed) you can get the kit and make the Halfer equal to the best of today's tube amps. I think i'll be saving for this mod... An earlier post mentioned tweaking the bias which I think I'll look into as well. I can recommend this amp if you can get it for 175 or less. There have been drastic improvements on amp design since this piece was introduced over 20 years ago. If you're looking for power to rock your house, no mod needed...if you're looking for refinement, an additional $300 will bring this dinosaur into the modern age.

Strengths:
Plenty of cheap, raw power. Tight bass.
Able to be upgraded.

Weaknesses:
Fatiguing and grainy sounding especially in the middle high to high freq.