The external build quality is good not great. The faceplate is a plastic material and while clean and neat certainly does not convey robustness or the like. The RCA jacks are average at best. garage service

None . .

hello ,
this is my second review of an audio product on this site . ( first was denon cd player dcd 425 ) . one more time, it`s a so called budget product , pioneers amplifier a-209 r ( in europe) , or a- a35r . i am using this amp as a third or, fourth amplifier . i bought it used for very few money ( 40 euro ) . compared to my more expensive and exotic amplifiers , for example the Nad 302 ..and so on ...it seems to sound a little bit un-precise and a little bit weak in overall-power , and a little bit ...making all the records and cd`s sounding quite the same . this means that the dynamic abilities are not highest class and also not the tonal reproduction . but on the other hand it has refinement + musicality and is all in all a very solid amp . ( even the price for a new a-35r is not high) and you get a very good phono-stage , too

greetings
p.

A great buy at around $200.00! This small unit packs a punch at 8 ohms.45 watts and should do well in 4 ohm also! The MOS FET devices ahcive higher performance and reduces power consumption! This contributes to flat dampning characteristics across the audio spectrum and gives your speakers a wider range and improves detail in the mid range and high frequencies!

Have been running my custom built Vifa 2-ways off my Yamaha HTR 5930! I disconnected them and hooked them up to the Elite and they just about jumped off the stands. Very Impressive! More detailed sound especially in the high section and really good bass. My only complaint with the 35R is the treble control. It does leave abit to be desired for a little nicer control!

This unit runs just warm in comparison with my Yamaha, which are notoriouis for being more then abit warm. So,,,,good deal there. in 4 ohm, it will probably run on the warm side, so give it good ventilation!

Soundwise it is abit more forward then my Yammi which has a warmer and smoother sound. The elite kicks butt in the details and bass department! Overall, I'm quite pleased with this purchase and given a little break in time should mellow out a little! A Keeper For Sure......

For around $200.00, this is quite a buy! For a small amp, it packs quite a punch, very impressive!
Comparing it to my Yamaha HTR5930 Receiver, it has a more forward and natural sound and runs alot cooler then my Yammi! The Yamaha is a bit more warmer and smoother in sound. The Elite is certainly more detailed in sound then the Yamaha and bass response is also quite nice. I did find the treble control to be abit lacking and could be a little nicer. I may hookup my graphic equalizer to smooth things out abit, but I will give it a little time to break in first! Running 8 ohm speakers on this unit, it just gets warm, if your going with 4 ohm speakers, then it could get a little warmer, so keep sides and top open for ventilation! If your looking for a good 2 channel stereo set up, this unit is a good pick for the heart of your system

I gave this a 3 star in overall sound of the less than $500USD integrated amps available, but it is less than $200 new. For the money a definite 5 star.

This amp is very neutral, smooth, detailed, with a tight clean bass. It is not bright and does not have that artificial boomy bass that lower price equipment is known for. It mates well with quality monitor speakers on stands, detailed interconnects and speaker cable, and the better quality universal DVD players available. At least that is my system and this a good combination.

If you value a balanced and natural sound in a low priced, lower powered integrated amp for a second system, that will remind you of your high-end system then look now further. If you want a flashy mid-fi piece with crisp bright highs and boomy driving bass to impress your friends than look elsewhere.

I discovered this integrated amp by accident and it does not shame itself for the little money it costs. It is as enjoyable to listem to as my high-end tube based system. Where can you get a 45wpc mosfet remote controlled integrated amp remenicent of the lower powered British amps for a pitance? This amp is the North American version of the same European Pioneer A-209R model.

It is a definite keeper plus really cool to look at too.

Warm and consistent sound. Pleasing design aesthetics.

None

An absolute bargain in a sea of overpriced audio equipment, this little amp provides clean, consistent and rich power, which benefits anyone, especially those with highly efficient speakers. I have two pairs of EPI speakers (Magnus A11s and A12s) wired in parallel, and this little amp makes them sing! If listening to music is your primary activity, and you're not driving a terribly heavy load, then you are going to be very pleased with this gem.

Similar Products Used:

Just this Elite amp and a great set of highly efficient EPI speakers.

Value, warm sound, direct mode, usable as a power amp if needed, stout binding posts 4 ohm stable

Remote does not switch power off. Needs good ventilation

This is an economy gem. I bought this for my office system. I also hooked it up to some nice towers with ribon tweeters I recently built. Pleasantly surprised me Very clear & detailed, good headroom, warmer sounding than most SS amps. Decent phono section. Great value for the money. $170 Would make a super dorm, bedroom, or even main.

Similar Products Used:

NAD, Onkyo, Carver, Yamaha

Warm, smooth "mid-fi" sound (especially in direct mode) for entry-level mass-market price, nice bulid quality, six inputs including built in phono stage and two tape loops, Elite good looks

Can't power on or off via remote, no pre-amp level outputs, runs warm so don't put it in an enclosed cabinet or stack anything on top

I was in almost the same situation as the person below, except I intended to give this to my ten year old daughter who has taken a more than passing interest in music as of late. After hearing how good this little Elite amp is, I think I'll keep it for my bedroom and give her my old, but good sounding Onkyo receiver instead :-).

I've been using a Sony SDP-EP9ES digital pre/pro ($800 list price!) as a CD DAC in my bedroom system for the last few years, and to tell the truth, I can't say I really hear a difference between its "Current Pulse" DAs and my cheap Sony CDP's DAs with the Onkyo. I was very surpised that I could clearly hear the difference with this $169 Elite in the system, and yes, the Current Pulses do indeed sound better. This little amp must be a sleeper considering I'm only the second person to post (note to Audio REVIEW: Why isn't this listed under the "Integrated Amp" review section?).

This amp doesn't sound quite as good as my Marantz PM-68 in my main system, but with less than half the power at less than half the price I didn't expect it to. But I can't believe how good it does sound given the price. My remote from my main system costs more!
Anyone looking to put together a good quality two-channel system on tne cheap needs to hear the A-35R.

Well done, Pioneer!

Similar Products Used:

Marantz PM-68 integrated stereo amp, Onkyo TX-900 stereo receiver, Sony STR-GA8ES A/V receiver, Yamaha DSP-E492 integrated 3 channel A/V amp

PRICE, PRICE, PRICE! Sound.

A bit under powered, no sub out.

Well, I was looking for a bedroom system. My main concerns were flexibility, decent (not superb) sound quality and a fairly low price tag. This pretty much relegated me to the micro/executive system category. The salesman at United Audio pointed me to this unit. I demoed it in the store with a pair of Polk RT-15 speakers and found that it sounded better than the dennon DM-3 system I was looking at! All in the system with a Denon DCM-270 open box CD changer was going to cost me a little more than the DM-3 but I would get a lot of flexibility.

I know that the system is not the creme de la creme in terms of sound quaility, but it is great for a bedroom system or those without "golden" ears. The sound of Elite amps is quite warm but in a very pleasent way. I can listen to an elite amp for hours and hours. I especially liked the fact that this was an integrated amp and not a reciever. I don't use the tuner so for me that is always wasted technology.

All in all, I say that this unit is a great deal for an audio enthusiest but not for an audiophile. I'm sure that they will find fault with this unit. I will say this though. It makes ME happy!

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer Elite VSX-07TX