Price Paid:  $650.00 from AV123

Summary:
This review is for the Melody SP3 tube integrated amp.This is my first piece of tube gear and my first integrated amp. The best testimony to its sound was when a neighbor came downstairs to listen and immediately commented before reaching the room at what a nice difference in sound he could hear. For those like myself that want a simple 2 channel system seperate of home theater, this is an inexspensive wonderful approach. It only has 2 inputs, but that is fine for me. The purity of tone and sheer musicality of the piece far exceeds any receiver Ive owned and the company AV123 ,internet only, is very easy to work with. Highly recommended and nothing I know of near this price comes close. I look forward to trying some of their products down the road. Bob Marietta, Ga.

Strengths:
Tonal character
Lack of grain
Silent noise floor
Toe tapper

Weaknesses:
Only 2 inputs

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $500.00 from AV123

Summary:
THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE P-3000 PREAMP AND THE A-2150 AMP...I'M GUESSING ON THE PRODUCT YEAR HOWEVER I PURCHASED THE DUO AT LEAST 2 YEARS AGO..I LEAVE THE UNITS ON ALL THE TIME, UNLESS MY DAUGHTER UNKNOWINGLY TURNS THEM OFF BY ACCIDENT. I CANNNOT COMPAIR THEM TO OTHER UNITS AS I HAVE NEVER HAD OTHER UNITS TO COMPAIR THEM TO, HOWEVER THESE UNITS HAVE GIVEN ME OVER $500 WORTH OF ENJOYMENT THESE PAST TWO YEARS AND HAVE ALWAYS DELIVERED INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE THE MOMENT I SLIP IN A CD INTO THE PLAYER.. I BUILD SPEAKERS AS A HOBBY AND THESE TWO UNITS CAN DRIVE ANY OF MY 8 PAIRS OF SPEAKERS THAT I HAVE BUILT WITH EASE AND FINESS. THE SOUND STAGE IS LIMITED ONLY TO THE SMALL WIDTH OF MY ROOM - 13 FEET. IN FACT VOICES AND CERTAIN AUDIO FORMATS FROM CD'S WILL CRAWL UP THE SIDES OF THE ROOM DUE TO THE LIMITED WIDTH.. THIS RARELY EVER HAPPENED WITH THE TWO RECEIVERS I PREVIOUSLY USED IN MY TWO CHANNEL SET UPS. BY THE WAY THE COST,$500,WAS FOR BOTH UNITS AS A SET...

Strengths:
TREMENDOUS DEPTH IN THE AMP.. CERTAIN DRIVERS THAT I INSTALL IN MY SPEAKERS ARE RATED AT CERTAIN WATTAGES... THE AMP'S METERS ARE QUITE ACCURATE WHEN THOSE WATTAGES ARE MET BY THE DRIVER RATINGS..I'VE HAD TWO PAIRS BOTTOM OUT AT 65 WATTS IN ONE PAIR AND 95WATTS IN THE OTHER... THE AMP HAS INCREDIBLE POWER.

Weaknesses:
THE REMOTE FOR THE PREAMP IS QUITE GENERIC!!! THE VOLUMN CONTROL IS NOT VERY GOOD AND PROBABLY INCREASES AT A RATE OF ABOUT 5 TO 7 Dbs NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU ARE ON THE UP AND DOWN VOLUMN CONTROL.. OTHER THAN THAT I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS OR OTHER COMPAINTS ABOUT EITHER UNIT..

Price Paid:  $500.00 from HCM audio

Summary:
This review is for the P3000 preamp, A2150 amp. Equipment: said preamp/amp, NAD C541 CD player, Boston Acoustic VR965 speakers, and combination of DIY, locally produced cables. First off, sound qualities from best to worst: Krell, Creek, Onix, NAD, Yamaha/Denon/SonyES/Pioneer Elite (YDSP), Cambridge Audio/Rotel (CA&D). I like a rich, relatively neutral sound (my house is a DSP free zone; no I do not want to know how Bob Marley would sound in a cathedral). Krell was the best, but by far the most expensive (amazing sound when paired with a reference-quality set of KEFs). Creek was more neutral than Onix, but cost double the price. Onix was better than NAD (in terms of mid range control). YDSP are geared for name recognition and sound worse than NAD. CA&D both over-emphasized either the bass or treble frequencies. After about 3 months research, I gambled on this Onix combo. Considering how little info there is about this product, it was a tremendous gamble. I was bombarded with promos for NAD and other mass-market amps. I am happy to say that this is one of my best purchases. I needed a mid-fi amp/preamp setup for casual listening (background music for studying and relaxing). “Needed” because I could have plunked down the extra $600 for a Creek. I also found that the law of diminishing returns applies to the world of stereo equipment. I auditioned many amps that cost much more and sounded “better” than my Onix. However, they were at least double the price of my Onix with < 5% increase in sound quality (due more to speakers, than the amp). Negatives for Onix: not as tight as a Krell (with bass frequencies < 500 Hz), and not as neutral as Creek (with midrange frequencies). Positives: clear, unhindered sound, handles difficult loads almost as well as a Krell or Aragon, and treble/midrange control are impressive. Sound images almost as well as Creek. Finally, price. Did I mention that this combo only cost me $500? I did not need a $3000+ Krell or a $1000+ Creek. I needed an amp/preamp that produced clear, neutral sound for a reasonable price. The only unit that came close was this Onix combo. I chose this pair over the A120 integrated, because I needed a remote. However, I would gladly recommend the A120 to anyone. One final note. I am proud to say that my amp/preamp were built Taiwan. Taiwan produces most of the chips/circuitry on this planet. If anyone says that his or her product is better because it was built in Germany, US, Japan, or England; you are paying extra for soldering.

Strengths:
Clear, unhindered sound, handles difficult loads almost as well as a Krell or Aragon, and treble/midrange control are impressive. Sound images almost as well as Creek. Finally, price.

Weaknesses:
Not as tight as a Krell (with bass frequencies < 500 Hz), and not as neutral as Creek (with midrange frequencies), AV123 (has the world's worst marketing strategy, only mavericks or data miners would purchase this amp. I spent a full month digging up every little tidbit of info on this combo.

Similar Products Used:
Krell, Aragon, Creek, NAD, Rotel, Yamaha, Sony ES, Cambridge Audio, B&K, Pioneer Elite, Onkyo

Price Paid:  $500.00 from Troll Hifi

Summary:
About ONIX A120. It is a 120w pc integrated amp, with a "no-nonsens" design. It looks classy, and sound at the same time very british and very US. British in the sens of giving detail, sounding clear, transparent. US in the sense of sheer power and full-bodied bass. In its price range, where NAD c370, Rotel RA 1060, and others, compare, the ONIX is a good choice, although it has no remote. Compared to costlier amps, like the danish Holfi Integra 8 (in Norway, 1200 quid), the downsides are revealed: Accuracy could be a tad better, and bass could be a bit tighter. When it comes to power, this amp is capable of driving difficult speaker loads, like big infinitys with double basses. Sound is a bit warm, but not muffled. My ONIX is put in system with Pioneer CD-S06 (cdplayer), Sonus Faber Concerto Home (speakers), REL Q50 (sub), Denon Tuner, REGA P3/Project phonostage, MIT cables all the way.... and it sounds really OK. Visitors claim they hear details never heard before, and praise my system as very precise. Believe me, IT IS! Although I enjoy my ONIX, I realise it is a matter of taste and needs. There are options out there.... You should try it with your system and preferably try out different Arcams, Nad, Rotels, and so on.

Strengths:
Transparancy. Big sound. Good bass, goes low wit slam. Detail. Real grunt, able to drive difficult loads. All good for the price.

Weaknesses:
Bass a bit loose. Detail a bit short. Could show some harshness when pushed (hard). Will always be compared to costlier amps. It's not fair!

Similar Products Used:
Rotel RA 960, different Rotel preamps, DOXA pre/power, Electrocompaniet preamp/ Acurus poweramp.

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from the cornflake shop l

Summary:
I have the OA21S with the SOAP power supply. I ran the oa21s on its own for about a year before getting the SOAP. I liked it pre SOAP and thought it was easily the best amp I d heard below silly money. The SOAP however (separate outboard auxillary power supply) is a massive upgrade, opening out the soundstage, prescence and detail of the music, form base throught to treble. The amp has transparency and warm musicality, and enough power. You really dont want to upgrade as the risk of spendingloads for no improvement seems so great. It looks great too, very minimalist and very high build quality. (I run it with a rega planar 3 and morduant short ms 5-30 speakers.)

Strengths:
as above

Weaknesses:
no moving coil stage.