metallicpearl

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Price Paid:  $86.00 from eBay

Summary:
Excellent amplifier. I had an Arcam Alpha 8r previous to this - this has more treble clarity without the harshness, more mid-range detail and low-end thump. Really rythmic too; really brings out the best of a good recording.

It's also surprisingly loud for the rated power, which is a bonus. The sound quality doesn't deteriorate at higher volumes, either. Partnered with my Marantz CD5400 and Kef Q15.2, it's a beast of a bargain for £86 English pounds from eBay!

Strengths:
Entire frequency spectrum is open and honest - I think it's quite attractive as well.

Weaknesses:
None at this price!

Prune_Phace

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $400.00 from used

Summary:
This is the best amp i've had yet regardless of cost.Don't let the name "Pioneer" put you off.This amp is a classic audiophile bargain.It's British designed and modified by electronics whiz Tom Evans. I cannot fault this amplifier,bot at the price anyway.It basically lets you hear exactly how your source sounds without any colouration.It's very open and transparent with meaty and rythmic bass. Only rated at 45wpc but will drive almost any speaker.I use it with an Arcam CD92T and Dynaudio 42's with excellent results. Blew away a Cyrus 3,Naim 62/140,Exposure x.The £1000 Roksan Caspian came close but the Pioneer won on a more open and flowing midrange

Strengths:
Transparency,Neutrality.

Weaknesses:
None at this price or under £1000

Similar Products Used:
Quad,Cyrus,Roksan,Naim,Linn

Price Paid:  $150.00 from Hyperfi

Summary:
I only paid £150 for my original A300R Precision, several years ago, as I wanted a cheap amplifier. Unfortunately, it was so good it converted me into an audiofile, and seduced me into spending thousands of pounds on equipment to do justice to it. Speak to Tom Evans, and he'll persuade you to have his modifications, and then your're into a whole new listening experience. It's as though a curtain has been lifted from in front of the music. £700 for the modifications, but still a bargain. I use it with a Pink Triangle Anniversary Deck, Ortofon MC3000 II cartridge, Tom Evans Microgroove Plus phono stage, Monolith speaker cables and Eikos FR1 loudspeakers. I listen mainly to clasical music on vinyl.

Strengths:
Detail, timing, resolution. It's like the performers are there in front of you.

Weaknesses:
Not enough sockets, for all the audiovisual equipment I want to play back through it. Reveals any weaknesses in the rest of your system. I can't listen to CDs with my 400 pound Pioneer PDS 505 precision CD player. They sound so artificial compared to vinyl.

Similar Products Used:
Leak 2000 Tuner Amplifier, Rotel RA931 MkII.

Price Paid:  $225.00 from Private sale

Summary:
I picked this Amp up Second Hand on the Net for £225..what a deal !! My amp has the Extra Tom Evans upgrade which cost an Extra £300 on top of the original price when it was originally done in 2000. Well, when fully warmed up this is amazing. Compared to my NAD C370 the differences are more detail, I mean quite a lot more. This amp disects each recording and lays it bare. Wonderful Timing and Energy. It also has more bottom end than the Nad but the bass is still tight and controlled. This amp LOCKS onto voices like a terrier and I also heard real Depth in the soundstage compared to the NAD C370. Playing somethin like Jeff Buckley's Grace album and you can hear every Nuance in his voice and the delicacy of the acompanying guitar is preserved perfectly. Classical music is exactly the same this amp reveals the timbre of instruments and presents them in a revealing and enjoyable manner. As has already been mentioned you need a very good front end, I have an Arcam7se as Transport through a Cambridge Audio s700 dac (another giant killer..!) and am well pleased. This amp brings a smile to your face when listening to music and seems to make you want to let your discs spin and spin which is what all good audio equipment should do... If you are looking for a new amp under £1000 and see one of these going second hand buy it !! My System: Arcam 7se through Cambridge Audio S700 Dac. Pioneer A300r with EXTRA Tom Evans Modification. Mission 752 Speakers. Bi-Wired with Van den Hul Cs122 cables. VDH 103 mk III from Dac to Amp. VDH Hybrid Digital Coax from Cd to Dac.

Strengths:
Pace, timing, dynamics. Explicit Detail, great soundstaging. Neutral.

Weaknesses:
Well remote is basic to say the least. It's looks totally bely the greatness of the amp itself (although it is not ugly) Nothing else at the price (even if I had paid the brand new price)..

Similar Products Used:
NAD C370, Arcam Alpha 9, Pioneer A400.

Price Paid:  $280.00

Summary:
I agree with most of the other reviews here - this amp is a winner at the price. It has a cracking midrange and sense of timing, and partnered with sensitive speakers (mine are mission 751s), can really belt the tunes out - it's high current aswell, so plenty of control. The only problems I have with it is that on some recordings it can sound harsh (ok - this could be how I have it partnered), and the phono stage just doesn't do the rest of the amp justice. I am upgrading now (can't aafford to get it Tom Evansed), probably to a Nait3, but I will be sad to see it go. (any offers, drop me a mail!)

Strengths:
Vocal clarity, soundstage, price, upgradability.

Weaknesses:
Phono stage, can be harsh on some systems, remote, looks.

Similar Products Used:
Arcam Alpha 8R