very powerful

require heavy current "AC" draw under full-load

Clean power, it deliver good sonic performance for the price, this unit have a low distortion and ultrawide bandwidth, runs cold event at high volume, well ventilate

Similar Products Used:

Harman Kardon HK6650R now use as a preamp.

Few

No gain, lower damping factor, can't push large subwoofers without clipping, not 2ohm stable, lower capacitator value-thats why it draw so much AC current

This amp is not nearly as good for the price as Crest. The V and VS series Crest amps blow this unit away. They aren't mass marketed like Harman Kardon, JBL, Infinity. They make true high end products. The V/VS are 2ohm stable, they have a gain funtion, they have more watts, and an 800 damping factor. They are also only $500-$700 for the lower models.
They can bridge to 4 ohm as well. They have large filter caps, lower AC current draw, and really put out the watts. They also have a clip indicator unlike HK. Also check out crown, QSC, and others. For the price, HK doesn't compare. Pro Sound muscicians use these amps for loud rock concerts and they can really hold up. They sound amazing on Audiophile speakers in a house.
Stay away from HK. Their amps overpriced.

Similar Products Used:

Crown, Crest, QSC

Powerful, warm for solid state amp,clean and transient, detailed

None so far

I was looking to purchase a Parasound 1500A rated at 205 watts per channel and THX certified. Although I was planning to use the amp for music only to replace the HK PA5800. The 5800 although clean, did not have enough oomph and headroom for my listening levels. After a few weeks of listening to the amp so that I can give a fair review, I have concluded that this amp at $500 was an exceptional purchase. When I first hooked it up, the amp sounded clean but very sterile. After a few weeks, I noticed more details in songs, the mid bass was more defined, and an overall warm tone characterized the sound. I am still thinking about going tube for a pre-amp. I am currently using the PT-2500 as a pre=amp. The PT2500 tends to get out of the way and is clean, but I still prefer more warmth. The warmth tends to compensate the overbright highs of my Polk RT200p's. Also, after listening to CJ and VTL combos played through the Meadowlark Kestrals, I was determined to capture that sound and emotion. Although I will never capture the time phase coherency and imaging from the Polks, I also did not want to lose the dynamics and power from solid state. I had also experienced listening fatigue from the PT2500-PA5800 combo that I did not experience from the PT2500-Sig. 1.5 combo. The added warmth and fullness and clean detail was apparent on all types of music from "The Planets " by Holst to "Faithfully" by Journey to "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. The amp never once strained and I now have all the power that is required. I would have loved to have owned the Parasound at $200 more. But without the ability to do an A/B comparision I chose the HK for its value. A very good solid state amp regardless of price. If you are looking for more of an audiophile sound I would suggest the VTL-CJ route. Much of the audiophile philosophy requires you to sit in a listening room, in an exact location for some speakers, and listen. I prefer to sit down when I feel like it while playing pool or drinking beer.

Similar Products Used:

HK PA5800, B&K 4420

Unlimited Supply of Power for 4 ohm Speakers. Able to reach Dynamic Peaks with incredible ease, and the amp never EVER distorts. Sound quality is superb.

It sucks a tremendous amount of current out of the wall during full load conditions, so make sure you verify your 20 amp line. 15 amp lines won't cut it for people who like it loud. Also, the amp had a long break-in period which isn't a bad thing but nevertheless was a little intimidating in the begining. It made a few pops and crackles here and there, but it took four days and the transformer stabalized completely. Ever since the initial break-in I havn't had any problems at all.

This is without a doubt the muscle amp when it comes to turning out 100% raw power. It runs cool, never distorts no matter what you do to it, and the build quality is supreme as always from Harman Kardon. I'd reccomend High quality RCA cables, I use Monster Interlink Reference 2, I reccomend 12 guage or even 10 guage speaker cable, I use 10 guage Monster Cable. It's only a two channel amp, but it has a row of capacitors, 4 per channel, that delivers enough bass to grind walls into confetti. I'm running them on a pair of Cerwin-Vega Re-38's and the match is excellent, though I must use caution as even the Cerwin's can't withstand this amp much past 60% on the volume. Use with caution, but otherwise enjoy the ultimate power trip.

Similar Products Used:

Harman Kardon AVR 70, now used as the preamplifier to the Signature 1.5

Build and Sound Quality

A little pop when turned on

This amp is the steal of the year. I was looking for a 200 watt or better amp and just out of the sheer blue I was flipping through a JandR mailer and saw this amp. Checked the reviews here and other things I could find, including downloading the .PDF manual and could not resist trying one since JandR have a 30 day money back guarantee. Plus if you want you can run the amp in single channel bridged mode and get 650 watts @ 8 ohms !!

Right when I took it out of the box I was impressed with the thick clean looking front face plate. Connected it and turned on some of my favorite dance and disco music (that tells you what era I grew up in) and WOW !!!!

I have tried at least a dozen different receivers and pre-amps in the last 2 years and I have never had my wife comment once at all after changing any components until now. She said 'wow - a lot more bass and very clear sounding'.

So now I just ordered 2 more (so I will have 3 total) before they are gone from JandR with the following setup:

Amp 1 - L/R Mains - Klipsch RF-3
Amp 2 - Center (running in Bridge Mode) - Klipsch RC-3
Amp 3 - L/R Surrounds - Klipsch Quintets
Powered Klipsch KSW-12 Sub

So in summary, I would highly, highly recommend this amp and would have gladly paid more than the 499.99 that JandR is selling these for.

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Sony TA-N9000ES & Adcom GFA-7500

Sounds so good, I almost teared up when I first hooked it up!!! HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY!!!

The RCA (Input) jacks are spaced far apart (not much of a weakness, huh?).

I saw this amp in a jandr.com catalog for $500 + $35 shipping. The suggested retail was $1399. I thought good reviews, quality product, CHEAP, what the heck. My system consists of the following:
Pioneer Elite VSX-36TX powering:1) Bose Acoustimass 10, 1pr.) Cerwin Vega DX-5
H/K Sig. 1.5 powering: 1pr.) 12" Rockford Fosgate Audiophile subs (2nd generation) in 2)enclosures I made out of 1.5" thick redoak
Playstation 2,Echostar dig. output sat reciever, panasonic tv & vcr, & Monster Cable.
The sound of the H/K with my subs blew away every high end sub I auditioned, even ones costing up to $4000!!! I have no idea what it sounds like powering anything but subs, but all I can say if you want tight, loud, clear as hell bass, stop by jandr.com & buy it now!!! Then audition car subs in a big showroom (simulating "the" room size in your house), stand your room listening position away, & purchase the best: either 2 8ohm (getting 200wpc cont.), 2 4ohm (getting 350wpc), or 1 8ohm (getting 650w mono). Have a custom 1.5" thick enclosures made. Then enjoy bass sounding better than $4000 home subs!!!

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none