power-sound-built quality

price

I wait a year before writing this review because I was so much in love with this amp that I want to cool down a bit! This amp was a replacement for an AUDIO RESEARCH VT-100 MK-2.In the same time I also replace my AUDIO RESEARCH LS_15 by a THRESHOLD T-2.I had taken the decision to get out of tubes due to listening habits conflicting with warm up and tube life. My speakers are ML Aerius i and the digital front is a Wadia 1000 TPT & Wadia 1000 DAC. Interconnects & power cord are the MUSIC TIMBRE,balanced,between DAC & pre-pre & amp.The spkrs cables are YAMAMURA M-5000. The T-2 is a beast of 100 pounds with an incredible quality of manufecturing.It is a fully balanced desing, with possibility to be used in mono mode.It has 4 pairs of high quality brass,multi ways,binding posts & 2 pairs of inputs XLR & RCA. With is rated of 150W X 2,doubling down to 1 Ohm it can easily drive the Aerius i (those spks going down to 1 ohm-which represent a very difficult load!)with great authority and amazing transient. With the T-2 this combo replaced my previous ARC tube equiptment with a total satisfaction and less assle and a better dynamic when required.

Similar Products Used:

bryston,odissey,arc

High build quality. Balanced front to back. Attractive puwter finish. Should almost last forever.

It''s a backbreaker at 100lbs. Had to isolate ac plug and breaker just for it.

The T-400 is sweet and delicate with iron fisted control on bottom end slam. This unit is one of the best examples of why some products are so much money.Balanced front to back with incredible detail. They run my kef 105.3 speakers with ease. I have found the combination of tube dac and tube pre amp and or high quality balanced tube buffer sounds best.

Similar Products Used:

Belles 400 stasis 2 threshold have had 3 400a thresholds before

First of all the company named Threshold is a jewel of the high-end business if it does exist anymore. We'll hope so because of their reputation and it's shame if there is some f...ing salesmanager or who ever not mention the designers that can't keep up the finance on good ground. It's difficult to make good equipments and keep the business rolling on. It's shame for all Threshold owners and also the other companies that Threshold bought few years ago (PS-Audio and Forte). But living in a hope is fine.About the T400, those who have listened this great Class-A mplifier knows what I'm saying, maybe. Before I bought it I listened also the T200 but in my system it didn't worked very well. There was the bass problem and when I had first listened T400 the decision was easy to make. It works vey well with my preamp. which is Threshold T2. The sound is very clear and the bass, woow!! There is a huge different between the T200 and T400 especially on the bass. My speakers isn't the easiest load for the amplifier, because the impedance goes down to 1,5 ohm. Every amplifier has problems when the impedance goes under 2 ohm. So, the difference between the T200 and T400 is that there's only one transformer on T200 when T400 consist two transformers.
T400 does it's work very well as good amplifier has to do, because their only work is to produce huge powerloads.
Ok, the Class-A is very expensive but what do you get; clear, soft sound and a huge bass. Tight bass you get also from big Krell amps but it's only you get from those. Mark Levinson is nothing, well maybe the monaural No.33H has something to do with good sound. And then there's the tube amps whichis own territory.
I tried once the T400 with the Wadia 21 which contain the digital volume control so you canuse it like a front end. The speakers were Martin-Logan ReQuests, and boy what a sound. The bass was absolutely amazing, the dynamic and everything else was also there. I would say that I had a jazz club where Miles Davis was playing trumpet down there. If i only would had couple of thousand dollar. T400 is amazing poweramplifier which doesnt leave anyone cold. And then there is the T800, well maybe someday...

globally@kolumbus.fi

System:
PS-Audio Lambda CD-transport
PS-Audio Ultralink D/A-converter
Threshold T2 preamplifier
Threshold T400 poweramplifier
Martin-Logan SL3 loudspeakers
Cardas Hexlink Golden 5C interconnecs
Cardas and Monster (weird) speaker cables
Wadia AT/T cable

Big, Heavy, Class A, Dual Transformers, Huge Power supply, Combination Mos Fet Biplar Outputt devices. Circuit fully balanced. Balanced and single ended input as well as mono use. No ICs for balanced input. The sound is open, pristine highs and lows, great width and depth, never harsh, great impact. These are rare, as Threshold now out of business.150 watts, 8 ohms
300 watts, 4 ohms
600 watts, 2 ohms

amazing clarity, no fatigue after prolonged listening, very articulate, very open and "airy"

expensive, maybe a little light in the bass (could be my speakers or my room)

I have used the T400 for about 5 years now and I really can't think of a major negative about it. The sound has
been amazing every since I unpacked it. I have moved it
several times (very heavy) and have not had any mechanical
problems or blown fuses. I guess the one way I would describe it would be very neutral. The comment on the bass above is probably associated with my current room placement
and my speaker selection. My experience has been that bass
response often is most associated with room factors and speakers and not with amplifiers per se (assuming relatively good quality). My only concern is that I have heard that Threshold is out of business and I guess I am on
my own if something breaks. Otherwise a great amp and worth
the expense.

Rest of system:
Threshold Fet Ten e
Threshold DAC 1 e
Mark Levinson No. 37 CD Trans.
Wilson Witts

Similar Products Used:

T100, Adcom GFA-6000, SAE amp (can't remember the designation)

Liquidity and detail without fatigue.

None.

This amplifier can drive any speaker with any impedance. It has terrific detail without being bright or forward sounding. Sound stage is wide and deep, and with the right speakers, can produce holographic imaging. The sound is refined and liquid without sacrificing any information. The T400 has worked flawlessly and so far has proved itself to be bulletproof. It is the best Threshold amp I have heard and beats most all other amps I have auditioned. Highly recommended!

Similar Products Used:

Music Reference RM-9III, Threshold S/500

detail and a deep and wide soundstage,excellent control, especially in the bass region.

runs very warm to the touch. can heat a small room.

In terms of musicality this Threshold is the champ. I have owned earlier models of Threshold amplifiers, my favorite being the SA4e, at 100 watts class A, it remains one of my favorite amplifiers. Compared to other manufactuers, like Krell, and Levinson, the Threshold had a superior sense of clarity and focus. I have to admit I'm hooked on the sound qualities the Threshold T-400 offers. I highly recommend this amplifier, especially if you are able to find one at the price I paid! The T-400 was difficult to find, let alone the price I paid it took me quite some time but my patience paid off. I'm in audiophile heaven with my current system, which consists of, Mirage M-1si speakers, Thresold T-2 preamp, Threshold T-400 amplifier, Sony SACD-1 player, all interconnect and cabeling are M.I.T. Power conditioning is handled by a Chang Lightspeed ISO-9600.

Similar Products Used:

Threshold SA4e, Krell KSA-250, Mark Levinson 334