The Best Amp for the Price of Dirt

As previously discussed, I use two "cheap as dirt" A500s in a monoblock configuration for my desktop, and a third in another office.

I use them for cable TV, CDs, DVDs, and all PC based applications including music.

In about 2 years, I have used them almost every day, and rarely turned them off even through several storms and power outages.

Recently, I wondered if the skeptics might be right as the left channel amp seemed to die, with low volume and heavy distortion in my left speaker.

Further examination, however revealed it was only a loose connection from moving my rolling rack.

So my "cheap as dirt" amps are going strong and better than ever.

I apologize to those of you who sell tweaky overpriced amps for a living while insisting that you always "get what you pay for".

Cheers,

According to Jim Smith's new book "Get Better Sound", identical amps with gain controls are preferred for "vertical bi-amping". I believe these amps will be able to be bi-amped in the manner Jim depicts, another plus.

The tube amps in the "Big Rig" are in for a refirb. The A-500's never sounded so delicate ... Thank you to all ... You can not appreciate how delicate the sound is following 500 hrs of break-in. Thanks ...

Adcom 545 mk2. Hands down the value winner for me.

Arthur

This thread should have been entitiled " Best Mono-Block Amps for the Price of Dirt ". My fault.

The A-500's are best configured as 500W mono blocks with specs that can go down the page. They can be compaired Mono-Blocks costing 100 to XXX as more ; mine cost $198.00 ea. , including an additional 2 year, "No Questions Asked", warranty. The bite on them is that "Hi-Fi World" yawned in their review & Robert Hartley declined to review them for "Stereophile". "The Audio Critic" highly recommended them but some just love to hate the Editor and his recommendations : I view that behavor as unethical even if Peter is hard-core in his views. I have been reading his views for 30+ years. My view, he is more correct than not , even if he's a nut on a rare few issues.

The A-500's can hande almost any speaker from 2-16 Ohms with grace. Here's the rub ... Should you get a superb pair they work that way right out of the box. I am told a few % points of stock sold is terrible, Ergo the need for a modest cost extra protection warranty. I purchased mine from musican's friend web site , wonderful folks to do business with.

I'm certan lots of superior equipment exists but 0-500W @ 8 ohms ???? My only rub ... I only listen in 8 ohms & all should do so as mono-blocks.