Introduction to Power Amplifier Reviews

There was a time when there weren't that many choices to be made when purchasing power amplifiers. You had mono and stereo amps that were either tube or solid state. If choosing tube amps, you could select single ended or push-pull and then refine your choice based on the tube complement. For solid state, your choices were typically limited to either Class A or Class A/B. That pretty much summed up the possibilities. Of course, different amps from various manufacturers would sound unique and they varied in terms of their power output and other measured performance (such as maximum power, THD, IMD, etc.)

Now there are many new amplifier classes on the market – Class D, Class G and Class H are a few of the solid state choices. And you can find amps that have anywhere from one to seven channels or more. With the advent of multi-channel amps, many manufacturers make performance claims that are not always consistent with the FTC standards for amplifier ratings. So we at Secrets do our own bench tests that provide you an independent verification of the amplifiers' performance. We also break down the inherent technology so you know exactly what you are getting before you plunk down your hard earned greenbacks on that new amp.

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Power Amplifiers

Bel Canto S500 Stereo Power Amplifier

Walt Meger

Let me first state "I like this amp, I really do." What does "Class A, A/B, D, ICEpower" mean to the average audiophile? Will there be an audible benefit by upgrading to the newer technology? If I am making an initial purchase will this technology satisfy me? Does the amp du jour really make a difference in the listening experience for the average listener?

Power Amplifiers

Emotiva XPA-1 Monoblock Power Amplifier

Chris Groppi

ADDENDUM - 4/1/09 I (JEJ) was so impressed with Chris' review of the XPA-1 (published in January, 2009), I asked Emotiva to send me one so I could run some of my own tests. I borrowed a different power amplifier from a friend that cost more than 6 times the price of the XPA-1, which I will call Amplifier "X" here. I ran the same tests on both amplifiers. Click on the photo to see the results (go to Page 4: Emotiva XPA-1 On the Bench, and my results are down near the bottom of the page).

Power Amplifiers

Jaton Operetta 2300a Class A/B Amplifier – First Look

Jared Rachwalski

The Jaton company has been around for over 25 years. They started with manufacturing PC video cards, and have since branched into home theater and hi-fi gear. Lyra's HD-661 DX speakers were recently reviewed at Secrets, and their interesting design and great sound made me want to try out their amplification. George from Jaton was kind enough to send me a rather large and heavy Class A/B Stereo amplifier capable of putting out 300 watts RMS per channel into 4 ohms. Initial problems with the amplifier has required Jaton to redesign it, and the revised version will be sent to me for review In the meantime, here are some initial observations on the unrevised unit.

Power Amplifiers

Halcro MC70 Seven-Channel Power Amplifier

Ross Jones

Halcro's MC series amplifiers come in two, three, five and seven channel configurations (designated the MC20, MC30, MC50, and MC70). The MC70 lists for $7,000, but compared to the Halcro Reference DM88 monoblocks, which will set you back more than $40,000 per pair, the MC70 is quite the bargain. So what kind of amp do you get for a kilobuck per channel?

Power Amplifiers
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