200w total power bridged 80w RMS per channelstereo Separate channel-level controls 20Hz20kHz, 110dB S/N ratio Line in RCA jacks, line out/through jacks Toroidal power supply: less than 0.04% THD Stable into 2 ohm loads Bridging switch for high power mono amplification 5-way binding post speaker outputs 16 1/2'' x 2 1/4'' x 11 1/2''.
Love this little low cost bargain. Fits in a small area for a fantastic bedroom system which now powers a pair of custom built Seas metal cone based speakers. You could not ask for more at this price level, just fantastic built quality. I wonder how much they would have to raise the price to develop the unit to accept a detachable power cable.
Strength
Imaging is outstanding!
Weakness
None at this price range
Visitors rate this review
5.00 out of 5
after 3 votes
Harsh high end, weak mid's, bass fair - I mostly listen to folk and classical music - acoustic instruments tend to bring out the best / worst in amps from a sound quality perspective. Be sure to use a pre-amp to get even marginal results with this unit. Better results were achieved using a hotter preamp signal and turning down the amps volume controls to about 85% of max. A full blown parametric EQ would also be useful to tone down the high end and boost the mid's. Purchased this amp based upon generally good reviews on this forum, but for me it was a big disappointment. I'll stick with my vintage / venerable SAE A205.
Strength
Price, generates enough heat to warm up the room during wintertime, reduced natural gas costs for heating. No Fan noise!
Weakness
Too harsh of a high end to listen to comfortably, weak mid's, you'll need extra air conditioning in the summer to keep the room cool when running this amp. Sound quality dimished exponentially when pushed. Ran out of steam quickly.
Visitors rate this review
3.67 out of 5
after 3 votes
I use this amp to power my Wharfedale Diamond 9.1's. The source is a direct connection to my computer. I think they sound great with this amp. Today however, I decided to try this amp out in my main setup.
I hooked up the amp to the outs on my Marantz SR6300 to see what it would do. My test was small, 2 songs from the Uberzone EP. From the little testing I did, I found the soundstage to appear SLIGHTLY more 3-dimensional and forward. However, in one of the songs the hihat was louder than the Marantz, making it a bit ear piercing and more difficult to listen to other instruments. This loudness in the higher frequencies may have attributed to the difference in soundstage. I also felt the bass when using the Marantz was a little more present. I prefer the more laid-back sound of the Marantz receiver in my setup.
I was looking for a cheap solution to power the 6th and 7th channels in my HT. A poster in the forums here recommended I consider AudioSource.
At first I noticed that this think smoked my Yamaha RX-V1400 receiver for sound quality...good, that's what I wanted!!!
Just for kicks I put this baby up against my Rotel RB-1070, my Adcom 535 II, and a NAD 3140 integrated I have. Every night after work for the last few weeks I've spent an hour or two doing some a/b comparisons.
Let me say I am very, very impressed with how good this unit sounds. Rated at 80 watts, it has more than enough juice for what I need, though, when I ran it through my Paradigm Studio 40 speakers, I couldn't really tell the 20 watt difference between it and my Adcom 535 II. No big deal. I suspect the Adcom is under-rated.
The AudioSource Amp One faithfully reproduces music, and in all my test thus far, I haven't noticed any colorations or unwanted artifacts. Just pure clean sound.
To my humble ears, it does sound a tad bit warmer than say Adcom or NAD amps, but not anywhere near as warm as my Rotel. I'd lump this amp in the same category as Adcom and NAD - bright, detailed, and technical sound.
From a pure sound quality perspective, I'd put this up against my NAD and Adcom any day. In fact, I like it better than my old NAD, and I'm considering getting another one for my office to replace it. Plenty of bass power, and it does what it's suppose to do, amplify audio signals.
At $240 or less, I'd definitely recommend the Amp One/A or Amp Two if you can get it, these things are perfect for external amplification in HT setups, or as an inexpensive entry to separates. I'd gladly put these up against amps in the $400-$600 dollar range. Truthfully!!!
If there's anything negative to write about this amp, I suppose it'd have to be the lack of brand name power and history of quality that say, Adcom, Rotel, and NAD units come with...you know, that little bit of assurance we all try to look past but never really can. I know Adcom and NAD will be around for a long time, and are reasonably reliable units. I actually called AudioSource's tech support. They were extremely helpful. When I bought this unit (used) one of the goofy VU meters wasn't moving, so I was wondering about replacement parts. The build quality seems as tough as my Adcom and NAD, thought he housing isn't quite as thick. Plenty of air flow. The binding posts could be a bit better, but no big deal. The back and front plates are good and sturdy. I've since learned the VU meters were common problems in these units, and are no longer mounted on the Amp One...no big deal for me, they aren't all that useful anyway, and have no impact on sound quality. AudioSource is owned by Phoenix Gold, who also owns Carver, so I think they're backed up by a reasonably strong company.
Still, I'm so amazed at this amp, I can't help but wonder why these things aren't storming the market, what could be wrong with them? I know a few other people with these and they're all happy. Is it just brand name power?
All in all I'd say, yeah, this thing is a Giant Killer! I'm very impressed.
E-mail me with any questions, or comments, especially if you've got any stories about this unit...I'm curious to know if others are as happy as I am.
I'm giving this thing 5 stars in value and performance, because I've owned plenty of gear in and above its price range that didn't hold up in terms of sound quality. It won't slay a $800 dollar Rotel or a Krell amp or anything, but easily keeps up with NAD, Parasound, and Adcom units I've heard and owned.
Strength
Great sound, sturdy build + good price = Great Value!!! Comparable to NAD and Adcom units I have.
Weakness
Goofy VU meters (minor), mediocre binding posts (very minor), not a well-known brand.
Visitors rate this review
4.00 out of 5
after 4 votes
Overall Rating :
Value Rating :
Written By
Grant(Unregistered User)
Date Created
10/27/2003
Summary
This is a review for the Amp One/A. This amplifier has above average sound and is moderately priced. The sound clear and bright. High frequency detail is very good but cold and two-dimensional. When compared to my reference amps, two Audionics CC-2 amps, one for each channel not running in bridged mode, the Audionics are silky smooth and image well (3-Dimensional). The Audiosource amp is cold bright and 2-Dimensional. I would say this amplifier is an entry-level audiophile quality amp. A quantum leap above any receiver I have ever heard. I am sure one can find a better sounding amp at this price since I have heard better vintage amps like the PS Audio 2C+, Audionics CC-2 for about the same price. Because the sound was not as good as my Audionics amps I plan to use it as a center channel amp and the Audionics amp as front and rear amps which is working excellent. My rating of average to above average is when it is compared to the sound of all amps and receivers. If it is compared to only audiophile quality amp I would have rated it average to slight below average overall and for value.
Strength
Entry-level audiophile quality amp with execellent S/N ratio. Volume controls to balance center, front and rear speakers. RCA output jacks for adding multiple amplifiers. Superior to most amps except true audiophile amps
Weakness
Two-dimensional sound. Nickel-plated (not Gold) RCA jacks and binding posts. Inferior to audiophile quality amps
Visitors rate this review
4.00 out of 5
after 3 votes
3.82 of 5
