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Written by Jim Milton
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Monday, 26 October 2009 00:00 |
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 In 1997, McCormack Audio was purchased by Conrad-Johnson, known primarily for their fine tube amps and preamps. They have the same high quality and value that Steve McCormack put into his designs in California, but these current products are basically an entirely new line (and are built in Virginia). In this review, we take a look at one of their line-stage preamps, and a stereo (two-channel) power amplifier.
Tags: Amplifiers | Power Amplifiers | Preamplifiers | Two channel |
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Written by Kevin Lichterman
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Monday, 17 August 2009 00:00 |
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 Bryston Ltd. is a Canadian company which has been designing and manufacturing audio equipment for over 35 Years. While there are many companies competing in their market, Bryston’s gear is coveted by enthusiasts and professionals alike. They have earned the reputation of providing bullet-proof reliability, high performance and value. Byston’s value is not due to a bargain basement price. It's the sound and their 20 year guarantee of high performance that can make a Bryston purchase a value. This remarkable warranty speaks to Bryston's confidence in their own quality standards, and it is definitely the exception versus the rule in the A/V industry.
Tags: Class AB | Power Amplifiers | Stereo |
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Written by Chris Groppi
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Monday, 06 July 2009 00:00 |
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 What do a 30 watt stereo solid-state amplifier and a 500 watt solid-state monoblock have in common? A lot, it turns out. The seemingly diminutive Pass Labs XA30.5 weighs 75 pounds, has an enormous toroidal power transformer, and uses 20 output transistors to deliver 30 watts of pure class A power. It turns out these specs are similar, or in some cases, better than my recently reviewed Emotiva XPA-1 monoblocks. The XA30.5 proves that rated power is by no means everything. In fact, if you have speakers of even moderately high sensitivity, the XA30.5 renders any discussion of power output irrelevant. When paired with the right speakers, this may be one of the best amplifiers there is, regardless of price.
Tags: Amplifiers | Class A | Class AB | Power Amplifiers | Stereo |
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Written by Walt Meger
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Monday, 16 March 2009 00:00 |
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 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?
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Written by Chris Groppi
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Sunday, 04 January 2009 17:00 |
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 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).
Tags: Amplifiers |
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Written by Adrian Wittenberg
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Sunday, 14 December 2008 17:00 |
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 Everyone would like a "good deal" in the world of audio, but there’s usually a lot of skepticism involved because of the tendency for such products to be made with cheaper components and outsourced labor. It’s not unusual for these kinds of cheaper goods to break, in even short periods of time. Well, you get what you pay for. On the other side of the spectrum are very high quality products that come at astronomical prices that, while providing the ultimate experience, are often way out of many consumer’s budgets. Somewhere in the middle of all this though, there are still a few companies that make products that have high performance and are also affordable. Emotiva, over the years, has been one of these companies and they have gained a favorable reputation with audiophiles because of it.
Tags: Amplifiers |
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Written by Jared Rachwalski
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Wednesday, 27 August 2008 17:00 |
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 Class D switching amplifiers are here to stay. The RMB-1085 is a five channel home theater amplifier that uses ICE power modules which stay cool and deliver very efficient high power, all from a small chassis.
Tags: Class D | Power Amplifiers | Switching Amplifiers |
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Written by Ross Jones
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Sunday, 04 May 2008 16:00 |
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 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?
Tags: Class D | Switching Amplifiers |
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Power Amplifiers
