• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Pyle PT8000CH 8-Channel Amplifier Review

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 21 9.6%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 103 47.2%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 80 36.7%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 14 6.4%

  • Total voters
    218

Sokel

Master Contributor
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Messages
5,843
Likes
5,781
Small footprint? It's bigger than most AVRs, which offer 7 or more channels with probably more power than this amp does.
There are 1U units with 8 channels with more power for about twice the (non sale) price. And there is a 2U 8 channel amp with 50x the power for 50x the price.
While the amp is still nice for the money, especially on the sale price, I wouldn't call it "small footprint". It's a 4U unit and that's massive.
19" is small for me and I'm not comparing with AVR's but with more conventional amps I use to have (with heatshinks,etc).

EDIT:I mean small for the 8 channels it includes.
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
19" is small for me and I'm not comparing with AVR's but with more conventional amps I use to have (with heatshinks,etc).
Can you give an example of another multichannel amplifier that is considerably smaller?
 

Sokel

Master Contributor
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Messages
5,843
Likes
5,781
Can you give an example of another multichannel amplifier that is considerably smaller?
I know nothing about AVRs.I compare it with more traditional 2 channel (big-ish) amps.
Doesn't look that big in photo:

s-l1600.jpg
 

Sokel

Master Contributor
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Messages
5,843
Likes
5,781
I didn’t say AVR, I said multichannel. You now seem to compare it with a stereo amplifier, one that has a quarter of the channels.
Ok,let's clarify it because maybe I got misunderstood.
What I meant saying small footprint was comparing it with 2-channel traditional (big-ish,I'll say it again) amps with heatshinks and stuff.
So,if a two channel is bigger than that,for the 8 channels it got looks small to me.

EDIT:Asking me to give you an example of smaller...maybe you're not asking me but the other friend who said there are smaller ones.
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
Ok,let's clarify it because maybe I got misunderstood.
What I meant saying small footprint was comparing it with 2-channel traditional (big-ish,I'll say it again) amps with heatshinks and stuff.
So,if a two channel is bigger than that,for the 8 channels it got looks small to me.
The thing is it is still too big for an 8-ch amplifier. Here is a 6-ch amplifier that is much smaller. Just to add two more channels wouldn’t double the size.

 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK

Prana Ferox

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Feb 6, 2020
Messages
914
Likes
1,888
Location
NoVA, USA
8x1000 Watts output power...

View attachment 275252

...out of a mere 1000 Watts of power consumption

View attachment 275253

Does this thing have a built-in power generator?

These amps are usually rated (on the power cord end) at something like a 1/12 or 1/15 duty cycle, meaning it's only putting out maximum power 1/12 or 1/15 of the time, with the amp's power supply caps providing a buffer. The power cord rating is a thermal concern, so it's averaged out over time. Then you factor in class AB amplifier efficiency - probably better than 50%. So a decently efficient 8x1000w amp might get away with 1000a or less through the power cord. Moot here because this is, in the finest Pyle tradition, nowhere near an 8x1000w amp.

I loathe and abhor this brand, it revulses me, but even I can see how this could have come in handy in the ole' frat house.
 

sarumbear

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
7,604
Likes
7,314
Location
UK
These amps are usually rated (on the power cord end) at something like a 1/12 or 1/15 duty cycle, meaning it's only putting out maximum power 1/12 or 1/15 of the time, with the amp's power supply caps providing a buffer. The power cord rating is a thermal concern, so it's averaged out over time.
Correct. As the IEC mains connector is specified at 15A, if used in the UK there is at most 3,600VA continuous power available at the input, and in the US that is even less, 1,755VA.
 
Last edited:

SuicideSquid

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 20, 2022
Messages
699
Likes
1,647
The thing is it is still too big for an 8-ch amplifier. Here is a 6-ch amplifier that is much smaller. Just to add two more channels wouldn’t double the size.

You're comparing a class A/B amp to a Class D amp. Class D amps don't use large power transformers and don't require large heatsinks and thus fit in considerably smaller enclosures.

I expect they chose a 4U enclosure because 2U was slightly too small given the choice to use large heatsinks and 80mm cooling fans, and 3U is a weird size not typically used in professional applications.

I'd rather have an amp in a spacious 4U enclosure that stays cool with quiet fans than in a 2U enclosure that gets hot or has audible fans.
 

PeteL

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 1, 2020
Messages
3,303
Likes
3,838
Correct. As the IEC mains connector is specified at 15A, if used in the UK there is at most 3,600VA continuous power available at the input, and in the US that is even less, 1,755VA.
Not that it would matter in this case, but 20 amps Power cable are still dirt cheap, and it’s not unnalowed in north americas to have 20 amps circuits, but as mentioned, this is moot here. I believe that what we have here is the limit of these push and pull transistors, and even if they could take it, What I see on the other thread is fairly minimal reserve caps. 8*1kW is a bad joke, Amir seemed to be forgiving about this misinformation, even when labeled right in the front, me not as much, this type of misguiding specs are a plague in this industry.
 

peniku8

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 9, 2020
Messages
358
Likes
716
Last edited:

m8o

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 28, 2019
Messages
348
Likes
224
My memory goes back to reading that for "state of the art" solid state amplification you should expect 0.01% THD ... that was about the mid 1970s. So that would put this comparable to amps in the era of the early 1960?

That said, a few years ago I picked up a big 3U Rane 6 channel amp [MA 6] for ... $49! This amp may outclassed that one in noise (its very noise) and maybe distortion too.
 

Rottmannash

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 11, 2020
Messages
2,969
Likes
2,606
Location
Nashville
I’ll reserve my opinion until the tear down. Something’s got to give. Without knowledge of what, if any protection circuitry it has, I wouldn’t let it near my system. Perhaps just my suffering from low pricing paranoia, not to mention having fused a speaker with a faulty amp years ago… but either Pyle is losing their shirt on this or there has to be some pretty sketchy build/component issues.
Right now Woot has 5 or more Pyle devices on sale-one is a 5.1 ch AVR for $79.99, a 7.1 AVR for $115, a 2 ch BT receiver for $34.99, a 2 channel power amp for $59.99 and a "multichannel preamp" for $59.99. One could have a "killer" HT system for <$500 but it would probably sound like <$500.
 
Top Bottom