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Behringer A800 Stereo Amplifier Review

mhardy6647

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I have a few inukes, same as NX6000D. They're my favorite for my 21" subs, but I don't like them for full range audio. Tried them once and didn't like them. Also this amount of power for full range speakers is not needed. Get the A800 :)
What didn't you like about them (full range)?
 

hansik

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What didn't you like about them (full range)?
Just sounded weird, I didn't dig deeper into it because I never saw virtually nobody is using inukes for fullrange speakers. I wasn't motivated to test more, I had enough amps for my cinema speakers, it was just a quick and dirty subjective test, I could even be wrong.
 

A800

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Maybe there is no load compensation and the FR will vary with load impedance.
 

IowAudio

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Update: I connected the A800 to my QSC SR-1020 surround speakers (94db sensitivity), and I they're dead silent. I had to put my ear 3 inch from the horn to be able to hear the slightest hiss.
PC volume 100%, DAC volume 100%, A800 on 12, which is impossible volume to play.

I did a similar test. I ran my A800 with a set of Sansui SP20,000 and Kenwood MV-7, both large horn loaded sensitive speakers. Running optical from PC to the Emotiva PT100 Preamp/DAC, the PC and A800 max gain then controling volume via the PT100 I put on HD Tracks hi-res sampler. To me excellent dynamic range and detail, dead quiet during breaks and pauses in the music.
For comparison I took an old cheap Sony STR-DE185 stereo receiver and put in place of the A800, played same songs and quickly the horns exposed a bit of distortion and hissing. I know the A800 isn't the best amp out there but it definitely is a great one for $300. An excellent amp for listeners on a budget or just getting started.
 

wje

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I did a similar test. I ran my A800 with a set of Sansui SP20,000 and Kenwood MV-7, both large horn loaded sensitive speakers. Running optical from PC to the Emotiva PT100 Preamp/DAC, the PC and A800 max gain then controling volume via the PT100 I put on HD Tracks hi-res sampler. To me excellent dynamic range and detail, dead quiet during breaks and pauses in the music.
For comparison I took an old cheap Sony STR-DE185 stereo receiver and put in place of the A800, played same songs and quickly the horns exposed a bit of distortion and hissing. I know the A800 isn't the best amp out there but it definitely is a great one for $300. An excellent amp for listeners on a budget or just getting started.

There are some critics that will point out the possible distortion created by the A800 amplifier. However, there are others who will also simply point out that the distortion created by a speaker would be much greater than that of the amplifier itself.

With that being said, my A800 arrived yesterday. I installed in in place of my $45 "special" A500 amplifier, also by Behringer. To me, both sound and perform quite well. The A500 has heatsinks on the left and right sides of the amp, where the A800, being class "D" doesn't have them. The A800 is a few pounds lighter and about 1" shorter in depth than the A500. My ears could discern no real sonic differences between the two amps and in my condominium, I'm certainly not utilizing all of the power that each one can provide. Though, I do have 2 10" 500 watt subwoofers for bass duty in my music below 70 Hz. In fact, for my needs, both amps performed quite well compared to my 42 Lb. amp and the 57 Lb. Emotiva SA-250, which I sold a few weeks back. While the release of the Purifi amps and higher-powered Hypex amps is interesting, I don't find myself making any amp changes anytime soon. Well, that is unless the Behringer NX6000D, available locally as a used amp, doesn't tempt me if the price is right. :O
 

Niklasmagnus

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I have compared my A800 with a Crown CTs600 (2x300w in 4ohm). They are gain matched and driving one sub per channel. Subs are diy 95 L sealed with scan speak 30w/4558t00.
I played Ad Astra today and checked power limits and the A800 was just lighting up 0db on front panel when peaking 114db at MLP. The CTs600 was only lightning up -10db. So Crown have more power I suppose.?.
 

A800

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I have compared my A800 with a Crown CTs600 (2x300w in 4ohm). They are gain matched and driving one sub per channel. Subs are diy 95 L sealed with scan speak 30w/4558t00.
I played Ad Astra today and checked power limits and the A800 was just lighting up 0db on front panel when peaking 114db at MLP. The CTs600 was only lightning up -10db. So Crown have more power I suppose.?.

Useless without measurements.
Front LEDs are often way off.
Also Behringer has a habit to connect the clip LEDs with the input (cheaper and inaccurate) and not the output like it should be.
I ran my A800s into the clipping LEDs and they were still clean (by ear).
Also the A800 delivers "only" 242 watts into 4 ohms if I remember correctly.
 
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wje

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I have a few inukes, same as NX6000D. They're my favorite for my 21" subs, but I don't like them for full range audio. Tried them once and didn't like them. Also this amount of power for full range speakers is not needed. Get the A800 :)

I think the NX6000D had some revisions applied over the iNuke 6000. I found the following item listed, that the iNuke didn't have present. This same verbiage is listed for the A800 amplifier too.

* SmartSense Loudspeaker impedance compensation features fully linear frequency response at any speaker load impedance.

There also may be some additional improvements applied too. Though, just a guess at this point. I'm still tempted to try the NX6000D as there is one available locally for less than I paid for the A800 from Amazon. Though, it would require some potential fan modifications if I found it to be too noisy. Aside from that, I'm quite content with the A800. Streaming some good jazz from Amazon HD through my Sabre32 DAC and onto my JBL 530 speakers. Great presentation, balance and sound stage.
 

wje

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I did a similar test. I ran my A800 with a set of Sansui SP20,000 and Kenwood MV-7, both large horn loaded sensitive speakers. Running optical from PC to the Emotiva PT100 Preamp/DAC, the PC and A800 max gain then controling volume via the PT100 I put on HD Tracks hi-res sampler. To me excellent dynamic range and detail, dead quiet during breaks and pauses in the music.
For comparison I took an old cheap Sony STR-DE185 stereo receiver and put in place of the A800, played same songs and quickly the horns exposed a bit of distortion and hissing. I know the A800 isn't the best amp out there but it definitely is a great one for $300. An excellent amp for listeners on a budget or just getting started.

I caught your YouTube video reviews today. For my A800, I'm using it to drive a pair of JBL 530 speakers. I rarely get it loud enough to get the first LEDs to light up - unlike your review when you plugged a CD player into the amp and had it peaking. Also, on your 2nd video on the NX1000D amp, did you get it resolved? I'm curious on how the "NX" series performs as a music amp. I have an NX6000D waiting for me, but the guy isn't available until Sunday to transact.
 

HemiRick

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I'm curious on how the "NX" series performs as a music amp. I have an NX6000D waiting for me, but the guy isn't available until Sunday to transact.

I've been using a NX3000 for several months now and am very happy w it. I did replace the fan.
 
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wje

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I've been using a NX3000 for several months now and am very happy w it. I did replace the fan.

Thanks. Yes, it appears the 80mm fan is the size. Is the connector on the board a 2-pin connector? Most computer-based fans have 3 or 4 pin connectors. The ones I've been looking at are 25 dB, or relatively quiet fans.
 

HemiRick

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Yes its a 2 pin connector, most fans are PWM these days and have 3 or more wires but work fine w just the black and red hooked up, they run full speed.
 

m8o

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Falls pretty short of rated power tho.
 

A800

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Behringer watts * 0.6 = real watts.
 

wje

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Noctua NF-A8 FLX works fine.

Yes, I like that! 16 dB of noise. The other 80mm computer fans that I was looking into had 25 dB of noise. The NX6000D has 2 fans, where the NX1000 / NX1000D has just a single fan.
 

HemiRick

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I've used that Nutura fan in both the NX3000's I've modded and they are both silent w this fan running full speed.
 
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