Outlaw 2220 Review (Monoblock Amplifier)

[mario_rouge]

Sabaj A8 ICEpower 125asx2 270 watt monoblock costs only $ 259.

Sabaj A8 Icepower 125w*125w power amplifier

Sabaj A8 Icepower 125w*125w power amplifier

hifi-express.com

 

[don'ttrustauthority]

2 of these or 1 Schiit Vidar?

Looks like 2 of these for $99 more than 1 Vidar get's you the power of 2 bridged Vidar. Exceptional value. You get the flexibility of monoblocks and XLR runs so you can keep speaker runs short. These are going to be interesting to look at, especially as Schiit is anticipating a new high power monoblock of their own, but in the $3k / pair price range.

 

[laudio]

Yes, IMO it's worth comparing the Outlaw with Hypex-based amps from Audiophonics in particular. Apart from performance, efficiency also needs considering these days. We've got huge energy price rises coming our way on top of a need to reduce our carbon footprint.
<https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/amplifier-audiophonics-workshop-c-6421.html>

Even with high prices the energy price differential of running a Hypex vs something like this isn't going to amount to much. That said I like my Hypex amp and listen to class D mostly these days but also really like these Outlaws because they remind me of old school 80's class AB. Now... if your talking about a Nak PA 7 that draws 3A's in idle - I get the point.

 

[Rottmannash]

@amirm I don’t think you’ve measured this properly. Can you run the entire suite of tests again but this time plug it into a PS12?

(Joke, I’m just joking …)

...just imagine the increase in power when fed by the ground-breaking PS Audio PS12! On second though...nah.

 

[iraweiss]

Even with high prices the energy price differential of running a Hypex vs something like this isn't going to amount to much. That said I like my Hypex amp and listen to class D mostly these days but also really like these Outlaws because they remind me of old school 80's class AB. Now... if your talking about a Nak PA 7 that draws 3A's in idle - I get the point.

Before getting my three Outlaws I tried a Stereo Hypex NC502MP NCore Amplifier 500WX2 - 12V Trigger. It was put together buy a person who has had several reviews of this site and cost $749 with free shipping. I was connecting it to an older receiver with an RCA rather than XLR connection and it had a loud hum which I corrected with a Pyle PHE400 Compact Mini Hum Eliminator Box - 2 Channel Passive Ground Loop Isolator, Noise Filter, AC Buzz Destroyer, Hum Killer w/ 1/4" TRS Phone, XLR Input/Output, Uses 1:1 Isolation Transformer.

It sounded fine but had two issues I could not live with so I returned it. The first was that it ran very hot, so much so that I got an AC Infinity fan to cool it down. The second far more serious to me was that it made me dizzy. I am sensitive to electronic radiation and I could not be in the room with the amp.

As background, because of my sensitivity we do not use Wi-Fi in our house. Everything is connected by Ethernet. I could not tolerate the radiation from a Roku and when I was looking for a new TV could not consider an LG or Samsung model as the Bluetooth features could not be defeated.​

​

When I turned on the amp I immediately became dizzy. I tried using it off and on to give it a shot but I could not tolerate it. I was very distraught as the amp both looked and sounded beautiful. For me Class D amplifiers and those using switching power supplies like the new Emotiva were out as well so I l looked at older designs (Class AB/Class D) with heavy transformers.​

I returned the Hypex for a refund. Lesson learned.

I apologize for the large text above. I cut and pasted from an email and it came in as you see it and I could not figure out how to change the font size.

 

[SEKLEM]

Sabaj A8 ICEpower 125asx2 270 watt monoblock costs only $ 259.

Sabaj A8 Icepower 125w*125w power amplifier

Sabaj A8 Icepower 125w*125w power amplifier

hifi-express.com

I trust the headroom on the Outlaw more, as well as performance overall. Historically ICEPower is "acceptable" at best, nowhere near leading edge of modern Class D amplification.

 

[Shazb0t]

As background, because of my sensitivity we do not use Wi-Fi in our house. Everything is connected by Ethernet. I could not tolerate the radiation from a Roku and when I was looking for a new TV could not consider an LG or Samsung model as the Bluetooth features could not be defeated.​

​

When I turned on the amp I immediately became dizzy. I tried using it off and on to give it a shot but I could not tolerate it. I was very distraught as the amp both looked and sounded beautiful. For me Class D amplifiers and those using switching power supplies like the new Emotiva were out as well so I l looked at older designs (Class AB/Class D) with heavy transformers.​

Come on.

 

[kapardian]

What is the sound signature of the 2220? Transparent, warm, more like class D? I read that below 80watts it class AB, at 80 watts switched to G. not sure how that works.

 

[kapardian]

I own the RR2160, the sound is transparent, fast, neutral. Can be little harsh at vey very high volumes.
Great value

 

[sarumbear]

I could not tolerate the radiation from a Roku and when I was looking for a new TV could not consider an LG or Samsung model as the Bluetooth features could not be defeated.
When I turned on the amp I immediately became dizzy.

I am very sorry to hear this. I never heard such an illness. May I ask some information links? I want to educate myself.

BTW, did CRT TVs affected you? They emit a lot of RF too?

Thank you.

 

[DonH56]

I read that below 80watts it class AB, at 80 watts switched to G. not sure how that works.

I do not know at what power it switches, but the amp core remains class AB. Class G uses an AB amplifier that switches among two or more different supply rails on demand. That is, at low power the voltage rails are at a lower voltage, and when big peaks come along or you turn it up past some threshold so that more power is required, the supply switches to higher voltage rails. The amplifier core is (practically) unchanged. It may run along at +/-25 V (or whatever) output power supply voltage, switch to say +/-50 V to handle a loud peak, then drop back to +/-25 V after the peak has passed.

That lets the amp run much cooler most of the time, wasting less energy, only switching to higher power (voltage rails) as needed.

HTH - Don

 

[iraweiss]

I am very sorry to hear this. I never heard such an illness. May I ask some information links? I want to educate myself.

BTW, did CRT TVs affected you? They emit a lot of RF too?

Thank you.

No problem with CRTs. Had an issue with early cell phones. I've explained this to my PCP and neurologist. My brother the doctor did find some literature on this.

I tested my sensitivity at Best Buy when looking at an LG OLED. I tried the LG OLED remote and immediately got dizzy when operating the TV. I pulled out the non-communicating remote I brought from the LG 24" HDTV I use as a computer monitor (in front of the Best Buy blue shirt). It operated all the features I tried with no dizziness as there is no back/forth communication between the remote and TV. There could have been functions that were unaccessible with that simpler remote. I went with a Sony TV as the communicating functions can be turned off.

There must be a difference between power or frequency used by Bluetooth TV remotes/TV and the low power medical devices I use to communicate with my phone: Garmin watch, Kinsa thermometer, Kardia EKG and Omron blood pressure as I have no problem with them.

Is Magneto's helmet available for purchase and is it covered by my insurance?

 

[iraweiss]

Come on.

Thank you for the sympathetic ear.

 

[sarumbear]

No problem with CRTs. Had an issue with early cell phones. I've explained this to my PCP and neurologist. My brother the doctor did find some literature on this.

I tested my sensitivity at Best Buy when looking at an LG OLED. I tried the LG OLED remote and immediately got dizzy when operating the TV. I pulled out the non-communicating remote I brought from the LG 24" HDTV I use as a computer monitor (in front of the Best Buy blue shirt). It operated all the features I tried with no dizziness as there is no back/forth communication between the remote and TV. There could have been functions that were unaccessible with that simpler remote. I went with a Sony TV as the communicating functions can be turned off.

There must be a difference between power or frequency used by Bluetooth TV remotes/TV and the low power medical devices I use to communicate with my phone: Garmin watch, Kinsa thermometer, Kardia EKG and Omron blood pressure as I have no problem with them.

I wish you all the best. I hope they will find a cure or at least diagnose the exact cause soon.

 

[iraweiss]

I wish you all the best. I hope they will find a cure or at least diagnose the exact cause soon.

TY

 

[DonH56]

A quick search turned up mostly marketing:

Symptoms of Electromagnetic Radiation Sickness EMFS

Symptoms of electromagnetic radiation sickness are for example sleep disturbances, dizziness, heart palpitations, headache, blurry sight, swelling, nausea, a burning skin, vibrations, electrical currents in the body, pressure on the breast, cramps, high blood pressure and general unwell-being.

www.emfnews.org

Are You Sensitive To EMF? The Free Guide To Symptoms and What You Need To Do To Prevent EMF Radiation Disease

“It's not me who's not well - the environment has become inferior. I am all right... I can rest in a frequency-free zone, and I'm fine...

techwellness.com

Etc.

 

[Hugo9000]

I would have thought Chuck McGill would turn up in most searches on that type of subject.

 

[Doodski]

A quick search turned up mostly marketing:

Symptoms of Electromagnetic Radiation Sickness EMFS

Symptoms of electromagnetic radiation sickness are for example sleep disturbances, dizziness, heart palpitations, headache, blurry sight, swelling, nausea, a burning skin, vibrations, electrical currents in the body, pressure on the breast, cramps, high blood pressure and general unwell-being.

www.emfnews.org

Are You Sensitive To EMF? The Free Guide To Symptoms and What You Need To Do To Prevent EMF Radiation Disease

“It's not me who's not well - the environment has become inferior. I am all right... I can rest in a frequency-free zone, and I'm fine...

techwellness.com

Etc.

I saw one statement referring to people as, "Victims." I stopped there. Thankfully, I apparently have no issues with electricity and various wavelengths.

 

[Nathan Raymond]

Come on.

While I don't want to further derail the thread, I'd recommend this for further reading for those interested in the topic:

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_hypersensitivity

 

[Appleguy33]

Nearly identical to the 2200