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Peachtree amp500 Amplifier Review

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 4 1.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 47 19.4%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 166 68.6%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 25 10.3%

  • Total voters
    242

amirm

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $1,499.
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced Review.jpg

The amp500 comes in the same packaging of many previous Peachtree products. I wish company would innovate here as the design looks kind of dated. Then again it is very unique. This amplifier comes with balanced inputs which I very much like:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced back panel Review.jpg


When I pushed the amp, the protection circuit naturally kicked it but unlike many other amps, recovered automatically without the need for a power cycle.

The back half of the box is empty so the amp module is small. And there is plenty of ventilation on top. There was only modest temperature rise in the case post all the testing I did which is admirable.

Peachtree amp500 Measurements
The amplifier was ready on power up:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced measurements.png


Dashboard measurement shows above average performance:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced dashboard measurements.png


Noise+distortion as embodied in SINAD is well above median although well sort of state of the art:
best stereo power amplifier review.png


I could not come close to matching company spec for SNR:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced SNR measurements.png


Frequency response was flat enough and not dependent on impedance which is very good for a class D amp:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced frequency response measurements.png


Crosstalk was state of the art so I am assuming some kind of dual mono configuration:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced Crosstalk measurements.png


Multitone was respectable:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced dashboard Multitone measurements.png


Let's see how power it pumps into a 500 watt load:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced power 4 ohm measurements.png


That is a lot of power! The clipping is quite sharp though which when combined with the protection circuit, would not allow me to measure max power. But I did get peak power:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced max and peak power 4 ohm measurements.png


I think spec is 700 watts but we are close enough. Even at 8 ohm we have good bit of power:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced power 8 ohm measurements.png


High frequencies bother the amp but go lower and linearity is excellent:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced power 4 ohm vs frequency measurements.png


Finally, we have a new test: power on noise:
Peachtree amp500 stereo amplifier balanced Power on pop measurements.png


I haven't run this test on other amps to know if this is good or bad. Once I do get some mileage on it, we will better know what is going on. If I were to guess, I would say this is good performance.

Conclusions
Story here is simple: tons and tons of power with above average noise and distortion. A cool running switching amplifier in small package as well. Really, nothing much to complain about here.

I am going to recommend the Peachtree amp500.
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Sokel

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Seems like they wasted an otherwise nice performance adding this "audiophile" buffer.
Thanks Amir!
 

Sokel

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As I wondered which amp modules they used:
That's were the 127db DR measurement came for BEFORE they cannibalize it.
You can tell by the 0.3V for 0dbfs Amir used against the 5V the original module uses for full output and the 100K input impedance against the 38K of the original module.
It's a pity really.
 
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VintageFlanker

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Thanks @amirm. Some IceEdge 1200AS2 integration, which performs mostly as expected (equals: the datasheet). I lived with this module for about one year and it was obviously able to power anything.
I would suggest tho, to look at cheaper assembled 1200AS2 amps with the exact same performance. ;)
 
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Sokel

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I would suggest to anyone to look at cheaper assembled 1200AS2 amps with the exact same performance.;)
Even nicer performance as the 20x 10X (?) gain of this buffer will be missing and rightfully so,it makes no sense to have XLR that tops at 0.3V 3V.
Someone with a nice pre would outperform this buffer anyday.
For a small premium the assemblers can add a 300a2 easily,as the 1200as2 module has everything ready for this and get couple of channels more with better specs for biamplification,active setups,etc

At least it's nice to see the performance stayed clean under 500Hz,that's where I use the module.

(what's up with the broken channel?)

Edit:gain
 
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VintageFlanker

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Even nicer performance as the 20X (?) gain of this buffer will be missing and rightfully so,it makes no sense to have XLR that tops at 0.3V.
Exact. Original 1200AS2 works with 5Vrms input sensitivity & 26dB Gain. ;)

(what's up with the broken channel?)
As stated by Amir, could be his wiring. But it is anyway a common thing with others D modules (Nc1200 and Nc2k from memory).
 

Jimbob54

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@amirm in the conclusion you say "with above average noise and distortion" which on a cold read sounds bad but I think from the review you mean "above average performance for noise and distortion"
 

mdsimon2

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Even nicer performance as the 20X (?) gain of this buffer will be missing and rightfully so,it makes no sense to have XLR that tops at 0.3V.
Someone with a nice pre would outperform this buffer anyday.
For a small premium the assemblers can add a 300a2 easily,as the 1200as2 module has everything ready for this and get couple of channels more with better specs for biamplification,active setups,etc

At least it's nice to see the performance stayed clean under 500Hz,that's where I use the module.

(what's up with the broken channel?)

Where do you see that it has input sensitivity of 0.3 V? That is not what the 25.6 dB gain shown on the dashboard implies. But do agree that the buffer seems to be resulting in worse than data sheet performance.

Michael
 

Cars-N-Cans

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I like the new thump test. Brings back memories of old car amps and some basically going into near clipping at power-on and making thunderous bangs. The few mV here is quite good and it should be nearly silent at power-up Edit: Come to think of it probably not a bad idea to run the same test while powering off as well since that's where there seems to be more trouble with some amps.
 
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Sokel

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Where do you see that it has input sensitivity of 0.3 V? That is not what the 25.6 dB gain shown on the dashboard implies. But do agree that the buffer seems to be resulting in worse than data sheet performance.

Michael
Here:
index.php


Amir writes XLR in:0.233V.
Not even 0.3V!

Edit:
You're right,that's for 5W,it's close to 2-3V for full,I should have my coffee first :facepalm:
Still,that's half.
 

Sokel

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Edit: Come to think of it probably not a bad idea to run the same test while powering off as well since that's where there seems to be more trouble with some amps.
If they didn't mess up anything powering off is silent as well.
 

alex-z

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The "pop" test is a great addition, appreciate that. It can be a real concern with smaller speakers that a 60Hz burst at high power could damage something. A 10mV spike seems really low and might not even be audible.
 

AndreaT

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Not a bad amp w tons of power for not too much money. ICE modules measurements always seem behind Hypex and Purifi. Thank you Amir for an interesting and thoughtful review. Measure of noise at power-on is useful, as the power amp is the last element before the speakers and their magneto-dynamic coils.
 
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