Pyle PT8000CH 8-Channel Amplifier Review

[Sokel]

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]

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]

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:

 

[Sokel]

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]

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.

Buckeye 6 Channel Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Buckeye Hypex NC252MP based, 6-channel amplifier. It costs US $1149 as of this writing. The owner/builder is @Buckeye Amps on our forum. The looks are fine for a well-priced build: The unit is quite light courtesy of rather thin sheet...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[LTig]

Can you give an example of another multichannel amplifier that is considerably smaller?

QSC MP-A80V: 8 channels @ 200W each, 19" 1U (not 4U like the Pyle)

 

[LTig]

By the way: this is a real 8kW power amp in a 19" 2U housing: Powersoft 8k4 with 8 x 1 kW @ 4 Ohm or 4 x 2 kW @ 8 Ohm in bridged mode

The Powersoft K20 is probably the most powerful amp in a 19" 1U housing: 2 x 9 kW @ 2 Ohm or 1 x 18 kW @ 4 Ohm in bridged mode

 

[sarumbear]

QSC MP-A80V: 8 channels @ 200W each, 19" 1U (not 4U like the Pyle)

Wow!

Though not cheap at $2,995 or £375/ch

 

[sarumbear]

By the way: this is a real 8kW power amp in a 19" 2U housing: Powersoft 8k4 with 8 x 1 kW @ 4 Ohm or 4 x 2 kW @ 8 Ohm in bridged mode

$6,525

The Powersoft K20 is probably the most powerful amp in a 19" 1U housing: 2 x 9 kW @ 2 Ohm or 1 x 18 kW @ 4 Ohm in bridged mode

$4,497

 

[Prana Ferox]

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.

 

[LTig]

$6,525


$4,497

We didn't talk about money

 

[sarumbear]

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.

 

[Thunder22]

Seriously, my 20 year old self would of loved this thing. Plenty of power at a low cost.

 

[DonH56]

Last I checked FTC requirement was at 1/8 max power spec.

 

[SuicideSquid]

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.

Buckeye 6 Channel Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Buckeye Hypex NC252MP based, 6-channel amplifier. It costs US $1149 as of this writing. The owner/builder is @Buckeye Amps on our forum. The looks are fine for a well-priced build: The unit is quite light courtesy of rather thin sheet...

www.audiosciencereview.com

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]

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.

 

[AlexanderM]

Wow!

Though not cheap at $2,995 or £375/ch

And the Powersoft amps are even more expensive. The QSC in Canada is closer to $4K and the other ones are twice that, I'd just go with an AVR.

 

[peniku8]

The Powersoft K20 is probably the most powerful amp in a 19" 1U housing: 2 x 9 kW @ 2 Ohm or 1 x 18 kW @ 4 Ohm in bridged mode

This 40KW 3 phase 1U amp has been around for a decade but I have never seen anyone who actually had/used it:

PKN Audio Professional Power Amplifiers

Edit: and of course Powesoft's "new" X4 has a bit more power than the K20 (20KW vs 18)

https://www.powersoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Powersoft_X4_DS_EN_WEB.pdf

 

[m8o]

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]

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.