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Starke Sound AD4.320 Amp Review (Sample 2)

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 242 94.5%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 6 2.3%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 1 0.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 7 2.7%

  • Total voters
    256

nstzya

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Jan 23, 2021
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I canceled my order around the holidays within a day of ordering it but only after I saw the test. Still lost $100 for their order cancellation :( which they would not refund. I'd stay away from Starke - even if they fixed this issue.

@francisg I think you could push back and get that $100 pretty easily - they have a standing offer (made right here) to refund any customer dissatisfied over the power issue. This should include cancelled orders.

In addition to informing owners on the issue, our comments elsewhere should be used to inform them about the standing refund/return policy. My hope is that Starke may come out with a formal announcement on their own. But a little pressure in the meantime can help guide Starke on their journey down Schitt’s creek.
 

Walter

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Yeah, I tend to wonder if they will be releasing a 4.160 that looks (at least internally) remarkably similar in the future.
 

MerlinGS

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I canceled my order around the holidays within a day of ordering it but only after I saw the test. Still lost $100 for their order cancellation :( which they would not refund. I'd stay away from Starke - even if they fixed this issue.
Is the cancellation fee clearly stated at their website? If not, contact your credit card company (or Paypal if applicable) and dispute the charge.
 

ROOSKIE

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Wait what?
Who charges a cancelation fee for their own standard, sitting there waiting to be shipped product?
It isn't a special order, there was zero cost to them if it had not yet shipped.
Makes zero sense.
Wow, that actually triggered me more than the power issue.
How can someone see Skarke as a legit, respectful company if that is their policy. Terrible, terrible, terrible policy.
 

Chrispy

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At this point why in hell would anyone want something from Starke? Hopefully those who purchased these can at least get their money back....before that runs out.
 

nstzya

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I'd like to see some measurements of the Starke Sound A2.640. It's already been noted in another review that despite Starke's claims the first 65 Watts are in Class A, the amplifier only consumes 64-69 Watts at idle. So we know that claim is also most likely BS.

And 640 Watts @4R per channel?

Emphasis added - but draw your own conclusions. I must plead ignorance, but if you can run a frequency response, does a power test require much more time?

From: Starke Sound A2.640 Power Amplifier Review - HomeTheaterHifi.com
On The Bench
I compared in-room frequency response with other amplifiers on hand to that of the A2.640, and (as expected) found no differences. The differences that I hear from this amplifier are not frequency response related. Instead, detail, transparency, and bass control are audibly better with the A2.640, but these are measured with instruments that I do not have access to. I think that the A2.640’s excellent imaging is an artifact of an extremely low inter-channel crosstalk figure; again, this is speculation on my part. A bench test was planned for this amplifier, but due to scheduling considerations, became infeasible.
 

Dj7675

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Spocko

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nstzya

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For those interested, it's back. Generation 3? Was there another generation? I also notice that they are careful not to name the new generation - only calling them their new line of Class D amplifiers (no longer calling them digital amplifiers).


In particular, however, I notice that there is no acknowledgement of a problem with prior generations, nor more importantly a public statement of their refund offer. Perhaps time to file those FTC complaints?
 
Last edited:

audio_lover

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For those interested, it's back. Generation 3? Was there another generation? I also notice that they are careful not to name the new generation - only calling them their new line of Class D amplifiers (no longer calling them digital amplifiers).


In particular, however, I notice that there is no acknowledgement of a problem with prior generations, nor more importantly a public statement of their refund offer. Perhaps time to file those FTC complaints?
They had another class D amp with Icepower modules before the AD4, the D7, perhaps that is what they refer to as the Gen1?
 

nstzya

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They had another class D amp with Icepower modules before the AD4, the D7, perhaps that is what they refer to as the Gen1?
OK, that would make more sense than the possibility that what was tested and what was reviewed by these you-tube reviewers was from two different generations (just trying to give every benefit of the doubt). At least they seem to have halted sales of returned B stock (as well as new) product.

Also of note, the main StarkeSound.com site remains off-line. The one that houses all the specifications, details, etc. on the products. Only the shopping site is open.
 
Last edited:

mdzzle

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It's beginning to look to me as though Starke (unreasonably) actually might have believed that the amp was as advertised. I say that because it's one thing to engage in puffery, but the delta between specs and performance was so large here that they are treading into fraud territory. For that reason, knowing misstatements as to power specs seems less likely to me. When they learned, through Amir and Audioholics, that it isn't even in the dang ballpark, I would guess they had to go back to the manufacturer and start over with a "version 3." Hopefully with a different manufacturer.

Please note, this is not in defense of Starke--unless one believes that a complete lack of internal testing and QC failure constitutes an excuse, which I most certainly do not.

I posted on the other thread that I own two of these. Initially I tried to give Starke the benefit of the doubt but enough is enough. Three bad units (two here, one @ Audioholics), no reasonable response from Starke. I didn't think the amps sounded bad at all, but I'm returning them anyway. I emailed them asking for shipping labels. They responded the next day and said they would provide the labels after I gave them my order number and reason for the return. I provided both (quoting what they said on the thread as my reason, which is the reason--disappointed with the power output). I haven't gotten the labels yet, so I followed up again this morning. Hopefully they do the right thing.
 

KxDx

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I'm sure it will be accompanied by a slew of paid-for reviews praising it for being 10x more musical than its predecessor.

Many veils will be lifted.
 

nstzya

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@amirm,

I don't know about anyone else, but I am dying to know the position of that 110/220 V switch! Did the owner ever give you permission? And if the owner is reading, would you care to share with us what you have decided to do with your unit?
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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@amirm,

I don't know about anyone else, but I am dying to know the position of that 110/220 V switch! Did the owner ever give you permission? And if the owner is reading, would you care to share with us what you have decided to do with your unit?
He gave me permission but with the worry that if it gets discovered the return would be denied. So I chose to send it back without it. It would be so easy for the company to show the switch to us as the problem and avoid returns if that were the cause anyway.
 

nstzya

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He gave me permission but with the worry that if it gets discovered the return would be denied. So I chose to send it back without it. It would be so easy for the company to show the switch to us as the problem and avoid returns if that were the cause anyway.

Sounds like you answered both the question to you as well as the one to the owner. ;-)
 

francisg

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Feb 15, 2021
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Is the cancellation fee clearly stated at their website? If not, contact your credit card company (or Paypal if applicable) and dispute the charge.
they did state a cancellation fee but not clearly at time of order - in a more obscure policies page. I went back and forth with them and Paypal. i gave up trying.
 

francisg

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Feb 15, 2021
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@francisg I think you could push back and get that $100 pretty easily - they have a standing offer (made right here) to refund any customer dissatisfied over the power issue. This should include cancelled orders.

In addition to informing owners on the issue, our comments elsewhere should be used to inform them about the standing refund/return policy. My hope is that Starke may come out with a formal announcement on their own. But a little pressure in the meantime can help guide Starke on their journey down Schitt’s creek.
That was my thinking. I tried but after wasting a couple of hours between Paypal and Starke, I felt it would be more beneficial to warn others than to waste more time since they weren't budging.
 

nstzya

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That was my thinking. I tried but after wasting a couple of hours between Paypal and Starke, I felt it would be more beneficial to warn others than to waste more time since they weren't budging.
May I suggest perhaps filing an FTC complaint? May bring some satisfaction. Or results.
 
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