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Why the hell won’t they give us meters?

Oh man...I went meter crazy around my third year in the hobby. At one time I had Onkyo M-504, Denon POA-1500, a pair of Soundcraftsmen MA5002, and a Phase Linear 700B in the house. Then I got my hands on a Threshold S/300 with its gorgeous aluminum case work and almost instantly my fetish for meters dried up like a slug in a salt mine. The fact that it sounded so much better than all the other amps surely hastened my change in taste, and I actually started to feel like the Onkyo was a little cartoonish...like a Kardashian ass. I don't dislike meters now, but do feel like there's a right and wrong way to execute them, and can appreciate the aesthetic when it's done right (by my tastes). I use the two Soundcraftsmen units for my subs now, and think the meters displayed in the background...kinda hidden rather than screaming for attention...makes them seem more, um, functional. Which I like.

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elitopus said:
Most of my amps have meters or clip lights. I have a bunch of pro Mosfet amps. Ashly, Hafler, SCS..... Mostly Ashly.

I find the meters helpful when setting the gain. I listen loud, and it helps me keep the system within its limits.

I don’t think meters are as useful for the 1 watt crowd. But still cool to look at.
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You're about the only person I've seen here that owns Ashly amps other than me.. You wouldn't happen to know anyone that works on them would you?

I've got one that one channel seems to be slightly distorted on. Had a friend look at it. Even though he can build an amp, he's not too versed in pro amps, and couldn't find the issue.. I'm hoping there's not a bad transistor..
 
similost said:
That's a great looking amp too.. Never heard of Belles..

LOL.. yeah... I've got too many too.. I think I have 7, or maybe 8 pro amps.. and a couple "home" amps.. a couple Audio Source (with meters) and somewhere I have a NAD.. My newest is a Wharfedale MP1800

Haven't used it much, the fan is a little louder than I'd like, but it's a beast too... Using it for subs in my shop..

MP1800-02.png
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A couple of pro amps but heavy vintage iron not today's lightweights. At 400W/channel into 4ohms stable into 2ohms it's my most powerful amp. I also have it's smaller sibling the A600 with 300W/channel without a fan, both just beasts.

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similost said:
That's a great looking amp too.. Never heard of Belles..

LOL.. yeah... I've got too many too.. I think I have 7, or maybe 8 pro amps.. and a couple "home" amps.. a couple Audio Source (with meters) and somewhere I have a NAD.. My newest is a Wharfedale MP1800

Haven't used it much, the fan is a little louder than I'd like, but it's a beast too... Using it for subs in my shop..

MP1800-02.png
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The Belles looks even more impressive topless:D it's simplicity just lets the music flow.

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That's why I picked up this Wharfedale. I got it and another amp, and I can't remember what it is at the moment, and I'm using it in the shop.. but both for $300 and like brand new. Came out of a studio a guy shut down after a stroke...

It's also stable to 2ohms.. Here's what the insides looklike and some numbers. I'm running it bridged at 4 ohms for my subs..

MP2800-05.png

  • 8 Ohm 2 x 300 Watts
  • 4 Ohm 2 x 600 Watts
  • 2 Ohm 2 x 900 Watts
  • 8 Ohm Bridged 1 x 1200 Watts
  • 4 Ohm Bridged 1 x 1800 Watts
Response 5hz to 30khz,
Distortion (1 W) <0.05%
Damping Factor >300
Talk about moving some air with the subs hanging on it..
 
1C2B0C1C-7288-4084-9C3B-7246437280A4.jpeg Ok first off meters totally kick ass! Secondly who in the hell listens to music so loud that their speakers are clipping?! That would easily be 105dB’s and that’s so loud I could take it for maybe one song. Not sure how deaf you guys are but that’s ear ringing the next day loud
 
LOL.. 105db... Somewhere around here way back in time, there is a picture I'm holding up a meter in my basement that is reading 130something db...

Believe me, I clip big pro amps more than I should...
 
I do kind of like them on my Marantz 2270 and I have to admit that aesthetics does play some role in my choices of gear. That being said though, meters aren't really all that important to me. If I was in the market for an amp and my choice was between two, one with meters and one without, assuming that neither was really ugly, I'd go with the one that sounded a bit better...
 
Meters enhance the WAF when considering a purchase, at least in my home.

Once I get the amp of my dreams I'd probably seldom use them.
 
My go-to when I want meters is a pair of Simpson analog meters set to measure ac volts, hooked up to the amplifier out, running parallel to the speakers.
 
ducati_EL34 said:
That is how my PAS3 preamp in my pic is wired. No bass or treble, just volume, source selector, and power switch.
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Same with my PAS2, bypassed the tone controls when I redid it, knobs are still there but only because I liked the beat up faceplate.
 
GChief said:
Same with my PAS2, bypassed the tone controls when I redid it, knobs are still there but only because I liked the beat up faceplate.
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I have my faceplate and it is in good condition. I just wish the faceplate was not held on by the control shafts.

I may have to get creative and drill some counter sink holes in the plate to secure it to the chassis and remove all of the unused controls.
 
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