Sound:
I'm using this amp in a home hifi system with a Logitech Transporter and some great speakers & subwoofer. This is my first pro-audio amp, and I'm really impressed. Previously I've tried various home-use amps from Bryston, Musical Fidelity, NAD, Parasound, etc. Sonically this Samson Servo 120a product is equal to, or better than, all other amps I've previously tried. It is powerful, punchy, alive-sounding, and uncolored - simply fantastic sound. Although we usually listen at low-to-medium levels, this amp also has *plenty* of power to reach our loudest listening levels with ease - and the level meters never even reach half-way toward clipping even on the musical transients. Excellent ability to resolve all the innermost details of a recording (better than all other amps I've tried).
Feature:
Things to love about this amp: Speaker protection relay circuitry (no speaker "thumps" when powering on or off the amp), individual level dials, level led's, balanced connections, separate power cord, high-quality speaker binding posts, speaker-mute button, fan-less design, already-installed rubber feet, absolutely quiet operation of the unit (i.e. no transformer hum or buzz coming from the amplifier itself, and also no hum/buzz/hiss etc from the speakers - this amp is perfectly quiet). This amp does not even get hot (only barely warm) with extended operation.
Things I wish this amp also had: Balanced XLR inputs (instead of balanced TRS), and auto-on "signal-sense" capability (e.g. like the Parasound amps have. These would have made the amp literally "perfect" in my book - but these are obviously only *very* minor wishes, and would certainly not stop me from buying another one of these amps! I use XLR-female to 1/4"-TRS cables between my Transporter and amplifier (cables purchased online from Blue Jeans Cable), and will probably use a remote-controlled high-current powerstrip for convenience (instead of always getting up to turn the amp on and off from its front power-button).
Ease of Use:
Simple to use - probably could not be simpler! Just plug in and play, and it sounds fantastic right out of the box.
Quality:
This is an *extremely* well-made and solid product - this was immediately apparent when unpacking it. Absolutely bulletproof in design, I can see why pro-audio amps are ready for either fixed-use or taking on the road. It has a very nice minimalist look to it in a stereo rig, and the led's are actually very cool to watch during operation as well.
Value:
This is my biggest surprise - that you can get an amplifier of this extraordinary high quality, without paying "name-brand hifi price" (i.e. Bryston, Musical Fidelity, etc). I suppose that pro-audio manufacturers make and sell so much product, that the resulting economy-of-scale allows them to sell this kind of quality for a much lower price. Don't let the price fool you! This product is low-priced, but not "cheap" in any way whatsoever.
Manufacturer Support:
Haven't needed any support yet (I doubt that I will ever need any support - this is an extremely well-built amp).
The Wow Factor:
At this point in my life after trying so much different home hifi gear over all the years, I'm all about practicality and function instead of glitz and shiny color. :)
This product just works and does a fantastic job - this is its real appeal to me.
Overall:
I'm very happy about finding this amp. I don't know if other pro-audio amps are as satisfying as this one, but I really wish that I'd discovered this amp a long time ago. It seems to me, that other hifi enthusiasts would be *very* pleasantly surprised, if they were willing to try one of these in their systems. It also seems to me that there is an assumption that pro-audio must not be suitable for home hifi use - probably the lower prices must lead to this assumption, along with the sales pitches provided by the upper-end home-hifi manufacturers.
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Sound:
used in a tuned room with early '70's ceiling-hung loudspeakers. Lows are full, highs are clean and crisp. Maybe just a bit of harmonics approaching above 15khz, but without better equipment to test, I can't say for sure. With confidence I can say I haven't heard anything I didn't like, and this is installed in a finitely-tuned room. I'll happily purchase another...
Feature:
auto mute circuit prevents on/off pops. nice metering. nice size. short protection, and it doesn't get very warm.
Ease of Use:
It's a basic amp with no frills but terrific quality. plug in and go.
Quality:
solid, cool running, low profile controls that don't snag loose clothing, solid chassis. Outstanding sound.
Value:
I wanted a high quality amplifier for room monitors. I didn't want, and I didn't want to pay for, extra features. Solid amp, does what it should, does it well. I'm sold.
The Wow Factor:
Doesn't advertise itself.
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Sound:
This unit has excellent sound, clean, clear, and no noisy fan. I use it with Alesis Mk2 passive monitors, and I am very pleased.
Feature:
Excellent features, simple and rugged.
Ease of Use:
No learning curve, just plug it in and use it.
Quality:
Lots of metal, durable, and expect a long lifetime from this amp.
Value:
Excellent value - lots of power for studio monitors, and didn't see anything better for the price.
Manufacturer Support:
I had some issues with other products from this company, and they were great to work with. They sent me replacement parts as needed. This amp has been without issues, so no need for customer service.
The Wow Factor:
The design is simple, and it is heavy. The weight speaks of quality components.
Overall:
I do not expect to upgrade this unit. I would buy another one if I had to replace it.
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