Alesis Power amps
- Thread starter gbondo9
- Start date
tarnationsauce2
Welcome to the jungle.
I have an Alesis RA500 powering my main monitors.
But most of my critical listening is through my near field monitors that are powerd by Stewart amplifiers.
The RA 500 is better sounding than the Carver TFM-25 amp it replaced.
Granted the RA 500 has more power. The noise floor and transient response are fantastic. The Carver had just as good transient response and dampening. The noise of the Carver and Alesis were measured with a scope and the Alesis was a lot quieter, not to mention it was audibly quieter. Also the slew rate of the RA500 was slightly better with my measurements on an 8-ohm load. Not to mention the fantastic frequency response of the RA500. Also when the Carver would get near full power the THD was more prevalent.
Another thing to note, the RA series of amps are not an op-amp power stage, they are descreet.
I think they are very underrated amplifiers. Pretty much the best band for the buck reference ampifiers around.
My only gripe with it is that it has a plastic faceplate that to me looks pretty cheap. But i've had clients ask what it is because of it's futuristic, imposing look and blue LED I'm sure.
The Carver and Alesis aren't quite a fair comparison since the Carver was originally designed for HI-FI home audio. But I have never had any other amps connected to these speakers.
But most of my critical listening is through my near field monitors that are powerd by Stewart amplifiers.
The RA 500 is better sounding than the Carver TFM-25 amp it replaced.
Granted the RA 500 has more power. The noise floor and transient response are fantastic. The Carver had just as good transient response and dampening. The noise of the Carver and Alesis were measured with a scope and the Alesis was a lot quieter, not to mention it was audibly quieter. Also the slew rate of the RA500 was slightly better with my measurements on an 8-ohm load. Not to mention the fantastic frequency response of the RA500. Also when the Carver would get near full power the THD was more prevalent.
Another thing to note, the RA series of amps are not an op-amp power stage, they are descreet.
I think they are very underrated amplifiers. Pretty much the best band for the buck reference ampifiers around.
My only gripe with it is that it has a plastic faceplate that to me looks pretty cheap. But i've had clients ask what it is because of it's futuristic, imposing look and blue LED I'm sure.
The Carver and Alesis aren't quite a fair comparison since the Carver was originally designed for HI-FI home audio. But I have never had any other amps connected to these speakers.
dementedchord
Psychotic State alumni ch
i've worked on a bunch... what does that tell you???? then again some people have been real lucky with them... biggest problem is the cheap parts... most notably vol pots... if it were my dough i'ld rather have a good hi-fi amp... adcom/nad that sorta thing...
Ford Van
Banned
Used a RA 100 at a studio. I thought something was funny, so I brought in my Hafler and me and the studio owner compared. It was a night and day difference.
The RA 100 seemed to restrict the sound. It also produced a slight "hiss" sound that was audible, where the Hafler was dead quiet at the same volumes.
The RA 100 seemed to restrict the sound. It also produced a slight "hiss" sound that was audible, where the Hafler was dead quiet at the same volumes.
tarnationsauce2
Welcome to the jungle.
No offence taken. It was easy to test and I was curious. I don't remember exactly what the slew rates were. I'm sure that in either case a human could not differentiate the difference.boingoman said: