Pioneer A-90 Class A Intergrated amp?

[JazzBones]

Anyone know anything about this intergrated amp? I believe it is quite a hefty amp, weight ways, and supposed to be rare?

Anyone using one and if so how do you rate it?

Can someone post a picture and a few details please?

Thanks :)

[DSJR]

HiFi Choice tested the A80 and it wasn't recommended, due to the sterile sound without air and depth in the presentation. Measurements were impeccable though (apart from peak current I think), so maybe a product "engineered" purely around low distortion, letting half the music disappear in the feedback loop?

The A90 would be the flagship with more power on tap I suspect, so may be much better all round for all I know if it was the range-topper...

[Mr Kipling]

Never heard or seen one until just now.

Does look The Bum Duffer!

[dantheman91]

Funniest turntable i have ever seen lol

[JazzBones]

Thanks for the info David and pics Stephen. A brute of an amp which I believe weighs in at about 30Kg not that this means anything. Also believe price was UK£3,500.00 (?) when new. Gives me the impression that alot of engineering went into this box but if it was built to major on purely measurement criteria then maybe its not that great?

[Beobloke]

I've not heard one so cannot comment, but can't help thinking that didn't the Japanese make some other high end items that measured very well, were routinely castigated by the hi-fi press of the era and yet actually turned out to be rather good?

What were they called now? Let me see. Direct Drive Turntables or something like that I think...

;)

[The Grand Wazoo]

.......can't help thinking that didn't the Japanese make some other high end items that measured very well, were routinely castigated by the hi-fi press of the era and yet actually turned out to be rather good?

Yes there was quite a lot of that protectionist crap and not just in the realm of hi-fi.

[HoraceW]

The amp is a beast and quite refined with bags of reserve and good on detail. Nice copper chassis and good quality components. Around the 200 watt output mark. Had a session too many years ago with one of these along with the Series 20 A-27 amp and an M-22 (although the M-22 is not an intergrated amp). The M-22 with a good preamp won me over at the end of the day. The M-90 was around the US$1100 mark when new.

A-27 on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE0jPkxGHeE

M-22 on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx3HcZoBHX0

Hugh

[Mr Kipling]

I've not heard one so cannot comment, but can't help thinking that didn't the Japanese make some other high end items that measured very well, were routinely castigated by the hi-fi press of the era and yet actually turned out to be rather good?

What were they called now? Let me see. Direct Drive Turntables or something like that I think...

;)

Yeah. . .

Absolute shite. . .

[flo1984]

too good amp comparing with £5-10k from today amps.

[SansuiSushi]

I saw one of these in Japan, in a used electronics shop, absolutely gorgeous build quality, I had a nice moment twiddling the knobs with a big grin on my face