View Full Version : Behringer A 500
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 16:47
Can anyone with experience of one of these amps give me an honest opinion? Helluva lot of amp for the money, I can run it as a mono block so looking at two. If its no great shakes sonically I would prefer to know.
I've got a couple of them for sale if you want to try them out cheap. Say a ton forty for the pair plus delivery.
Should mention if you want to monoblock them it has to be into 8 ohms or greater. Which is why I bought them and why I don't use them. Oh and they dont like the croft micro basic pre amp. But sound fine with my other pre amps.
hoopsontoast
27-01-2014, 17:13
I used a single one as the bass amp in my previous active setup. Either up to around 800Hz or 2kHz and I thought it sounded excellent, as much power as you could realistically need and it ran cool even when used at higher levels and long periods.
Mine had an issue with hum but that was solved running the front pots down to half way and using a bit more on the pre volume (or gain in the MiniDSP/active crossover).
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 17:20
Should mention if you want to monoblock them it has to be into 8 ohms or greater. Which is why I bought them and why I don't use them. Oh and they dont like the croft micro basic pre amp. But sound fine with my other pre amps.PM sent
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 18:06
Should mention if you want to monoblock them it has to be into 8 ohms or greater. Which is why I bought them and why I don't use them. Oh and they dont like the croft micro basic pre amp. But sound fine with my other pre amps.Intend to give them a go with a tisbury pre and 63s/Spendor SP1s.......some SS oumph!
Read Jerries (jandl) write up on the wam.....will give it a go and let folks know how I get on.......
Intend to give them a go with a tisbury pre and 63s/Spendor SP1s.......some SS oumph!
Read Jerries (jandl) write up on the wam.....will give it a go and let folks know how I get on.......
No disrespect, but if this amp doesn't like the Croft basic preamp, then a passive may actually be even worse.. The better solid state preamps offer a very low output impedance which should be fine I think. You can buy some good oldies for not too much - MF XP 100, original Cyrus preamp and AVI S2000 are three that come immediately to mind. I haven't used the TEC one for £60 or so, but the chip used should be good for this purpose....
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 18:53
Dave,
Will give it a go with the passive....should be interesting!!!!
Good for you and I genuinely hope it works well for you :)
I have tried one with an nva p90 passive with no issues.
Haselsh1
27-01-2014, 19:16
I used to have one of these back in 2008 along with a Samson Servo 600 and to be perfectly honest, I preferred the Samson but I know that the latest Samson's have reliability issues with an overheating resistor. As I recall, massive amounts of bass power and slam with a damn fine midrange. I'd take them seriously again if I had to.
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 19:23
looking forward to getting some serious grunt in the Frey.....put my valves back in play and just enjoying live celtic connections on bbcr2.
Jerry brought one of these amps along to one of my bakeoffs a few years ago. To me it sounded a tad loose in the bass so I put some ball bearing supports underneath it's chassis and that really did make it sound very sweet indeed.
I gave Jerry a set of these supports to take away with him, but I don't know if he actually used them subsequently :scratch:
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 20:49
Frank,
Have taken your wisdom regards supports in the past......pipe insulation malarkey!!! Look forward to having a bit of fun-any suggestions regards set up will be greatly received.
Bang for buck hi fi------the AOS way!
Frank,
Have taken your wisdom regards supports in the past......pipe insulation malarkey!!! Look forward to having a bit of fun-any suggestions regards set up will be greatly received.
Bang for buck hi fi------the AOS way!
I don't think the pipe insulation would be appropriate in the same way as coupling the amp to the rack.
If you know who "Chezi" is up in your neck of the woods (He posts on the Crossover Network) then ask him nicely if you can have a set of his balls :lol:
Alternatively, send a PM to Jerry and ask if he still uses "Chezi's Balls" that I gave him and if he doesn't use them to donate them to you.
Lastly, a set of these are as close as I can get to "Chezi's Balls" and they would work just as well methinks
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-HIGH-GRADE-ISOLATING-SPIKES-PADS-FOR-HI-FI-SPEAKERS-AND-TURNTABLE-UPGRADE-/331036806154?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speaker_Stands_Bra ckets&hash=item4d1354cc0a
wee tee cee
27-01-2014, 21:20
Frank,
Ive had great inexpensive fun following you're cable and support guidance.....happy to trust yer guidance!!!
Dauntless
28-01-2014, 15:35
I've run a pair of these amps since around 2005 in a bi-amped system, both passive and with an active Xover. My active system crosses at 3khz so one amp drives the tweeters ( Visaton ribbons ) and the other drives the Bass/mids ( Volt drivers ). I always close the attenuators when switching on or off and have never had any problems. Someone mentioned hum problems. Mine will hum with the attenuators fully open when running single ended. I should point out that these amps are not consumer product and are really designed for 'on the road or in a studio environment where they will be used with balanced connections. My two A500'S have no hum or hiss when used balanced. With an input of 1.7 volts for full output I doubt a passive would work single ended but in a studio situation where balanced is likely to equal 4v or more a passive works great. I have a Goldpoint stepped attenuator that works great. You can ofcourse use a Hi-Fi active pre and close the attenuators say half way but I wouldn't say that this is ideal. I have never used the amps bridged. More than enough power for normal operation!
wee tee cee
28-01-2014, 17:05
My intention is to run them as mono blocks with a passive pre. I will be interested to hear how they get along with statics......
Sure I sold mine to Hoops, who didn't like it, sold it, then decided one would be OK for bass duties and bought another.
In a sense he's right it does deliver loads of power for bass on the cheap. In can drive an Apogee Duetta surprisingly well and it costs zilsch in the general scheme of things. Ultimately, while initially impressive, it got a bit tiring to listen to in that situation. With the right speakers that could be different.
If you're not so keen on the mid/treble, you could do what I did - run it with a cheap Chinese valve headphone amp as a preamp for a giggle. I liked that combo with some small speakers I have. Until the Chinese headphone amp packed in, that is... surprise, surprise.
My intention is to run them as mono blocks with a passive pre. I will be interested to hear how they get along with statics......
Just seen you have Quad 63s. That combo might work OK TBH as the 63s are laid back the incisiveness of the Behringer will be no bad thing IMHO.
wee tee cee
28-01-2014, 20:51
I run t amps and valves at the moment.....some SS muscle just to hear what they can do. Wont get my knickers in a twist-unless they're complete pish!
Well you can always pass them on if you no like. An A500 is an education - well done for taking the course, LOL.
I reckon you'll be quite shocked when you hear them dump some real amps into the 63s...:)
wee tee cee
28-01-2014, 21:14
That was my thinking......be interested to hear what the do to the Spendors too!
hoopsontoast
29-01-2014, 08:18
I've run a pair of these amps since around 2005 in a bi-amped system, both passive and with an active Xover. My active system crosses at 3khz so one amp drives the tweeters ( Visaton ribbons ) and the other drives the Bass/mids ( Volt drivers ). I always close the attenuators when switching on or off and have never had any problems. Someone mentioned hum problems. Mine will hum with the attenuators fully open when running single ended. I should point out that these amps are not consumer product and are really designed for 'on the road or in a studio environment where they will be used with balanced connections. My two A500'S have no hum or hiss when used balanced. With an input of 1.7 volts for full output I doubt a passive would work single ended but in a studio situation where balanced is likely to equal 4v or more a passive works great. I have a Goldpoint stepped attenuator that works great. You can ofcourse use a Hi-Fi active pre and close the attenuators say half way but I wouldn't say that this is ideal. I have never used the amps bridged. More than enough power for normal operation!
Yes this is as I was using mine, as mentioned by Justin below, at half gain on the attenuators with my Volt Mid-Bass drivers. I have only ever used the un-balanced inputs.
Sure I sold mine to Hoops, who didn't like it, sold it, then decided one would be OK for bass duties and bought another.
In a sense he's right it does deliver loads of power for bass on the cheap. In can drive an Apogee Duetta surprisingly well and it costs zilsch in the general scheme of things. Ultimately, while initially impressive, it got a bit tiring to listen to in that situation. With the right speakers that could be different.
If you're not so keen on the mid/treble, you could do what I did - run it with a cheap Chinese valve headphone amp as a preamp for a giggle. I liked that combo with some small speakers I have. Until the Chinese headphone amp packed in, that is... surprise, surprise.
I used my first one (from Justin) as a single input integrated into some ATC SCM7s and it was not a great match, bass was fine if a little too over damped but the treble was not the best. I think if I had used a decent pre amp or balanced inputs as described it would have been a lot better.
Ali Tait
29-01-2014, 08:43
I presume the channels can be bridged to turn a stereo amp into a monoblock?
hoopsontoast
29-01-2014, 13:09
I presume the channels can be bridged to turn a stereo amp into a monoblock?
Yes, into a single channel bridged amp, so only suitable for speakers 8 Ohm+.
Ali Tait
29-01-2014, 13:19
That was my thought, a bridged example might get upset when presented with the load of a static.
Dauntless
29-01-2014, 14:06
The A500 can be upgraded. One weakness in the design is on the power supply side and was started as far as I know by Serge Auckland who runs 3 A500's in his active system. The stock unit has 3000 micro farads per side, which maybe a little bit on the low side.
More caps can be added which is what he has done. I have copied this approach with one of my A500's and I feel it does make a difference, especially with 4 ohm speakers. Behringer themselves say 8 ohm speakers are best in the manuals. I had mine modified by Arkless Electronics.
wee tee cee
04-02-2014, 15:15
One of the amps arrived safe and sound. Plumbed it in with the statics. First impressions are very good. The bass is lovely. My next door neighbour may well be enjoying some tunes this evening!!!!
Chunky70
04-02-2014, 15:45
Hi Tony.
I use two of these as monoblocks and absolutely love them. Been using them for the last 3 years and i won't be changing them any time soon.
I've dabbled with tripath (Topping tp60) and class A (Marantz pm7200) in this time but i've never been able to give up my A500 addiction! 375 w/ch just sounds so big effortless and solid it's hard to get that from anything else at the price.
At the time i bought them there seemed to be a dodgy batch that introduced crossover distortion when gains were between 50-80%. I havn't heard any distortion with mine but just to make sure i use gains up full. Had to buy xlr attenuators (-10db works just fine) as amps too noisy otherwise. I think balanced connections sound best.
I'm not even using an expensive preamp, it's a Gemini pa-7000 which is also a pro design, sounds fantastic to me.
Anyway hope you like them. You can never have too many watts!
wee tee cee
04-02-2014, 18:19
Ian,
I'm pleasantly surprised, loads of clout for not too much moola!!!!!
jandl100
04-02-2014, 22:18
Yep, very nice amps. I've had a few. Excellent vfm, imo.
Chezi's Balls, Frank? - yep,I've still got them! :thumbsup:
Dauntless
05-02-2014, 13:42
Ian, What speakers do you use with your A500's?
I use two of these as monoblocks and absolutely love them. Been using them for the last 3 years and i won't be changing them any time soon.
I've dabbled with tripath (Topping tp60) and class A (Marantz pm7200) in this time but i've never been able to give up my A500 addiction! 375 w/ch just sounds so big effortless and solid it's hard to get that from anything else at the price.
At the time i bought them there seemed to be a dodgy batch that introduced crossover distortion when gains were between 50-80%. I havn't heard any distortion with mine but just to make sure i use gains up full. Had to buy xlr attenuators (-10db works just fine) as amps too noisy otherwise. I think balanced connections sound best.
I'm not even using an expensive preamp, it's a Gemini pa-7000 which is also a pro design, sounds fantastic to me.
Anyway hope you like them. You can never have too many watts![/QUOTE]
Hi, very tempting.. how much power does this amp consume at normal levels ? The manual gives 600W but I guess that would be when run flat out :confused:
edit: anyone compared it to the similarly priced Behringer EPQ450 (stereo) ?
Chunky70
05-02-2014, 17:11
Michael, i'm using Roth Audio Oli 40's at the moment which are quite sensitive at 91db but i still think they sound better with lots of power.
This is them here:
http://www.rothaudio.co.uk/docs2/products/OLi_40_Black.shtml
This is the review that made me buy the Behringers:
http://matrixhifi.com/ENG_ppec.htm
And this is the Audio Critic review:
http://theaudiocritic.com/plog/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=22
Dauntless
06-02-2014, 00:30
Michael, i'm using Roth Audio Oli 40's at the moment which are quite sensitive at 91db but i still think they sound better with lots of power.
This is them here:
http://www.rothaudio.co.uk/docs2/products/OLi_40_Black.shtml
This is the review that made me buy the Behringers:
http://matrixhifi.com/ENG_ppec.htm
And this is the Audio Critic review:
http://theaudiocritic.com/plog/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=22
Thanks Ian, they look nice speakers! Some people, like the Guy who owns Musical Fidelity say you need real power to properly produce music. I like the power that the Behringers produce but like many things in this hobby it's controversial.
may i ask a (foolish) question in this context:
why would a more powerful amplifier make a difference at identical listening levels ??
thanks
You may have the volume set at the same level but some recordings are more dynamic than others. So the real level will vary quite a bit. If the amp does not have enough reserves of power to reproduce those dynamics without clipping it will all go to shit when the recording gets 'loud'.
actually what i meant is if the sound level is identical on a 20w or 200w amp (independently of the setting of the vol knob and at normal listening levels, would a more powerful amp sound punchier, more dynamic because it is farer away from its limits than a less powerful amp ? i hope this makes sense !
Ali Tait
11-02-2014, 08:06
Depending on the design, a more powerful amp at low volume may have less distortion, as it's operating at a small fraction of it's capabilities, so may sound cleaner.
Will depend on the loudspeakers, too.
hi all, i have finally pulled the trigger on a Behringer A500 .. it is still running in but wow, it is a lot of amplifier for the money.. first impressions are good. It is very heavy and has huge heatsinks on either side. The sound is quite powerful, bass is nice mid too but treble seems to be a bit harsh.. maybe that will sette after some running in.. but i cannot complain considering the very low price... it is so low in fact a A500 club could be envisionable :-)
wee tee cee
07-05-2014, 09:58
My son runs my pair of 500s in his room. Both are down to one channel but boy oh boy do thump out some noise. He just runs his phone into it playing spotify but its pretty impressive.
does he have a license to run TWO A500's that loud ?
:stalks:
:eek:
wee tee cee
07-05-2014, 16:24
I would rather he listens to music or plays his guitars than gaming.....the devils work!!!!
Dauntless
07-05-2014, 22:46
hi all, i have finally pulled the trigger on a Behringer A500 .. it is still running in but wow, it is a lot of amplifier for the money.. first impressions are good. It is very heavy and has huge heatsinks on either side. The sound is quite powerful, bass is nice mid too but treble seems to be a bit harsh.. maybe that will sette after some running in.. but i cannot complain considering the very low price... it is so low in fact a A500 club could be envisionable :-)
I have 3 A500's and none have harsh treble! My two pairs of speakers both have ribbon tweeters ( Visaton ) and are revealing in the treble
walpurgis
07-05-2014, 23:10
I have 3 A500's and none have harsh treble! My two pairs of speakers both have ribbon tweeters ( Visaton ) and are revealing in the treble
Many speakers are accused of harshness at the top end, when it's the system components feeding the speakers that are the culprits.
interesting ! i swapped out the XLR's between the DAC and the A500 and it seems to have resolved the "harshness" although that probably wasn't the right word to describe the "problem".
I am really pleased with what I am hearing. The amp has been running for 72 odd hours now. It can go effortlessly loud ;-) and still keep it's composure. nice !
PS It is in a stereo configuration. Spotify 320kbs > DAC > XLR > A500 > LS1 > KEF LS50
Is this a Class D amp? I can't seem to easily find out what the drivers are.
Is this a Class D amp? I can't seem to easily find out what the drivers are.
I think it is AB
specs are here (http://www.behringer.com/assets/A500_P0217_M_en.pdf)
quick update: i am loving this amp. it probably isn't the most revealing piece of kit but it has a natural way of making the music sound real, especially live performances.
As stated, i'm using it with balanced XLR cables and it is dead silent.
Great stuff for the price of a pair of IC's ;-)
Measured consumption is around 20-25wh at normal listening levels which seems very reasonable.
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