OMG!!!! Pioneer A400!

[admin_exported]

Just taken delivery of my 'new' Pioneer A400 amp, connected it up to my Marantz CD63SE, connected new Chord Carnival Silverscreen to my Tannoy F4's and put on Dark Passion Play by Nightwish. I'm now sitting here with goose bumps! I never, ever expected it to sound this good compared to Denon 1909 and Sony BDP S350. Bass is low and controlled, I've got my midrange back again and the treble is smooth and no longer harsh and ragged. I'm hearing so much I never heard before and it just sounds so musical now. Just waiting for my Merlin Mozart interconnects to turn up now and I'll be sorted.

Also want to say a big thank you to everyone who recommended the Pioneer Amp.... just hope I get a good few years use out of it. I might even be tempted to buy another one as a spare!

Nick

 

[plastic penguin]

Nice one - I've always loved the older Pioneer stuff. They have had a marvellously controlled sound that endears it to most speakers. Up until about 3 years ago Pioneer lost their way in the 2-channel sector, concentrating more on multi-channel stuff. It's a shame because back in the antiquated years Pioneer were certainly THE company for amps [in the price sector] and tuners.

 

[Anonymous]

I have just upgraded from my Pioneer A400 to a Pioneer SA-9800 (collect on the weekend) .... this is my 2nd A400 and will never sell it (will set up a 2nd bedroom system with the A400) .... not much to touch it for the price

 

[tonky]

I have pioneer a400 and a rega brio3. I have upgraded to a cambridge 840a v2 but am keeping the other 2 as they are just so good.

cheers tonky

 

[matthewpiano]

The A400 is a superb amp. I'm really pleased that you like it. I had one for a while and I really regret selling it. I still think I might end up with another one at some point. I don't think you can beat them.

True to form, Green Home Electronics seem to have delivered quickly as well!!

 

[Pistol Pete1]

nibbo:

Just taken delivery of my 'new' Pioneer A400 amp, connected it up to my Marantz CD63SE, connected new Chord Carnival Silverscreen to my Tannoy F4's and put on Dark Passion Play by Nightwish. I'm now sitting here with goose bumps! I never, ever expected it to sound this good compared to Denon 1909 and Sony BDP S350. Bass is low and controlled, I've got my midrange back again and the treble is smooth and no longer harsh and ragged. I'm hearing so much I never heard before and it just sounds so musical now. Just waiting for my Merlin Mozart interconnects to turn up now and I'll be sorted.

Also want to say a big thank you to everyone who recommended the Pioneer Amp.... just hope I get a good few years use out of it. I might even be tempted to buy another one as a spare!

Nick

Nick,

Wanna hear that amp sing even more...........add the Marantz CD63MKII KI cd player to it for even more controlled bass extension and detail.

Always some on ebay..if you are interested....

 

[Anonymous]

Great to hear your happy with it and glad to be of service!
dont worry about it failing on you - you can keep it going indefinitely by simply replacing the PSU capacitors like i did recently. an easy and inexpensive job that will provide you with many more pleasurable listening hours.
enjoy!

 

[Anonymous]

had my 1st A400 hooked up to a Rotel cd player (cannot remember the model but was a limited edition) and a pair of IMF TLS 80 (4 way transmission speakers) ... with van den hul speaker cable (was flat speaker cable) and a silver interconnect (never had a name printed on it and all items bought from a carboot sale for a bargain)

superb sounding system with really good soundstage ... speakers were exceptional ( will get another pair and watching ebay daily)

and had to sell the whole system (for peanuts) .... as I was skint and had to keep the bailiffs away from the door....

still regret it to this day

 

[Anonymous]

Matt, you have heard both (from memory) how does the A400 compare to the NAD C352?

 

[matthewpiano]

hi fi newbie:Matt, you have heard both (from memory) how does the A400 compare to the NAD C352?

Quite different. Both excellent amps. I'd say the Pioneer is cleaner sounding, particularly at the bass end, and overall more refined. Its a difficult amp to quantify because it just sounds 'right' somehow. Its very evenly balanced and the soundstaging is superb. It doesn't quite have the weight of the NAD though - that bass-end kick is very much a NAD feature that I haven't heard on anything else.

 

[Anonymous]

matthewpiano:

True to form, Green Home Electronics seem to have delivered quickly as well!!

It came exactly when Dave from GHE said it would. Kept me informed of it's progress and was packaged really well. Would thoroughly recomend them. Amp is in mint condition too, not a mark on it..... looks brand new!

Haven't stopped listening to it since it arrived. I'm never going back to a budget AV receiver for music again.... didn't realise how bad they were!

Might need to get some inline attenuators though. Volume control is barely past 8 o'clock point and it's blasting out.

 

[Anonymous]

Never had mine past the 10 o'clock position and normally listen at the 8 o'clock position ...

9 o'clock when I've had a few ales, then the neighbours neighbours complain (old folk) ...

 

[Dr Beat]

I second all these positive ravings about the Pioneer A400. I bought mine in 1990, and i still have it, though in my den. I can still recall buying it with wages i earned working at Pan Pizza. I matched it a with Rotel CDP, and Tannoy Mercury MkII. Can't remember the cables though. But i remember buying Prince's Purple Rain CD and U2's Rattle and Hum CDs to play on the CDP.

The CDP went kaput about 7 years ago, but the Tannoy's are with me still. As for the A400, i have replaced the binding posts with some Black Rhodiums.

I think i will listen to the A400 now....................the good old days.

 

[plastic penguin]

matthewpiano:The A400 is a superb amp. I'm really pleased that you like it. I had one for a while and I really regret selling it. I still think I might end up with another one at some point. I don't think you can beat them. True to form, Green Home Electronics seem to have delivered quickly as well!!

Is the A-400 a match for good modern-day mid-priced amps, like the Kandy LIII or Rotel RA-06? As I've mentioned before I've owned the old SA-706 which, from memory, is wonderful, heard other models from earlier pioneer range, but not A-400.

I've been looking for a s/hand amp for my daughter's room, trolled ebay for months looking for a SA-706, but to no avail.

 

[Tesler]

nibbo:
Just taken delivery of my 'new' Pioneer A400 amp, connected it up to my Marantz CD63SE, connected new Chord Carnival Silverscreen to my Tannoy F4's and put on Dark Passion Play by Nightwish. I'm now sitting here with goose bumps! I never, ever expected it to sound this good compared to Denon 1909 and Sony BDP S350. Bass is low and controlled, I've got my midrange back again and the treble is smooth and no longer harsh and ragged. I'm hearing so much I never heard before and it just sounds so musical now. Just waiting for my Merlin Mozart interconnects to turn up now and I'll be sorted.

Also want to say a big thank you to everyone who recommended the Pioneer Amp.... just hope I get a good few years use out of it. I might even be tempted to buy another one as a spare!

Nick

If you can get another one for spare then go for it.

Also, if the sound of the A400 blows you away with your speakers, go and buy a pair of Grado SR80 Headphones, plug them in the headphone socket on the Amp, then prepare to die!!

The A400 wil give you years of pleasure.

Tes

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin:
matthewpiano:The A400 is a superb amp. I'm really pleased that you like it. I had one for a while and I really regret selling it. I still think I might end up with another one at some point. I don't think you can beat them. True to form, Green Home Electronics seem to have delivered quickly as well!!

Is the A-400 a match for good modern-day mid-priced amps, like the Kandy LIII or Rotel RA-06? As I've mentioned before I've owned the old SA-706 which, from memory, is wonderful, heard other models from earlier pioneer range, but not A-400.

I've been looking for a s/hand amp for my daughter's room, trolled ebay for months looking for a SA-706, but to no avail.

penguin, look through the previous thread nibbo started about looking for s/h amp as i went into this in a bit of detail.

 

[matthewpiano]

IMO the A400 is more than a match for current mid-priced amps. I think its a wonderful piece of kit and if you listen with your heart (as ifitsoundsgoodlistentoit suggests), it will win you over straight away.

 

[plastic penguin]

ifitsoundsgoodlistentoit:plastic penguin:

matthewpiano:The A400 is a superb amp. I'm really pleased that you like it. I had one for a while and I really regret selling it. I still think I might end up with another one at some point. I don't think you can beat them. True to form, Green Home Electronics seem to have delivered quickly as well!!

Is the A-400 a match for good modern-day mid-priced amps, like the Kandy LIII or Rotel RA-06? As I've mentioned before I've owned the old SA-706 which, from memory, is wonderful, heard other models from earlier pioneer range, but not A-400.

I've been looking for a s/hand amp for my daughter's room, trolled ebay for months looking for a SA-706, but to no avail.

penguin, look through the previous thread nibbo started about looking for s/h amp as i went into this in a bit of detail.

Sorry, which thread in particular are you talking about?

 

[Anonymous]

this be the one:
http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/310572.aspx

 

[plastic penguin]

Thanks for that - had a troll though and it seems thumbs-up for the A-400. There's currently a SA-506 on fleebay and from experience, it's a lovely precise amp, lacking a touch of bottom end.

 

[neil fd2]

My A400 is lying gathering dust since i loaned it to someone who returned it down on one channel. Took it apart & the cicuit board for the left channel in the volume pot is cracked. Must have been dropped. Anyone know where i can get a volume pot? It sounds too good just to bin it.

 

[Anonymous]

before I bought my 1st A400, done extensive research on google ....

many suggested that a really good combo for the A400 is to connect to a marantz CD 63 MKII K1 signature cd player and a pair of old Mission 753 speakers (not the freedom model) ....

they say there is not much to touch this combination

 

[n4d5]

Hi All

If you wanted to use the latest CD player and Speaker combination, with the Pioneer A-400, what would it be?

 

[Anonymous]

would love to get an A400 GTE (an A400 whhich was modified by Ken Evans) ... he no longer does the mods .... I scan ebay daily for one ... missed one a few weeks back on ebay ... was too late to bid but will keep trying ... have never herad one though and am going by what people say who own one

 

[Bodfish]

I'm fairly sure you mean Tom Evans...and are thinking of Ken Ishiwata who modded your Marantz