PIONEER A 400 OR NEAREST MODERN DAY EQUIVALENT.

[CnoEvil]

FWIW. My advice would be to hear what's currently available, before committing to an A400....you may be pleasantly surprised....or you may not. It's worth finding out though..and you've nothing to lose, only a little time (which could prove worthwhile).

I'm not against the A400 per se, but this hifi lark is an unpredictable game. Remember, something is only good, until you hear better...and by "better" I mean preferable, which is subjective.

 

[drummerman]

The A400 was never more than a budget amplifier.

It is a long, long time since I heard one. It may sound good to some for such a cheap amplifier (I didn't like it to much at the time, neither did I some years later, I found it rather sterile, grainy and detached sounding) but I very much doubt it would come even close to good modern amplifiers in the same price range. It may still be comparable to something like Pioneers A-10.

I don't think it even has a remote control 🙂

Whilst I don't subscribe to boutique parts necesseraly making a great product, looking at the A400 innards makes me think you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear either ...

I would use a Sony STR-DB930 over the pioneer anytime in 2channel mode ... actually I do 🙂

Imho there is to much misplaced nostalgia involved here.

The OP asked for the closest comparison in modern amplifiers hence my earlier suggestion of the A-6/9 but I am sure you could do much better with some of the suggestions such as Roksan, Rega, cyrus, Naim, Primare, Abrahamsen, BelCanto etc etc . especially with a budget of £2000 or more.

 

[Electro]

Abrahamsen v2.0 £699 new Or v2.0 up for £899 Plenty of current for the r300s

A very good recommendation *smile* .

KEF use Abrahamsen designed Electrocompaniet amplifiers to develop and demo speakers at the KEF Maidstone factory .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2coIJf1pn0&feature=related

 

[plastic penguin]

Abrahamsen v2.0 £699 new Or v2.0 up for £899 Plenty of current for the r300s

A very good recommendation *smile* .

KEF use Abrahamsen designed Electrocompaniet amplifiers to develop and demo speakers at the KEF Maidstone factory .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2coIJf1pn0&feature=related

And Arcam... and Marantz source of some description....

 

[plastic penguin]

Whatever shortlist the OP has, he needs to dem all alongside the A400

 

[MajorFubar]

Wonder how my old PM66KI compares to the legendary A400...never heard them side by side, but from my memories of hearing the A400 back in the day, I'd expect its delivery to be a bit more clinical.

 

[matthewpiano]

The A400 totally out-performed its price-point at the time, and the biggest shortfall was the fact that the price lead many people to pair it with sources and speakers that just weren't good enough for it. With a very good source and the best speakers you can get, it will perform superbly.

I've had systems based around 3 different A400s over the years. A particularly memorable one was with a Marantz CD63MkII KI Signature and a pair of Quad 11Ls, but it sounds even better with the Apollo-R and Dynaudios. I've been listening to music all afternoon and I haven't felt any draw towards putting the Pioneer away and bringing the Brio-R back into the system. Music has included Mahler, Bloch, Nick Drake, Nancy Kerr, Efterklang, and the new albums from Spock's Beard and A-Ha and it has all been hugely enjoyable and involving. Not a hint of being clinical or grainy, just sheer involvement and musicality with a particular talent for conveying the tonal qualities of different instruments and voices, and for really showing the differences in production between recordings.

The A400 is unlikely to let you down unless you let it down with ancillaries that aren't up to the job. Having said that, if you want to spend your budget and buy something new have fun exploring some of the options suggested above. PP's suggestion is good if you can achieve it - take an A400 along to auditions for comparison.

 

[Vladimir]

The A400 was never more than a budget amplifier.

The circuitry employed technology from the Pioneer C-Z1, including Super Linear Circuit and Clean Ground System. They even made the heatsink, bottom plate and feet with honeycomb structure for more rigidity against vibration. The low leakage Bando transformer is well tucked in behind the heatsink to contain its EMF. It's the only amp that I had that I could turn up to the max without music playing and I would hear zero hiss from the tweeters of efficient speakers.

It's a budget amp with super high-end genes. Don't hate tha playa.

 

[drummerman]

The A400 totally out-performed its price-point at the time, and the biggest shortfall was the fact that the price lead many people to pair it with sources and speakers that just weren't good enough for it. With a very good source and the best speakers you can get, it will perform superbly.

I've had systems based around 3 different A400s over the years. A particularly memorable one was with a Marantz CD63MkII KI Signature and a pair of Quad 11Ls, but it sounds even better with the Apollo-R and Dynaudios. I've been listening to music all afternoon and I haven't felt any draw towards putting the Pioneer away and bringing the Brio-R back into the system. Music has included Mahler, Bloch, Nick Drake, Nancy Kerr, Efterklang, and the new albums from Spock's Beard and A-Ha and it has all been hugely enjoyable and involving. Not a hint of being clinical or grainy, just sheer involvement and musicality with a particular talent for conveying the tonal qualities of different instruments and voices, and for really showing the differences in production between recordings.

The A400 is unlikely to let you down unless you let it down with ancillaries that aren't up to the job. Having said that, if you want to spend your budget and buy something new have fun exploring some of the options suggested above. PP's suggestion is good if you can achieve it - take an A400 along to auditions for comparison.

Why did you get a Brio-R if the A400 is as good in your opinion?

 

[CnoEvil]

FWIW. IMO. Forums should mostly be used for getting advice, opinion and suggestions. Demos are for making choices.....This is meant as a general observation and so is not being aimed at any specific comments.

Buying amps of this vintage come with inherent risks and usually need servicing.

 

[CnoEvil]

Why did you get a Brio-R if the A400 is as good in your opinion?

That's like asking a woman why she bought a new handbag, when the last one was just as good!

....Given your sense of style, I'm sure you understand. You can't have too many shoes!!

 

[drummerman]

Why did you get a Brio-R if the A400 is as good in your opinion?

That's like asking a woman why she bought a new handbag, when the last one was just as good!

....Given your sense of style, I'm sure you understand. You can't have too many shoes!!

True. Why did I ask that? 🙂

 

[matthewpiano]

Why did you get a Brio-R if the A400 is as good in your opinion?

That's like asking a woman why she bought a new handbag, when the last one was just as good!

....Given your sense of style, I'm sure you understand. You can't have too many shoes!!

Yep. Why have I bought most of the hi-fi I've had over the years? It is easy to get dragged into that feeling that something is old or budget, and that something new must be better. The Rega is a superb amp and it isn't going anywhere, but having finally done a comparison between that and the A400 in the same system, I think the Pioneer is better. Time will tell though as I go through more of my music collection. I'm sure the Pioneer could be beaten by an Elicit-R, Evolution 100A, or Exposure 3010S2D but I'd have to hear them side-by-side before being convinced enough to part with money.

 

[Vladimir]

Or shoe box sized amps for that matter.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

I believe KEF now also use Hegel's H30 mono amplifiers

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Vladimir]

 

[drummerman]

Sweet Jesus, only its own mother could love it

 

[CnoEvil]

Looks like Brian (the Robot) from confused.com

 

[tonky]

But it has it's limitations. Sound hardens when its pushed. - But it's better than a cyrus 2

tonky

 

[Andrewjvt]

Hahahahahhaa

 

[gary1961]

thanks for all the advice. I wont be looking at the hegal , too ugly but probaly sounds great. what hi fi ,say there best cd based system for £2500 is the naim 5 amp and cd player with pink triangle esprit , what do you guys think of this set up.

 

[CnoEvil]

I don't like how Naim sounds....but many people do. It's a love/hate brand.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi Vladimir

P30 and H30 look cool

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Andrewjvt]

?

Hi Vladimir

P30 and H30 look cool

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

They look much better in the flesh than in the magazines though as they are very solid.