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Pioneer A400 at CC - any good (really?)

beammeup

beammeup

pfm Member
There's a Pioneer A400 at the well known Cash Converters for £125 - is that worth it?

Are they really any good or was it all hype at the time and a big marketing push from mags like What Hi-Fi (I always did wonder).

I'm tempted if it genuinely was a giant killer. But even £125 seems a little steep I would rather spend < 100.
 
That is a bit expensive, usually worth about £100. They have parts which need to be replaced over time...can't remember what though...
Best way with CC is to get it cheaper by part exchanging some old crap...you do have some old crap don't you ?
 
I suppose so - or I could barter down to under 100.

But I'm assuming it's as good as they say it is then ...
 
I've seen higher Pioneer models (the 676 for example) go for cheaper on ebay, the hype has just increased the price imo
 
It was only ever a budget amp as I recall, albeit one that picked up a lot of worthless What Hi-Fi accolades etc. I'd be looking at the more upmarket Japanese amps of the preceding generation.
 
In this part of the world, the original A400 fetches quite a premium compared to similar amps; that price would be a bargain for a good one.

The build quality is very good, and servicing shouldn't be a problem (there's an access panel in the base). I know of one which performed faultlessly from new (1991) until it was sold a couple of years ago.

They major on detail, together with a useful amount of grunt. PRAT wise, there are better amps around, including the later 400X.
 
The A400 was one of the most spectacularly overhyped amps ever. I well remember its arrival along with a host of 'best buy' awards. I was amazed at how average/poor it was!
 
I owned one recently, scratched an itch, my Rotel RA-04 made mince meat out of it in terms of detail retrieval & punch, sounded a little cloudy by comparison. Reminded me a little of my old pioneer stacker i owned as a kid, had a similar thinness & hardness about it, they were designed at the same time period.

i paid £80, do not pay more than £100.
 
It is tat, end of discussion. If you buy that, you are truly in dungheap land.

Get a Nait 1, 2 or 3 and you will get a much better sound.

Mick
 
Snog, marry or avoid the A400?

Definitely one to avoid IMO. Had one on loan when they were new. Hard and brash in my system. An Arcam Alpha I had at the time pee'd on it from a great height. Overrated.
 
cheap amps that are a much better option:

creek 4040,4140 etc
rotel 810,820,920 etc
arcam alpha,a60
ion obelisk one,two etc
myst tma1
nad 3020
 
Well I'm certainly not going for that A400 now!

Thanks chaps and thanks for the list of alternative amps that really are good.

I just wonder why it won so many awards if it really was that poor??
 
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