"These distortion numbers were so low that I
spent an extra amount of time checking the
test setup to see if something was being
overlooked. "
- Alan Martin
Field Applications Engineer
National Semiconductor
140 watts into 4 ohms for $1600 doesn't appear to be a big deal for a five channel amp. That is, until you peek under the hood of the Operetta AP5140. There you will find parts quality and construction that leaves the competition in the dust. What impressed me about the Operetta amps is the well thought out design. Each channel is housed in its own module. That makes for easy upgrades from say a 2 channel to a 5 channel amp. Saving you money by offering a cost effective path to upgrade the performance of your system.
Extraordinary Parts Quality
The parts quality simply astounded me. First, the opamps used were the legendary LM3886. You will find this IC in many very high priced, and highly regarded amplifiers (THD + Noise of the LM3886 is 0.1%). Nichicon and Wima capacitors, Vishay non-inductive resistors, Telflon coated silver plated copper wiring, dual toroidal transformers capable of 1900 watts and a solid aluminum faceplate round out the value features for the AP 2140 .
The Sound
As far as my listening impressions went. I was impressed with the control the amp exhibited over the bass frequencies. The extension was very impressive as well. The 5140 was fast without losing warmth that gives vocals and instruments their "body". The midrange was soothing, never harsh or glaring. If anything, this amp errs on the side of softness and warmth over harsh and brittleness. The soundstage was very wide and deep, it was really unexpected for an amp at this price. The highs were a little on the soft side, a welcome change from the brittle harshness that many may mistake for "extended" highs. I probably enjoyed this aspect of the Operetta amp the most. It was utterly non-fatiguing.
If you are looking for an entry level or budget home theater amp worthy of two channel performance, or if you are a serious bargain audio shopper, the Operetta AP5140 is a very worthy choice.
Not just another audio product from China
Last, the Jaton corporation is based here in the USA, not China. This means you have someone with local repair facilities who stands behind their product in the event a failure should happen. The amps are still manufactured in China, but you are not out your $ if anything should go wrong with your amp.
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