"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 $1000 doesn't appear to be a big deal for the Jaton AP2140. That is, until you peek under the hood of this beast. There you will find parts quality and construction that leaves the competition in the dust. What impressed me about this amp 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 way 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 2140 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 two channel amp, if you are looking for an upgrade path to a 5 channel home theater system, or if you are a serious bargain audio shopper, the Operetta AP2140 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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