Polk Home Audio Amps

PolkThug
PolkThug Posts: 7,532
edited October 2005 in Electronics
Maybe I'm the last to notice, but it is interesting. Looks nice, matches the XM tuner.

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/hidden/amplifiers/swa500/
Never Forget
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  • fireshoes
    fireshoes Posts: 3,167
    edited October 2005
    Yes, you are the last to notice. :)

    Had to power those in-wall subs somehow, eh?
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited October 2005
    ehhh... I'd take an Adcom 555 & a ICBM for about $300 less. Throw in a BFD if you feel like tweaking the response.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited October 2005
    Under the hood, from my pics at polkfest:

    tn_med_100_0780.jpg

    tn_med_100_0781.jpg
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • Mike682
    Mike682 Posts: 2,074
    edited October 2005
    nice pics...those caps are 200v?? Is the voltage of the caps also important??
    Receiver: harmankardon AVR235
    Mains: polk R30
    Center: polk CSi3
    Rear Surrounds: polk R20
    Subwoofer: polk PSW404
    DVD: Panasonic DVD-S29
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  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited October 2005
    Ha. I hadn't seen that yet. Sure is expensive, though.
    George Grand wrote: »
    Jstas wrote: »
    Simple question. If you had a cool million bucks, what would you do with it?
    Wonder WTF happened to the rest of my money.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited October 2005
    As everyone is usually quick to point out... that's the MSRP, not the street price. The only place you're likely to pay that much for it is in Crutchfield.

    It did sound good, but not $875 good, that's for sure. Plus, how much is it really gonna cost them to make, after all the R&D and all...
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,842
    edited October 2005
    I dunno. That sub was C L E A N, clean! It dug deep too. The other benefit is it is in-wall. No floorspace lost to a big block like an SVS. You may be able to get an Adcom amp and an SVS sub for $300 cheaper but I really doubt that it would sound just as good. That was a nice sub I heard and it wasn't even the production version. Besides, if you had the matching inwall, it blended seamlessly with the full-range units. Definlty worth considering especially if you are doing new construction or don't plan to upgrade the home theater that often. Then again, a nice as those inwall units sounded, you won't necessarily need to upgrade the speakers any time soon. Hell, I'll say it, that was the best sound in-wall system I have ever heard. Granted, my experience is limited compared to what is actually out there but those in wall units rivaled alot of the tower and bookshelf speakers I have heard.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • PolknPepsi
    PolknPepsi Posts: 781
    edited October 2005
    PolkThug wrote:
    Maybe I'm the last to notice, but it is interesting. Looks nice, matches the XM tuner.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/hidden/amplifiers/swa500/
    Nope.....I'm the last to notice, that's a very good looking amp.
    Denon #2900, Denon stereo receiver, Conrad Johnson Sonographe 120 amp, Blue Jeans cables, and Klipsch RF-7's
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited October 2005
    Jstas wrote:
    I dunno. That sub was C L E A N, clean! It dug deep too. The other benefit is it is in-wall. No floorspace lost to a big block like an SVS. You may be able to get an Adcom amp and an SVS sub for $300 cheaper but I really doubt that it would sound just as good. That was a nice sub I heard and it wasn't even the production version. Besides, if you had the matching inwall, it blended seamlessly with the full-range units. Definlty worth considering especially if you are doing new construction or don't plan to upgrade the home theater that often. Then again, a nice as those inwall units sounded, you won't necessarily need to upgrade the speakers any time soon. Hell, I'll say it, that was the best sound in-wall system I have ever heard. Granted, my experience is limited compared to what is actually out there but those in wall units rivaled alot of the tower and bookshelf speakers I have heard.

    Yeah, but we're talking about an SVS and an Adcom amp for $300 less than the MSRP on Polks sub amp ALONE. I agree that those subs sounded sweet paired w/ the amp, but $875 gets you the amp only! :o
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited October 2005
    I believe it was a class t amp. They have their benifits. I too would choose any number of other amps though. Of course I would choose a used amp anyway. I would let someone else break it in and loose the initial purchase costs before buying it. :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,782
    edited October 2005
    According to the link, it's a class D design. Class D amps are generally cheap to produce, $875 seems way too high.

    It does look sweet though...
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited October 2005
    I don't think that's a class t- looks like transistors attached to the heatsinks rather than a tripath package...
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited October 2005
    Maybe it was their in-walls with pc accesability which was t-amp based.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited October 2005
    madmax wrote:
    Maybe it was their in-walls with pc accesability which was t-amp based.
    madmax

    YEP!!!
    "SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
    CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
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  • Mike682
    Mike682 Posts: 2,074
    edited October 2005
    Mike682 wrote:
    nice pics...those caps are 200v?? Is the voltage of the caps also important??

    As uf with regard to amp reserves????

    Anyone???
    thanks :D
    Receiver: harmankardon AVR235
    Mains: polk R30
    Center: polk CSi3
    Rear Surrounds: polk R20
    Subwoofer: polk PSW404
    DVD: Panasonic DVD-S29
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited October 2005
    Mike682 wrote:
    As uf with regard to amp reserves????

    Anyone???
    thanks :D

    Voltage doesn't really buy you anything but must be high enough or BANG!

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • bknauss
    bknauss Posts: 1,441
    edited October 2005
    The amp is BASH technology (Class D variant).
    Brian Knauss
    ex-Electrical Engineer for Polk
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited October 2005
    bknauss wrote:
    The amp is BASH technology (Class D variant).

    What does that mean exactly?
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited October 2005
    ribbon wire? eh...
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    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited October 2005
    madmax wrote:
    What does that mean exactly?
    madmax

    Basically it's a way to manange power to the DC rails to improve efficiency. See:

    http://www.bashaudio.com/technologies.htm#howbashworks
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited October 2005
    I got interested. I wish I didn't. I'm now sick.
    Make it Funky! :)
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