Story on Monster amps 3250 multichannel

jabrax
jabrax Posts: 315
edited June 2006 in Electronics
I see many Monster signature mpa3250 high pwr amps brand new for 2000 less than retail....How much of a profit is built in that someone can sell for 1/3 retail? Seems almost a too good to be true scenario...Are these amps good for the money and worth buying?
TV...............Hitachi 42hdS52a plasma (sexy one with the swival)
Pre/Processor - Emotiva MMC
Seven Ch AMP - Emotiva LPA
Fronts - Tyler Acoustics 7U's
Center - Polk LSIC
Sub - DSWPRO600
DAC - Music Hall 25.3CD - Marantz cc4001
Blue Ray - PS3
Speaker cables - Audioquest cv4 dbs
Interconnects - MIT AVT1's
Power Filter....Monster HTS 3500 MKII
Post edited by jabrax on

Comments

  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited May 2006
    It looks like Monster may use its cable pricing scheme for all of its products. Recall your findings for all future Monster purchases.................
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
  • amulford
    amulford Posts: 5,020
    edited May 2006
    Just goes to show you the margins when your marketing is that overhyped. I doubt they are worth retail, but I have this thing about M...
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,798
    edited May 2006
    Monster has about 70% mark up.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited May 2006
    their new amps aren't designed in house, which speaks well of them. They look good, and have impressive specs, especially their weight- which should say something of build quality. But there's just something about that company.. $3500?!?


    http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/products/monster/mpa5150ss.html
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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
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    This may be one of the few cases where monster actually marketed a good product but got done in by its hype and bad business practices in other areas. They look just like the company's voltage regulators and even sales guys mistake them for the company's line conditioners.

    But these things were designed by Richard Marsh. I haven't listened to any of his other amps, but they do get favorable reviews. And although I haven't listened to this adcom, it mirrors my experience when upgrading, moving my lsi15 mains from my denon 3803 to a 2250.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/justin/Monster_Adcom_Shootout.pdf

    Too bad goodguys wasn't still around as they were one of the only places you could demo them. But Fry's stores converted their BOSE marketing rooms over to high-end demo rooms and you can often see the monster amps sitting in the racks up front. At their prices now on ebay, new, it seems like they're at least worth a listen...;)

    Oh ya, mounting them in a rack is a two man job. I think I threw out my back trying to mount them with rack ears :rolleyes:.
  • higgins79
    higgins79 Posts: 72
    edited May 2006
    just found and bought one on ebay for what i think is a good deal so i hope it turns out ok. i have been running my hk avr 635 to power my rti 12s. i can finally give the hk a bit of a rest and hopefully be able really crank up the volume now. i was looking at the outlaw mono block amps for awhile but i questioned how good they are due to their really small size. ( i am no audio expert but all the "good" stuff seems to be huge and weigh a ton so i got something a bit more meaty. plus i asked about the moster amps in an earlier thread and heard good things about it ( other than its $ tag of course)) anyway left you know how it turns out.
    TV ................Sony kdl52xbr4
    Reciever ........Denon AVR 988
    Amp -............Monster MPA 2250
    Bluray............Sony PS3 (80gig)
    Hddvd............xbox 360 Hddvd
    Power centers.Monster 3600II & 2600II & 1600 x2
    Voltage..........Monster AVS 2000
    Fronts ...........polk Rti12s
    Center ..........polk Csi5
    Rears.............polk Fxi5s
    Sub ..............Infinity PS12
    cables............Monster / DIY
    Video games...XBOX 360 / Wii
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    Yes,

    Please post your opinion on how they sound with your setup. I'm curious to hear what other people think of them. Just remember to have a buddy around to help you get it into your rack. I really wasn't kidding about how difficult these things are to move around. And they are one of the longest amps I've seen as well which throws your center of gravity all over the place even trying to get the things out of the double box they ship it in...:D

    You should be pleasantly surprised by the move up from the receiver. It's very rare to find an amp new for under a thousand dollars that can pump out 400 W per channel into 4ohms without breaking a sweat. It's like these amps on the bay are "falling" off trucks, or retailers who can't move them are sending them off to liquidators.
  • thehaens@cox.net
    thehaens@cox.net Posts: 1,012
    edited May 2006
    FWIW I have the 2250 that I purchased on close out at The Good Guys, I have had it running my SRS 1.2's for about 4 months now, and couldn't be happier with the purchase. I really is underrated, I have the meters consistently over the rated 250wpc, and it doesn't even break a sweat. I was using a Parasound HCA-1500 and have to say that the 2250 really is more amp than the Parasound. No reservations at all on the purchase. Enjoy it, especially at the cost you can get it for on ebay..

    scott
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    I was just curious to see how much they were going for these days, and a new, 3 channel 3250 with high feedback just sold for $685. You can barely get two outlaw monoblocks for that. Now that's just silly :rolleyes: ...
  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited May 2006
    My cost on their 3 channel, $3k amp, was $1200.
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    Ya, I got a 2 channel for my mains, was so happy that I got a 3 channel for my center and surrounds. And they were what I thought was cheap on ebay. But $685? I know monster gets a bad rap. But I don't know how you can get that much amp for that price anywhere else. Maybe monster's close to getting out of the amp business. Their loss is our gain, I guess :D.
  • audiobliss
    audiobliss Posts: 12,518
    edited May 2006
    Wow. That MPA2250 really is a beast of an amp.
    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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  • drew spelts
    drew spelts Posts: 310
    edited May 2006
    There was a Monster SS3250 on Ebay Thursday of last week for $650 Buy It Now and I almost pulled the trigger but had just spent $400 on a $2000 Furman refrence line conditioner on ebay the week before so funds were a problem. I am more curious as to what the market will do now because these things have just started moving like hot cakes on the Bay now. Reserves on these usually end at $450 so possibly you could get one for that cheep. I have heard an opinion that stated that they might possibly be discontinuing these units. This is just a rumor with nothing substatial to back it up with but that is what I heared. I have heared from several people that they can not turn up the amp enough to show more that 10-15 amps on the digital readout which has me wondering if there is a bad batch or if those guys just don't know how to turn it up. Anyone who gets either the 2250 or the 3250 please give us polk guys at least a simple review. I would love to hear more because there is not much on the internet anywhere about the amps but it is starting to cause quite a stir in several different audio sites with more questions than answers.
    Harman Kardon AVR635
    RTi10's Up Front
    CSi5 Center
    RTi6's Rear Surround
    Furman RA-1210:rolleyes:
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    I have both and the digital meters go as far as I dared to push them to between 250-350W per channel. And that was because my ears were giving out, not the amp. And eventhough the volume was louder than I've pushed my receiver, it seemed less harsh somehow. Easier to listen to.

    I wish I could give some sort of comparison review, but I haven't owned much high end equipment until I got lsi speaks for my home theater and went on a search for seperate amplification. All I can compare it to is my denon 3803 receiver which still serves as the pre-amp for my system. But the monster has balanced inputs for when I upgrade to a real pre-amp.

    When I made the switch, all I can say is that everything seemed to become more precise, tighter. I noticed it most on classical percussion sections when bass hits seemed to snap tighter, but the listening area seemed wider, more expansive like a concert hall should sound. I'm not sure how to explain it.

    Anyways, the thing is built like a tank, sturdy. The 3250 weighs almost 100lbs and both have all metal parts including the binding posts. It just feels more rugged than any other component I've owned, like if you smacked it from the side it would be like hitting a block of cement.

    DVDs are insane to listen to now. The opening volley in master and commander had me thinking that my ceiling was actually cracking from my pole mounted lsifxs. I have a PSW450, but it seems like I'm getting a lot more bass from my 15s. Heavy sound effects like explosions seem more pronounced and crisper, if that makes any sense.

    I wish I could be more help, but I just haven't owned an amp that retails thousands of dollars before so I don't have anything to compare it to. I only know cheap, over priced, and hyped are not the words I would use to describe them. Quality, powerful, and undervalued seem more appropriate. I was really hoping someone with more experience would take advantage of Fry's liberal return policy and audition one for themselves.
  • drew spelts
    drew spelts Posts: 310
    edited May 2006
    That seems like a fairly informative review. Pretty much what I was looking for. Do you ever notice the read-outs flicker under heavy amp strain?
    Harman Kardon AVR635
    RTi10's Up Front
    CSi5 Center
    RTi6's Rear Surround
    Furman RA-1210:rolleyes:
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    It's hard to tell 'cause the meters really jump around with tough passages. But I think that has more to do with the meters keeping up with the quick changes in power rather than a reduction in overall meter brightness.
  • drew spelts
    drew spelts Posts: 310
    edited May 2006
    God, You had better glue them babies down then!!!:eek:
    Harman Kardon AVR635
    RTi10's Up Front
    CSi5 Center
    RTi6's Rear Surround
    Furman RA-1210:rolleyes:
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    Ya, right. The meters are bolted to the faceplate with no less than 14 big allen screws. 10 of the screws can also double as mounting points for the front rack ears to rack mount the beast :D.
  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited May 2006
    Is there a way to dim/turn off the front meter lights? The only reason for them is for cool factor, but I'd be irritated as hell if my eyes kept darting down to the equipment below my TV when watching a movie or listening to music.
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited May 2006
    Yes, they have multiple brightness settings including off.
  • motocrossluke
    motocrossluke Posts: 4
    edited June 2006
    I recently purchased a new MPA3250 on e-bay for 1K including shipping. It is replacing my Rotel rmb1066 that i was using in bridged 3 channel mode producing 150 watts/ channel at 8ohms. Before it had arrived i went to my local high-end audio store that I deal with to see about ordering a custom Middle Atlantic rack shelf for the amp. Middle Atlantic did not list one for the amp even though I had purchased one for my Monster HTPS 7000 signiture power conditioner.I then realized that rack mount ears were an option for the amp and asked if they would order a set from monster for me so I could mount it in my rack. Much to my suprise ,the rack mount ears (which are quite substantial) arrived 2 days later at my house via Fed-Ex free of charge from Monster. When my amp arrived 2 days later, I found out that the rack ears are included with the amp so now i have an extra set. However the amp was missing the power cord. I called monster and they immediatley sent me one no questions asked. AAA+++++ on the cust. service. I have had no problem with the amp (although I have only had it for 2 weeks) and am VERY pleased with its preformance. The sounstage is very wide and VERY detailed.I have not been able to drive the meters on the amp past 115 watts because its just entirely to loud. Very clear, but just too loud.I am using it to drive the front 3 speakers of my HT which are Paradigm Reference Studio 40's and a Paradigm reference cc-570 center speaker. I also have a pair of Paradigm reference ADP 470 surrounds and another pair of the Studio 40's for rear surrounds. All for of the surrounds are driven by my Pioneer Elite VSX 59TXI reciever which is also the pre-amp for my monster amp.My Pioneer is quite capable of driving all 7 speakers but I use the monster to drive the main front 3 speakers so it doesn't have to work quite so hard, improving its preformance on the other 4 channels and hopefully extending its life as well. I cant really comment on the bass preformance since most of my bass is coming from My Paradigm seismic 12 subwoofer and not the speakers the Monster amp is driving. The amp weighs 94 LBS making it a 3 man job to mount in my rack, but this should give you some indication as to the build quality. It IS a tank. The binding post are superb and it also has balanced inputs as well as unbalanced if you have a higher end processor.The meters can be turned off or dimmed in 12 steps of brightness. Although not of any real value (although seeing how much power some movie and music passages actually take is pretty neat and will make you realize why most lower end receivers fall short) the blue LED's are definatley cool looking in the rack. If I am playing an SACD, the sound is just amazing. Now I do have the Paradigm's being driven by My flagship Pionneer Elite receiver, being fed by My Pioneer Elite DV-59 AVI DVD player through fire-wire, plugged into a Monster HTPS-7000 power conditioner,plugged into a 100% dedicated circuit, so I expect it to sound great and it makes it hard to say that the sound I am getting is solely the product of the amp itself and not the combination of the whole system. However I believe in comparrison to the sound from the Rotel, it is better. Although the Rotel is a nice unit and a little under powered compared to the Monster. Some people are complaining about Monster having law suits filed against any other company using " Monster" in their names, but I dont know why they care. Doesn't concern me one iota.
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited June 2006
    Moto,

    Too bad you didn't ask about the rack ears before hand. Could have told you what's included in the box. Strange it was missing the power cord. Was it factory sealed?

    Another thing about rack mounting - the amp is long and will stick out a few inches from the back of even an extra long rack (won't fit in an fx rack). But the rear rack ears mount backwards facing and just reach the back of my rack mounting in the last set of holes.

    Congrats on the purchase. It's good to hear it compares favorably to the Rotel. I know mine sounds great, but I don't have experience with a lot of other amps.

    It's hard on the ears to push the meters up during most music. But I've found that classical tracks and some movies definitely will hit above the average listening level for short periods. That's how I got mine up above 250 watts per channel :D.
  • motocrossluke
    motocrossluke Posts: 4
    edited June 2006
    I do believe that the unit is new. I believe that it would be hard to replace the large staples that seal the box shut.The amp did not stick out of the back of my rack though.it was basically a perfect fit with the rear supports that they provided.I was really blown away by the level of cust. service.
  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited June 2006
    Ya,

    For all the bad rep they take 'cause of their lawyers, their customer service is A+++. They replaced some interconnects I returned with new ones fast, no questions asked. I mean wow :eek:.