Pioneer A-35R questions

[soundboy]

I am currently using a Cambridge Audio A500 stereo integrated amp for my speaker system and I am considering replacing it with a Pioneer A-35R stereo integrated amp. By using the Pioneer, I gain access of headphone output and phono input for the system. From my research here, this little Pioneer has garnered some very positive responses. I may even be able to cover the cost of the Pioneer with the sale of my Cambridge Audio amp.

So where can I pick this Pioneer up?

 

[terrymx]

not in production anymore. you will go to froogle.com and search for it and will find one or two places. also ebay, except you get taxes from that seller.

 

[soundboy]

Not in production anymore?

How's your Pioneer holding up?

I checked Froggle and the price for a new one is between $190.00 to $200.00

 

[terrymx]

it wouldnt be a good deal if it was in production. good stuffs are generally the underdogs.

$200 is the right price. you should still get the manufacturer warrenty. mine is doing excellent. never have a problem with it. the only thing that is lacking is a power button on the remote control itself.

i heard it can amp high impedance headphones well, not with low ohms though. i tried the latter myself and it wasnt that great.

 

[soundboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx $200 is the right price. you should still get the manufacturer warrenty. mine is doing excellent. never have a problem with it. the only thing that is lacking is a power button on the remote control itself.

Hmmm....$200.00 + shipping is cutting quite close to the price of the Cambridge Audio A340, which has a headphone jack and full remote control. One thing that iritates me about my A500 is the remote....I can only control the volume, that's it!!

 

[gordolindsay]

My local hi-fi shop had these on closeout about 2 months ago for $150. I was going to pick up a spare but I wasn't allowed

Anyway I have never had any problems with mine and using it in "Direct Mode" I notice a *significant* improvement in SQ. It bypasses the tone and balance controls, maybe other stuff I'm not sure.

Yes, it is kind of a pain because you can't turn it on/off from the remote but it's not that far of a walk to switch it on

Anyway I think it is a nice little amp for the money and has served me well so far.

 

[DJ_JonnyV]

Gordolindsay - what kind of headphones are you using with your Elite???

 

[gordolindsay]

I had the DT880's that I used with it for a while and I have the HD650's now but I have only hooked them up to it once. I use a Rega Ear right now.

I don't remember a ton about it with the DT880's (especially not enough to give a review of what I thought) With the 650's and the one time I listened to it here is what I thought compared to the Rega Ear:

1. A more airy sound. Kind of hard to describe but sounded like a larger soundstage and things were more spread apart.

2. Looser bass. With the Rega it cleans it up nicely and adds a little extra punch, the Pioneer ain't bad but the little Rega is better.

3. Better RFI/EMI blockage. I live apparently in a terrible (or excellent) place for interference. When I used the Pioneer, it completely disappeard. Now with the Rega I have 5 ferrite cores throughout my system and I have to have the headphone cord wrapped up a certain way to get the interferance down to a tollerable level.

4. More versitile for obvious reasons.

5. The Rega does sound better. It may be worth it to some, some it might not. It's not a HUGE difference but if your serious about this stuff it will be enough for you to choose the rega over the pioneer.

 

[Wodgy]

Just my 2 cents: the A-35R really does sound good. Not just for the price, either. For speakers, it's a lot smoother and more refined up top than the NAD C320BEE, with better bass as well (the C320BEE is tighter, but it's just so lean that it borders on disappointing). It has more power than the T-Amp, while sharing the same kind of clean top end that makes people like the T-Amp (and other digiamps). For high and medium impedance headphones it's also quite nice, though it's not the best choice for low impedance cans. Plus it's got a remote with input switching, tone controls that can be bypassed, etc. The A-35R is just an all around good deal, if you can find one.

 

[dk123]

I just got an a-35r a couple weeks ago. So far, I'm liking it quite a bit. I also wish the remote could turn it on/off, but for the money, what are you gonna do?

I wonder if anyone knows the specs for the headphone jack, because I sent Pioneer an e-mail asking about that, and they replied that they would have to look into it, and never got back to me. I'm wondering how the amp would do with some HD595s, since I was thinking of getting a pair, but since people are saying it's not so good with low impendence phones, maybe I'm better off with a HD580 or something. That said, the Pioneer doesn't seem to be any worse with the low impendence phones I've tried it with than any other typical receiver jack I have used.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy Just my 2 cents: the A-35R really does sound good. Not just for the price, either. For speakers, it's a lot smoother and more refined up top than the NAD C320BEE, with better bass as well (the C320BEE is tighter, but it's just so lean that it borders on disappointing). It has more power than the T-Amp, while sharing the same kind of clean top end that makes people like the T-Amp (and other digiamps). For high and medium impedance headphones it's also quite nice, though it's not the best choice for low impedance cans. Plus it's got a remote with input switching, tone controls that can be bypassed, etc. The A-35R is just an all around good deal, if you can find one.

Well, I have the European counterpart of it, called A-209R (looks identical), and had a NAD C320 (older version), and can confirm that really the Pioneer is more refined for what I recall of the Nad.

I have HD650 and HD595, and have been using it (the Pioneer) solely as a "headphone amp" lately with surprisingly good results with my HD650, and decent with my HD595. Definitely it likes high impedance phones. And definitely, a great little integrated amp that can offer more goodness than you would've dared to expect at that price.