[BlakeN]

I just wanted to see what all of you thought about this comparison. Unless there is something better out there for the money I think I will be purchasing one of these amps.

They cost the same and it seems the O Audio amp has a lot more to offer but most posts talk about people getting the PE amp and not much talk about the O Audio. Is there a reason for this or is the O Audio amp just overlooked?

If there is another amp I should be looking at (under $300) I am open to suggestions.

[JimPeitersen]

Caveat - I haven't used either of these particular models. But, they would both be good amps for the DIY'er. Neither company builds their own amps, they source them from an OEM supplier. The OAudio is a BASH Hybrid Class D amp from Indigo (Canadian OEM manuf.) I would guess that the PE amp is sourced from Asia. You really can't go wrong with either - PE's customer service seems to be good and others on this forum have used OAudio with no complaints.
JP

[Rory Buszka]

The PE amplifier uses a power supply circuit technology designed by Bob Carver, the Tracking Downconverter power supply. It approaches 86 percent efficiency and has a true class AB output stage. One high end manufactuer, VMPS, has been very critical of most plate amplifier technology. However, after testing the Parts Express 1000w plate amplifier, they have found it to be the best plate amplifier available and they use it in the new powered version of their Larger Subwoofer, the first powered subwoofer from VMPS in their 21 year history.

[Mattak]

Rory,

Is that true for all PE amps, or just the 1000w?

[BlakeN]

I wish the PE amp had an adjustable subsonic filter and the crossover was able to be turned off like the O audio amp.

[Jack Keck]

Speaking as an owner of the PE 500 watte amp, I quite agree, especially about the adjustible subsonic filter. However, these is a site that has instructions for changing some of the doo-dads inside the amp to lower the subsonic filter, but if I'm calling the parts "doo-dads", it would probably behoove me to find someone else to do this for me.

OTOH, for what it's worth, PE seems to have a higher profile than O Audio, at least in the forums and sites I've visited. Furthermore, I got my amp when it was on sale for $197 during the pre-Christmas sale at PE, so I can't complain.

It has a promenant "Made in Chila" sticker on it. I presume that means it was made in China.

[eric nyhof]

Quote:

I wish the PE amp had an adjustable subsonic filter and the crossover was able to be turned off like the O audio amp.

As far as turning the crossover on/off I'm pretty sure that if you use the LFE input on the amp it will bypass the crossover circuitry. I have the 500 watt and couldn't be happier with it. I use the LFE and have my receiver set at 80 hz, so I don't know for sure.

[Rory Buszka]

The 500w and 1000w are both class G. The thing that is special about the Tracking Downconverter is tht it is not an ordinary switching power supply. It actually maintains two separate voltage rails for the output stage, and so efficiency is dramatically increased. The amplifier uses the lower voltage rail for lower level signals and the higher voltage rail for larger transient signals. The two-stage switching circuitry has three positions instead of two. With a normal switching power supply, there is simply OFF and ON. With a Class G amplifier, the power supply has OFF, LOW, and HIGH positions.

[BlakeN]

Is that different then BASH technology. This is from the manual.

"Traditional Class AB amplifiers use a fixed voltage power supply. This approach is
wasteful and necessitates extensive heatsinking, particularly for very high power
amplifiers such as this one. Additionally, primitive unregulated power supplies are
typically used that require a substantial, and expensive, transformer to assure
stable supply voltages over a range of load conditions. Inexpensive subwoofer plate
amplifiers typically skimp on the transformer size in the interest of low cost.
BASH® amplifier technology marries a robust Class AB amplifier with a smart power
supply that adaptively provides the necessary output voltage required to produce
low-distortion output power. The O Audio 500W BASH® Subwoofer Amplifier will
produce up to 500W RMS into a 4Ù load at a Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of less
than 0.3% and less then 0.05% between 5W – 420W. With an 8Ù load, the amplifier
will produce up to 325W RMS at a THD less than 0.01%. Soft limiting circuitry is
active above 325W (into an 8Ù load)."

The Ohm symbol didn't copy correctly.

This is Inigo's website, BASH is their technolgy
http://www.bashaudio.com/technologies.htm

It seems that these amps might be close to identical. Does anyone know the THD of the PE amps?