ATI Amplifier Experiences

[Michael Langdon]

I am ready to purchase an amplifier for my home theater system. I have been looking at the ATI website which is currently being updated with their new products. I am interested in what will be the ATI AT1807 (180 watts x 7). Any ATI owners care to comment on the ATI amps? Also, what processor or receiver are you using with your ATI amp? I would also be interested in the opinions of those who auditioned ATI amps.

Mike

 

[Erik_C]

I have an ATI 1505 with an Anthem AVM-20. Love them. No problems whatsoever. Although I'm selling my ATI to buy a 7-channel amp (instad of having the ATI PLUS another amp).
-Erik

 

[Jeramy_K]

I use an ATI 1505 with my Anthem AVM20 and I love it. It has great build quality and I am more than happy with it's sound. It is a bit brighter than the Parasound and Rotel amps I auditioned but in the end this amp with my Polk speakers were the best match for my ears.

-Jeramy

 

[Michael Langdon]

Thanks for the feedback. Erik, are you happy enough with the ATI to replace it with another ATI seven channel amp? What speakers are in your home theater system?

Mike

 

[BruceD]

I carefully auditoned ATI 1505 and Parasound 1205A amps (both 5 channel amps) in my home with my speakers for a full weekend.

I have Dynaudio Contour speakers with silk dome tweeters, because metal dome tweeters always sounded harsh to my ears.

Here are my observations:

1) Both units were well broken in demos

2) The ATI was too harsh for my ears and my speakers with my favorite jazz/female vocal music

3) The Parasound had cleaner and larger bass impact than the ATI.

4) I wanted to like the ATI because it looked better, but I preferred and bought the Parasound.

Still happy 4 years later!!!

 

[RobertW]

i'll echo bruce here. i've only auditioned the ati on music, with paradigm studios and efe speakers, and wanted to like them because of their sae heritage and cause i thought they looked amazingly cool and brawny, but they were just way too harsh for my ears. any sibilance at all was just emphasized too much for me, drawn out to a long harsh "ssss" sound, and highs were just too crisp and hard.

the efe speakers are built by ed frias, who is a huge proponent of ati amps, and recommends them wholeheartedly. so if he felt they didn't match well with his speakers, he wouldn't be recommending them. and yes, they were very dynamic, with great bass, but still just too edgy for me.

i went with parasound, which is much more to my liking. still detailed in the highs, but warmer and smoother sounding.