Power to spare, Runs cool, Good build quality, touch of the highend

System matching, a tad on the edgy and analytical side

This amp offers a tad of the high end at an affordable price. I've had mine for almost 5 years now and I still love the thing. I had a tough time putting together a system with the synergy I was looking for. I ended up pairing this amp with the Rega Planet and NHT 2.5i cabled by Tansparent's MusicLink Plus. Overall a musically satisfying system but slighty on the analytical side. Doesn't have the refinement of my Levinson system but still sweet sounding.

Best attribute I found would have to be it's ability to drive any speaker load with poise. This sucker runs cool. Good product at a great value.

Similar Products Used:

Rotel, Arcam, Musical Fidelity, Bryston

The DIA-100 (I've got the Mark I) offers 85 to 90% of what my Audio Research LS-2B / Aragon 4004-II setup yields. A fabulous bargain for under a grand. They say that the 4004-II is D'Agostino's "poor man's Krell" - the DIA-100 has got to be the poor man's Aragon 4004-II. Exceptionally deep, tight, punchy bass with a fluid, smooth mid-range. Slight forward leaning high end is the only minus. Forget spending money for high priced mid-fi, the DIA-100 is low-priced high-fi. That it is 100% American made is the icing on my cake. Nice, nice hunk of hardware.

I had an early 100 for a few weeks. The bass control over my B&W P5s was excellent!. I did find the midrange slightly recessed and the treble quite forward. With acoustic and jazz the sound was very engaging, being open and detailed. With female voice however, the forwardness was too much.
Depending on your type of music it is either a great bargain or a not too expensive mistake. I am using the Krell KAV300i instead.

Plenty O Power, About the best you can do at it's price point.

It would be nice to have a pre-out for running through a sub woofer.

Talk about real personality. I bought mine used for $500, and have been a happy camper with my NHT 1.5/ SA-2 sub and Marantz 63SE CD player. Beer budget ( Ancor Steam ) stuff, but I've got it dialed in to where it does a real decent job. Last week, I set up my new Dell 550 with all the latest gee wiz upgrades in the same room. After turning the computer on for the first time, I switched on my music system, hoping to welcome the digital gods in with a little Virgil Fox playing J.S. Bach, Toccota and Fugue in D Minor. When I turned the Acurus on, it went pop and Bach was replaced with a grounding hum. I would like to think that the amp was so jealous for my attention that it " blew a gasket ". Was it real or was it Memorex?

Similar Products Used:

various NAD and Rotel products

Great bass, good detail, complete neutral sound

none

This amp has the best bass you'll ever hear--deep and well controlled. The detail and neutrality will leave one awestruck. Build quality is first rate. Truly a high end amp at a fair price.

Similar Products Used:

Creek 4240, McCormack pre/power combo

used market price is excellent.

no phono stage or remote

I read a great deal about this product before I purchased it. I listened to other Acurus products at some length but was intrigued by the design concept of the DIA. I finally went ahead and gave it a try. I use the DIA with Klipsch Chorus II's in a high ceiling moderately sized "live" room. I was a bit nervous that the DIA would be too bright with the Klipsch horns. I had been using a Carver 763x amp and anthem tubed pre-1L which gave the Klipsch speakers a softer sound. The difference I immediately noticed with the DIA was crisper definition and a slightly deeper soundstage. Yes, I think it defines (analytical?) instruments in their place very well. Not at all the harsh sounds that others had reported. Bass was not as substantial as with the Carver but better defined. I liked the cymbals better with the Carver/Anthem combo but the DIA's top was not fatiguing or too harsh . . . just different. As I raised the volume it got louder but not harsher like I anticipated. It is a pleasing amplifier to listen to.

For those reading the reviews on the DIA a 1-star rating is obviously motivated by something else. I won't give it a five star, but I think that for value, looks and sound the DIA definately is worthy of a 4+ rating.

Similar Products Used:

seperates, mostly carver, mcintosh