I have been using the 9505 with my Mirage M5si speakers for 3 years. Thebottom is very controlled, not too warm. A good match for M5si's as they can
get a bit too warm for my tastes(in my room anyway). The mid is very clean
and perhaps a hair lean. The top is also clean open. The M5si's are a a little
lean in the mid so I wish the amp has some beef there but I think only a tube
amp will do that. On the other hand the clean highs compliment the M5si's well
since the titanium dome w/cloth surround is very sweet, even a little laid back.
The amp helps keep the high end defined without pain! The construction is
excellent and I've had no problems with it. I'd rate it closer to 5 than 4
compared to other transistors amps I've heard. But since I must use a whole
number...

I've had the opportunity to listen to the Trasnova, and I had difficulty in determining my lack of satisfaction. The sound was transparent and the transient response was adequate. The bass was tight - though no one would mistake the sound for "live". The mids were speedy and revealing.
I found myself wanting to turn the volume up louder to get the dynamic effect that one would wish to experience with an amplifier of this quality. The Hafler lacked the genuine warmth to appear natural.

I wonder if a tube pre-amp would warm the steely sounds of the Trasnova?

Everyone has their preferences...I greatly prefer the Conrad Johnson amplification for it's sincere bass - without lack of clarity in the mids & highs. CJ Rocks.

PL

I had this amp for several days, was not impressed at all, at low volume it sounded bad no dynamics until you opened it up lacked on the top end.shop around for 2200.00 way over priced. try cinepro www.cinepro.com.

How can you do better than this amp? Stereophile rated it's predecessor, the 9500, class "b" in '93 and the 9505 has been tweeked and refined since then. The Transnova cicuitry has been through numerous updates and the amp now has the diablo circuit to improve headroom. I love it's sound and think it's without peers in this price range. Adcom, Rotel, B&K, Accurus....not even close in terms of either sound or build quality. I listened to Aragon and McCormick and chose Hafler.

Powerful; clear; tight bass; sweet highs; bridgeable

Audio "snobs" look down at the Hafler name from their loafty almost Heavenly little purches.(It makes them feel good.)

I've built quite a few systems, have freinds with nice systems, and I've spent time listening to a lot of system combinations in Hi-End shops around the east coast. (The nature of my job.) I've yet to come across an amp. that has caused me to say "Thats a poor amp." Or "Wow, who could live with that?" It doesn't happen. Amps. do have different characteristics just as all the other components. As well as wires and cables. Sometimes certain combinations go together better than others. (Sound better together.) I bought my first 9505 in '96 and liked it so much I bought another in '97 and are using them bridged as mono blocks. In my family there are three pairs of different model Haflers being used this way. The systems are different but very similar. A common factor. Another common factor is that we are very happy with them. That's what counts. Stereophlie magazine liked the amps. and so did Audio magazine. Not that it means everyone should like them in every system. I don't claim to be one of the rare and special "Golden Ears" that are out there. Lucky them. It just seems that there are about a million or more of these rare and specially gifted people out there today. Go figure. If it works for me and I like what I hear, that's what counts to me. The 9505's really work for me in my system. Other people who listen seem to think so too. Highly recommended by me. I'll give five stars for value, they aren't $5k to $35k each and four for overall only because they aren't Krells or Mark Levinsons etc.

Similar Products Used:

Denon; Yamaha; other Haflers; have sat in Hi-end shops around the east coast listening to different amps / systems.

It rules,rules!

No balanced inputs!

Although I don't own the Hafler 9505(I own it's antecedant the 9500)I've been told that the 9500 is almost identical to the aforementioned amplifier, by the Rockford tech support no less. The 9500 is an excellent amplifier,especially for what I paid, that by in large does an excellent job of presenting music. As one notable late 20th Century figure put it ,"It rules,rules!"
I am in complete agreement with Stereophile when it says the " 9500's presentation at times can be a tad bit forward with a slight emphasis on the upper midrange/ low trebile". On music the 9500 does an excellent job of bringing instruments and their accompanying acoustical nuances to life. With most any soundtrack I listen to I'm quite impressed by all the accompanying musical that the amplifier presents. However this liveliness can at times result in a slight siblance in female vocals,which often subsides after the amplifier has been warmed up for 20-30 minutes. Midbass and bass reproduction on the Hafler is absolutely outstanding resulting in prominent and detailed bass that isn't bloated or unseemly in any way.
Although the Hafler is an excellent music amplifier it's truly in it's element when I'm playing computer games. The accompanying background score in Diablo II comes to life when I'm playing the game and the ambient noises are both detailed and natural,who needs EAX.? Vocal details are especially clear and detailed rendered without a trace of siblance. Watch the opening cinematic on Red Alert II if you want to see how much detail and texture your system conveys. I can hear all sorts of details with the Hafler when I watch this scene and am astounished when I count all the subtle audio nuances the game producers managed to pack into this opening cinematic. Ending as I began I conclude my review with the following statement: "The Hafler rules,rules!"


My System(For Now)

Adcom GDA-600(DAC)
Sound Blaster X-Gamer (Digital Source)
Sony XA-20ES CD PLayer (Digital Source)
Rane Mojo MX-22 Active/Passive Crossover (Currently Passive)
QSC RMX-1450 Subwoofer AMP
REL 10" Subwoofer
Ultimate Sound SC-45 Center Channel Speakers (2)
Halfer 9500

Later:
Bryston 4-B or Adcom GFA 5802 (Tweeter Amp!)
Halfer 9500 (Midrange Amp!)

Similar Products Used:

Adcom GFA 7500, Rotel RMB 1095