Efforteless sound even at TOTAL OVERLOAD, indestructible if properly ventilated, looks and calid mid and highs with fair bass. 100% reliability even in pro-disco sonorization

NONE

The NIKKOs where the first high poer amps I bought back in 1987 when I owner a disco and Horns with 105db/w where std. With the 125W you could make 500 guys dance !!!! after that it has served me in ALL my houses with not a single fault. I own many PRO and HIGH end amps and they "may" sound a little cleaner BUT I love my NIKKOS.
If you find any around buy it !!!!!!!!
ED

Similar Products Used:

Lots

There is very little information (that I can find) on Nikko equipment in general. However, I have owned this amplifier since new (1981). It sounds quite nice and has performed well over the last 18 years. Sounds great at low or very loud levels. As a side benefit, it is simple and good-looking - black, rack-mountable, LED channel displays, power LED, power and speaker switches. I recently found a second one (mint, from original owner) on www.eBay.com for $175.00. I will use it to bi-amp my Snell Model D speakers. I will give the amp 5 stars just for the reliability factor.

Power, durability, reliability, price

Underrated brand name, industrial look

I have been a Nikko fan ever since I got my Alpha 230 amp, Beta 30 pre amp and Gamma 30 tuner as a package for $861.00 Canadian back in 1988. Up until December 1999, I still used them as my main audio system. I used to use the amp for small dj'ing jobs, and one night while playing Madonna's Vogue through a pair of Cerwin-Vega AT-15's, it actually caught fire. I quickly took it to my neighborhood electronics shop, only to hear the grim news that my trusty, beloved Alpha 230 had died. I kept it a whole year before finaly throwing it out, which was extremely hard. Just like a small child who loses a loved pet, I found the strength to replace my Nikko. This time round, I came upon a pair of Alpha 650's, bought them for $300 each. Well, let me tell you, these amps kick some serious ASS!! I am now a full time DJ, and use them bridged mono through a pair of Cerwin-Vega L-36 Junior Earthquake 18" subs and DAMN. A match made in Heaven. I am sad to learn that Nikko no longer makes any audio equipment. The only way to get them now is to buy used, which is a rare find now days. If you happen to come across any Nikko stuff, go ahead and do yourself a favour and buy them, you won't regret it!

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha pro stuff, yorkville etc

Price, clean power, great mid's and highs, built like a tank

Bass a tiny bit lean, my wife will have problems lifting it.

Bought a Denon AVR 2800 about 4 months ago. I was never happy with the sound playing music through mains. Too bright, lacking in bass power. Significant step down from my 10 year old Yamaha AVC. Pre amp/5 channel stereo etc. was good though. Had bought a new pair of custom made 2 way towers with SEAS and Peerless drivers, and they didn't sound close to the way they sounded in the showroom. As an experiment, I bought the Nikko 230 to see if that made difference. Wasn't expecting great things, as I knew the amp was quite old and looked like it hadn't been well taken care of.

Was I surprised. Night and day difference with the speakers. Clean, smooth highs with lots of detail, mid sounds great now, especially vocals. Bass much better, but still a tiny bit lean - but I have a sub to compensate for that anyway. What can you expect for $170? Or about 4 times that amount?

Fabulous purchase. I would probably have to pay 5 times that for new gear and probably still not be able to match it.

Hope this war horse holds out for many years to come.

Similar Products Used:

Denon AVR 2800, Yamaha AVC 30 AV integrated amps

Excellent reliability, durability and awesome power!

Heavy, industrial "look".

I have been a Nikko fan ever since I got my Alpha 230 amp, Beta 30 pre amp and Gamma 30 tuner as a package for $861.00 Canadian back in 1988. Up until December 1999, I still used them as my main audio system. I used to use the amp for small dj'ing jobs, and one night while playing Madonna's Vogue through a pair of Cerwin-Vega AT-15's, it actually caught fire. I quickly took it to my neighborhood electronics shop, only to hear the grim news that my trusty, beloved Alpha 230 had died. I kept it a whole year before finaly throwing it out, which was extremely hard. Just like a small child who loses a loved pet, I found the strength to replace my Nikko. This time round, I came upon a pair of Alpha 650's, bought them for $300 each. Well, let me tell you, these amps kick some serious ASS!! I am now a full time DJ, and use them bridged mono through a pair of Cerwin-Vega L-36 Junior Earthquake 18" subs and DAMN. A match made in Heaven. I am sad to learn that Nikko no longer makes any audio equipment. The only way to get them now is to buy used, which is a rare find now days. If you happen to come across any Nikko stuff, go ahead and do yourself a favour and buy them, you won't regret it!

sound, reliability,,liquidity, smoothness, long term musical

hard to find,

I let one of these get away from me in the early 80's!
I lived in Seattle and Mila Nesterovich, who designed a lot of Macintosh stuff, moved to Seattle to work for Speakerlab.
Anyone remember them?
He also opened Nesterovich Labs, and made Speakers and tube amps.
He recommended Nikko amps to people who couldnt afford his tube amps!
Mila used to say " THE NIKKO AMPS dont have Metallization"
In his russian accent!
Metallization was Mila"s term for a bright, etched presentation!
Wanna hear Metallization?
Go get you an Onkyo m 504, an old Pioneer spec 1, some early Adcoms, and youll see.
The alpha 220-230 series of amps are free of this.
No, they arent Krells, but they sound good, and are super reliable.
The pro Sound guys love these, as they are rack mount.
They lack the very last degree of 3 dimensionality compared to the very best, but they are without glare.
You would have to spend mucho dollars to really beat em, so if you can find one, get it and enjoy!
You can thank MILa

Similar Products Used:

Krell, Levinson, Audire, Sumo, Bedini, AYRE

Nothing else sounds as good and is as reliable.

Cannot find info about it...

I bought my NIKKO NA 590 at an electronic store going-out-of business auction around 1980 - no box, literature, specs - etc. I paid $75.00 US for it. Took it home, hooked it up and whoa yeah - great sound.

After 20 years I'm still impressed with it, and will never retire it - nothing else (in the 1200 or so - price range) compares to the slick, smooth sound of this amp.

No distortion at any volume - speakers will blow before it breaks up. Turn it all the way up with no source input and you hear nothing through the speakers but a very minor hiss -try that with newer stuff. Abbey Road via CD thru this amp and Bose 501's is incredible.

I just wish I could find more about the history and specs on these fine amps. Other reviews on this site testify to these amps. I've tried alot of new products and most are junk. What makes them so good?

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Newer AV receivers and a few higher end amps.

Bought The Nikko 230 amp in 1985 along with the Nikko pre amp 20, Eq20 Equalizer, Tuner ( which I still use today for my FM listening ), a Dual 606Q direct drive turntable, and a pair of Cerwin Vega UV351 speakers "Nasty Nasty!! " This was the first system I had ever purchased. Over the years pieces have come and gone. The Vega's left quickly in favour of a pair of Paradigm 11SE MK 2's. The Pre amp, which in my opinion was JUNK !!! has been replaced with a Bryston 11B. I gave away the turntable.. My CD Source is now a Sonic Frontiers Anthem CD1. The EQ.. well it sits in mint condition in the top of my closet waiting for a buyer or to be used as a trade in piece. Not much left of the original system !! The amp, well that another story. In my opinion this is probably the most underrated, amp ever built. All the things Nikko did wrong with their other components they did right with this amp. In the 15 years I have owned it I have never so much as blown a fuse, and I tell you in my early years.. The "Cerwin Vega" days, This amp took some abuse..and never cried foul once. It has a killer build quality and is heavvvvy !!! I have been listening to a lot of amps in the past few months and I tell you, you will have to spent at least a 1,000.00 to get an amp that sounds as good. Don't get me wrong.. this amp is not the last word in any catagory but it sounds better than all of that production line stuff and alot of that so called " Entry Level Hi-End " gear. I have just recently retired the old Nikko 230 in favour of a Bryston 4BST, but can't part with it. ( it's part of the family now ) a blast from my past..I expect it will end up part of my next project... a home theatre system. If you happen across an old Nikko 230 on a backshelf somewhere collecting dust and need an inexpensive, decient sounding amp that is built like a Tank BUY IT !!

I owned a Nikko Alpha 230 from about 1983 to 1985. The 230 is electronically identical to the Alpha 220 except for some minor cosmetic differences. There is little news about Nikko Audio because the manufacturer is no longer in the audio business, apparently deciding to concentrate on their OEM business, which includes circuit breakers, etc. The last information I had was that the audio division was sold to a Canadian interest. It does not seem that any new Nikko products are being manufactured. I graduated from the Alpha 230 through Alpha 450 (220 w.p.c.) and Alpha 2000 (330 w.p.c). The alpha 220/230 is a very nice sounding amp, with clean high, a sweet midrange and moderately powerful and controlled bass. Cool operating. All probably due to the "New Class A II" biasing design popular with this and the Pioneer brand amps of the time. The same can also be said for its larger siblings, except for substantial increases in bass power and tightness. All of the Nikko amps seem to have a sense of effortless power. Brand was always underrated, probably due to insufficient marketing. A great value on the used market if you can find it. Excellent value for performance versus cost.