authoritative presence
dynamics
uncolored presentation but tends toward warm to me
power reserves
build quality, heavy
runs fairly cool
monoblock design

not the most exciting to look at
heavy
sherbourn logo kind of lame
made in Taiwan

I purchased this from the first owner on Videogon. I use this to power my NHT setup, with the Pio Elite 94 receiver as my pre/pro. Classic 3 for front, Classic 2 for surround, Jamo Center (couldn't fit the Classic C here), and Classic 12 sub. The NHT are a difficult load, not highly efficient at 86 db and 6 ohm. This amp drives them to outrageous yet controlled levels. It is an authoritative, warm, and responsive HT amp. You can hear the channels flying around during movies. The monoblock design allows each channel to bloom during the most hectic scenes. For music, I am happy too, but have mainly used it for HT. Multichannel DVD Audio is awesome. The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds is wonderful on this system. For music video, try the Led Zepp DVD set in DTS to see the power and musicality of this amp. It is heavy and solid at 75 lbs. Not exciting to look at, but boy does it do the job well. Everything is clear and natural throught this system. Never fatiguing to listen to, and voices sound extremely natural. I expect to enjoy this amp in my system for a long time. At 5x300 wpc it gives me all the power and glory I need to rock out. A great value.

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forte by threshold

build quality, clean power

Here it is 2008 and this amp is still selling for 900.00 everywhere. That in itself is a good testemonial.

A few months before the 5 year warrantee expired, my Sherbourn developed some static noises in 2 channels.
I contacted Sherbourn by e-mail, and the next day their affable tech, Joe, called to talk to me about the problem.
Apparently it was something they had experienced before which required replacement of some filter caps.
They not only replaced the caps in the affected channels, they replaced all 10 caps (2 for each channel) at no charge.
This is great customer support, and potential buyers should know about it.

All my previous comments about this terrific product still apply, and I see no acoustic reasons to "upgrade." I've compared it to many more expensive stereo amps and this one has never come in second.

Power - 5x200W into 8-ohms, 5x300W into Dynaudio 4-ohm loads. Built like a tank. Auto on/off feature. Affordable.

Despite quality build and reputation, Sherbourn's 5-year warranty does not transfer to 2nd owner.

Purchased the 5/1500A model because I needed an upgrade over my Denon receiver to power 4-ohm Dynaudio Audience 72, 122c, & 42W speakers. This amp drives the Danes effortlessly. Clean power and tight bass at a very reasonable price especially used.

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powerful, generous heatsinks, monoblock construction, automatic standby.

You tell me!

This is my first ever separate amplifier. I am using it with the ill-fated Sony STR-V555ES and very nice Polk RT800 speakers. What can i say that has not been said already? The sound is flowing out thick and rich like honey. Many mention Saving Ryan's Privates as the ref audio but i love Gattaca and the amp carries it flawlessly. I am thankful to people like Paul Hartley from The Perfect Vision who do such a thorough and unbiased job reviewing equip. This amp will smoke the lights of the competition out as at this price it is a steal. God i love this machine

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i was at the bottom of the "audio chain". Now i know why i don't visit Sears and Circuit City no more than for small parts!

Very neutral sound, excellent bass, outstanding power supply design, good back pannel layout.

The manual is a little weak and applies to all Sherbourn amps.

This review is for the 5/1500A. This particular amp was used as a floor model at the AVS store for several months and was discounted $300 off the standard $1500 street price. I demoed a number of 5 channel amps in my home, including the Rotel RMB-1075, the Parasound HCA-2205AT and the Anthem MCA-5II. I also spent a lot of time listening to a number of other amps in showrooms at a number of different shops in my area. I am more interested in music than HT, but only have room for 1 system, so I needed a single amp for both. I felt that the Sherbourn not only was the best value, but also had the best sound for my preferences. The Sherbourn has a very neutral sound quality and doesn't color the music or sound track. The highs are clear and articulate and the mid-range is clean, with outstanding bass that is very musical. But it also has a real 'punch' that you can feel when a soundtrack like _Saving Private Ryan_ calls for it. The Parasound and Rotel are also very good amps, but IMO the Sherbourn is more neutral and has better bass. I also love the design of the Sherbourn's power supplies. Each channel has a completely independent power supply with massive capacitor banks for power reserves. The Rotel and Parasound share transformers between channels. The Rotel also has a warmer, more laid back sound that is nice, but doesn't suit my tastes. The Parasound is very similar is sound quality to the Sherbourn, but the bass end isn't quite as good, IMO. I also want to mention Sherbourn's customer service. I called and e-mailed Sherbourn several times while I was researching amps and Ron Fone responded almost immediately every time. It was a very pleasant difference from some other A/V companies I have tried to contact in the past. SYSTEM: Sherbourn 5/1500A amplifier Sherwood-Newcastle AVP-9080 pre-pro Carver SD/A-360 CD changer Panasonic DVRP-91 DVD player Paradigm Monitor 90P mains CC-350 center ADP-370 rears

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Great price for what you are getting. Customer support on the site is answered by Ron Fone (Owner).

A bit heavy.

I just want to say the Sherbourn 5 1500 A. I was going towards the Bryston 9BST when this Amp. Was suggested. Let me say, The Sherbourn although is about 98 percent of what the Bryston is for Half the price. This Amp. has the power, simple quality, while producing full sound from highs to lows. Only problem when UPS arrives with this 85 pounder they aren't real happy even though you are estatic!

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This amp sounds as clean, articulate and revealing as any audiophile quality amp I''ve auditioned, including the Krell KMA 100 space heaters. A respected manufacturer once told me that all properly designed amps should sound equally transparent, and that only their power output should distinguish them. That''s what distinguishes the Sherbourn, the effortless way in which it reproduces transients and demanding material. It has to be experienced to be believed. I never suspected I needed a kilowatt amp prior to owning the Sherbourn. As outstanding a value as my Newform 630s (never thought I''d be able to say that.)

I don''t like the name Sherbourn, looks too much like Sherwood --- a name which long ago lost its audiophile lustre. I would have liked 4 bridgeable channels for versatility. A 20 year warrantee would have been nice, but for the price, I''ll settle for 5.

I agree with everything noted below by Steve from Post Falls, ID. I also have a 5/1500A, and suffer from none of the problems most commonly listed here. I use the 5 channels to bi-amp a pair of Newform 630 speakers, and to power an Adire Audio Tempest sub. I was using 3 stereo amps for the purpose, but they were old, and I got tired of their substancial visual impact. A 5 channel amp is an aesthetic, single box alternative. As it turned out, I got more for my used stereo amps than I paid for the Sherbourn. I considered several brands, but what drew me to Sherbourn was the reviews here and elswhere, especially from The Audio Critic, the only magazine I know which will actually pan a product. Also, the fact that it was the only 5 channel amp in this price range featuring five discreet power supplies swayed me. My Newforms are incredibly revealing, and I wasn''t about to let a power hungry sub compromise the delicate sound of those 30 inch ribbons. With separate power supplies, that is impossible as each of the 5 channels is actually a separate amplifier sharing only a common power cord. The amp is very well packed, and will easily withstand any UPS soccer comptetition. It weighs about 80 lbs., so get help unpacking and shelving it. My back hurt for 3 days after trying to do it by myself. The faceplate is very simple, elegant and black. The rest is just a vented black metal box. That pleases me. A manufacturer once told me that his fancy face plates cost him $100 per unit, which translates into $500 at the retail level. I''d rather have that money used for electronic sophistication. The Sherbourn runs warm, even at low volumes, but never seems to get hot, even when asked to perform. I love the auto shut off feature as it allows for a trickle current to keep everything charged (amp feels cold,) then turns on automatically when fed a signal. This saves energy as I keep my equipment turned on at all times. One of my other amps used to run warm all night, even without a signal.

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strong, solid, very powerful. quiet and stays cool even under pressure.

heavy as he-double-toothpicks but not really a big problem if you don,t move often.

Great Great amp, purchased amp to accomodate a lexicon mc12b, runs surprisingly cool, No snap crackle or pop,or even a slight hum.I believe its the best amp on the market at 2k or even 3to4k. great dealer response from Ron Fone, thank Ron. looking forward to seeing a 7-ch amp from sherbourn hopefully soon. Now i really know what it means to be in love with my a/v equipment.

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5 separate powerful transformers (400VA each)= better separation. Tight bass, great detail mid and hi. Bridgable.

Minor pop sound when turn it off and on.

This amp is a killer 5x200W for the money available today. I picked it out of all the one listed above after listening to all of it. Why? Value for the money. Actually I was considering the Bryston 9BST until listening to this. Similar sound and design to the 9BST for half the $$$. I believe only Bryston and this 5/1500 have the five separate transfomers design. The only minor is that there's a pop sound from my speakers when this unit is turned on and off due to the huge capacitor discharging, but I usually leave it on all the time cuz it'll go to sleep mode after 10 minutes of having no signal. I highly recommend anyone out there for a good value 5 channels amp, be serious consider this Sherbourn 5/1500 before buying one.

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