After receiving back from Tom Evans, this amp puts a smile on my face every single day. I have listened to amps costing 3-4 times more and don't move me as much. This is an air guitarists dream

None of note

excellent , Pioneer A300r precision - excelent, excelent , excelent ......

after listening dozens of integrated this is the best so far

EXCELENT,,, EXCELENT...........

Well, this amazing amp is now 20yrs old and still sounds fantastic, beats many modern amps costing far far more.
Comparing this with my previous A400 I'd say the 300R Precision is much more delicate in its presentation with vocals handled incredibly well. The soundstage is streets ahead of anything else I've listened to, really wide and deep with instruments set out in layers in front of you.
On first listen I didn't think it had quite the drive of the A400 but going back to have a listen again there's nothing in it and the 300R precision is so much more pleasant to listen to.
If you have an old A400 and want up upgrade, look out for one of these on eBay. You won't go wrong.

An extremely good amp which just sounds right, though like its relations the A-400 and A-400X, it has a balance which is a little on the bright side.

Superb imaging capability is what really sets this one apart from most amps, but it also has a winning combination of smoothness and clarity.

Currently set up in my second system driving stand-mounted Mission 780SE speakers (the original early 90's ones, like deeper 760s), but I have also heard sounding excellent with more ambitious speakers.

I find the remote volume quite handy, but it is only going to control the volume!

As another reviewer pointed out, bi-wiring is a little more awkward than with many amps, since there's only connections for a single pair of speakers, but it can be done if you avoid the use of very thick cable and/or fit plugs to one set of leads.

Entire frequency spectrum is open and honest - I think it's quite attractive as well.

None at this price!

Excellent amplifier. I had an Arcam Alpha 8r previous to this - this has more treble clarity without the harshness, more mid-range detail and low-end thump. Really rythmic too; really brings out the best of a good recording.

It's also surprisingly loud for the rated power, which is a bonus. The sound quality doesn't deteriorate at higher volumes, either. Partnered with my Marantz CD5400 and Kef Q15.2, it's a beast of a bargain for £86 English pounds from eBay!

Transparency,Neutrality.

None at this price or under £1000

This is the best amp i've had yet regardless of cost.Don't let the name "Pioneer" put you off.This amp is a classic audiophile bargain.It's British designed and modified by electronics whiz Tom Evans. I cannot fault this amplifier,bot at the price anyway.It basically lets you hear exactly how your source sounds without any colouration.It's very open and transparent with meaty and rythmic bass. Only rated at 45wpc but will drive almost any speaker.I use it with an Arcam CD92T and Dynaudio 42's with excellent results. Blew away a Cyrus 3,Naim 62/140,Exposure x.The £1000 Roksan Caspian came close but the Pioneer won on a more open and flowing midrange

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Quad,Cyrus,Roksan,Naim,Linn

Detail, timing, resolution. It's like the performers are there in front of you.

Not enough sockets, for all the audiovisual equipment I want to play back through it. Reveals any weaknesses in the rest of your system. I can't listen to CDs with my 400 pound Pioneer PDS 505 precision CD player. They sound so artificial compared to vinyl.

I only paid £150 for my original A300R Precision, several years ago, as I wanted a cheap amplifier. Unfortunately, it was so good it converted me into an audiofile, and seduced me into spending thousands of pounds on equipment to do justice to it. Speak to Tom Evans, and he'll persuade you to have his modifications, and then your're into a whole new listening experience. It's as though a curtain has been lifted from in front of the music. £700 for the modifications, but still a bargain. I use it with a Pink Triangle Anniversary Deck, Ortofon MC3000 II cartridge, Tom Evans Microgroove Plus phono stage, Monolith speaker cables and Eikos FR1 loudspeakers. I listen mainly to clasical music on vinyl.

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Leak 2000 Tuner Amplifier, Rotel RA931 MkII.

Pace, timing, dynamics. Explicit Detail, great soundstaging. Neutral.

Well remote is basic to say the least. It's looks totally bely the greatness of the amp itself (although it is not ugly) Nothing else at the price (even if I had paid the brand new price)..

I picked this Amp up Second Hand on the Net for £225..what a deal !! My amp has the Extra Tom Evans upgrade which cost an Extra £300 on top of the original price when it was originally done in 2000. Well, when fully warmed up this is amazing. Compared to my NAD C370 the differences are more detail, I mean quite a lot more. This amp disects each recording and lays it bare. Wonderful Timing and Energy. It also has more bottom end than the Nad but the bass is still tight and controlled. This amp LOCKS onto voices like a terrier and I also heard real Depth in the soundstage compared to the NAD C370. Playing somethin like Jeff Buckley's Grace album and you can hear every Nuance in his voice and the delicacy of the acompanying guitar is preserved perfectly. Classical music is exactly the same this amp reveals the timbre of instruments and presents them in a revealing and enjoyable manner. As has already been mentioned you need a very good front end, I have an Arcam7se as Transport through a Cambridge Audio s700 dac (another giant killer..!) and am well pleased. This amp brings a smile to your face when listening to music and seems to make you want to let your discs spin and spin which is what all good audio equipment should do... If you are looking for a new amp under £1000 and see one of these going second hand buy it !! My System: Arcam 7se through Cambridge Audio S700 Dac. Pioneer A300r with EXTRA Tom Evans Modification. Mission 752 Speakers. Bi-Wired with Van den Hul Cs122 cables. VDH 103 mk III from Dac to Amp. VDH Hybrid Digital Coax from Cd to Dac.

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NAD C370, Arcam Alpha 9, Pioneer A400.

Balance, resolution, imaging, upgradeable

Power output, highly RF susceptibile.

A supremely balanced product that isn't fatiguing to listen to. It was described by Hi-Fi Choice as an 'instant classic' and was said to be more three dimensional than anything under $1500 in 1997. Hi-Fi World also said that it outclassed all the competition in all areas, and was a bargain at its retail of $600.

The power output of 35W RMS is quite low so it has to be partnered with sensitive speakers. It is also highly RF sensitive and so has to be kept as far away from other components as possible. It benefits from having a good shielded mains cable, some internal RF shielding/damping and earthing to a mains block/socket/earth spike (I use Kimber earth weave).

Interestingly this model is upgradable, which may not have been mentioned in the press. The basic A-300R has a three stage upgrade up offered by Tom Evans Audio Design (he designed the Precision model). It's quite expensive ($1000 from a Precision model) but it also allows biamping. TEAD say that two 'specialed' Precisions together are the 'biggest bang per buck' around and rival amps twice the price.

An unequivocal 5 star classic in its original integrated form, and with low prices these days and upgrade potential there's even life in the old dog yet!

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Arcam Alpha 8R, Marantz PM-66KIS.

Vocal clarity, soundstage, price, upgradability.

Phono stage, can be harsh on some systems, remote, looks.

I agree with most of the other reviews here - this amp is a winner at the price. It has a cracking midrange and sense of timing, and partnered with sensitive speakers (mine are mission 751s), can really belt the tunes out - it's high current aswell, so plenty of control. The only problems I have with it is that on some recordings it can sound harsh (ok - this could be how I have it partnered), and the phono stage just doesn't do the rest of the amp justice. I am upgrading now (can't aafford to get it Tom Evansed), probably to a Nait3, but I will be sad to see it go. (any offers, drop me a mail!)

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Arcam Alpha 8R