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Hong Kong, Lafayette
1 Level
451 Review
0 Karma

Review on SereneLife PAMP1000 - Stereo Power Amplifier with Digital Dual Channel Amp Design, Built-in Circuitry Protection, Stereo/Bridged Mode Selector, Auto System Activation & Compatibility for External Devices by Nicole Jones

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Good basic amp but don't use auto switching

I bought this through Revain and use it for my flat screen TV in the basement. The amplifier is powered by two old Bose 301 loudspeakers. I also wanted to make it possible to use the iPod as an alternative sound source. Various reviews criticized the way this amp automatically switches between two inputs, but thought I'd give it a try anyway because I'm SO brave a person. With an iPod connected to the "Line 2" input (which is the "main" input (but why not call it "Line 1"?)) and a TV connected to the "Line 1" input, I thought the TV might activate its input when it beeps. . As warned, it didn't work. The amplifier only switched to the TV input above a certain volume. This meant that the TV sound was muted if a program became too quiet or there was a brief audio pause. Then there was a delay in turning back on, resulting in missing words at the beginning of people's sentences. I had the same problem with flipped inputs. Everyone in the reviews warned against this, so I took it philosophically and bought a simple 4-line multiplexer to switch between the two inputs. So now the TV audio and iPod audio lines are connected to the Pyle "Line 2" amplifier via a multiplexer. Of course, you have to select the desired audio source by pressing the button. Multiplexer I used: see Revain Cables To Go 28750 4 x 2 S-Video/Composite/Stereo Audio Select Switch ($17). Excellent. The sound is sweet. That sounds like a remarkably flat frequency response to me. The amp drives my old Bose 301 as loud as it can go. It's not loud but strong enough for me. The amp is relatively light and stands securely on a high shelf. I would recommend that the manufacturer tries to improve the automatic switching of the audio source. And more importantly, they should have a manual line 1 or 2 selector switch for situations where the automatic switchover just won't work. But I recommend this amp.

Pros
  • Easy to use
Cons
  • No insurance