Review on SoundArtist SA 200IA Amplifier Integrated Control by Troy Houston

There was a lot of hype about this amp in the audiophile community and I wanted my speakers to be powered by something more powerful than the NAD M10. So I used the M10's pre-outs and just used it as an amp. I could immediately notice a loss of quality. It was across the spectrum but most noticeable in the bass which got sloppy and the highs tightened and less open. Now it's not fair to compare it to the M10 and for $400 this amp is pretty good. But I think it's on par with other amps in this price range. From what I remember, the Yamaha AS-501 sounded better to my ears and cost about $100 more (I didn't have both at the same time). Products like the Cambridge Audio CXA60 (which cost $500 refurbished a year ago) are a definite improvement. Overall I'd give them a respectable 4 stars. It competes with products in the $500 range and offers plenty of performance, but don't expect it to crowd out devices that cost twice as much. And if you can settle for less performance, you can find better sounding products in this price range.