Phase Linear 400 Amp

[mep]

I just received the new editions of TAS and SP today and read the review by JV of Carver’s new Black Beauty amp. I know people love to rank on JV, but his comment about the Phase Linear 400 amp caught my eye. JV mentioned how he had gone through the various ARC amps of the day (D75, D76, and D76A) and when he heard the PL 400, he basically heard what those tube amps did correctly “plus superior resolution, superior dynamics, superior transient response, superior power, and far superior bass.”

When I previously told my tale about kicking the Jadis Defy 7 MKII to the curb when I inserted a PL 400 Series 2 amp in my system that had just been gone through by a tech and had the power supply caps replaced, all of what JV said above is what I heard and why I kicked the Defy 7 MKII to the curb. It’s all true. For those on short budgets (and I know that is a tiny minority here on WBF), you can’t go wrong with a properly functioning PL 400 Series 2 amp. They are dirt cheap on the used market and even if you have to put a couple hundred dollars into it to bring it up to spec and working properly, it will bring your system to a new level. If you are running an older integrated amp that has preamp outputs, I can promise you that it will elevate the sound of your system and put a smile on your face. Trust me, you can spend far more and get far less. The Defy 7 MKII was around $8500. I never regretted getting rid of it.

 

[Bill Hart]

I just received the new editions of TAS and SP today and read the review by JV of Carver’s new Black Beauty amp. I know people love to rank on JV, but his comment about the Phase Linear 400 amp caught my eye. JV mentioned how he had gone through the various ARC amps of the day (D75, D76, and D76A) and when he heard the PL 400, he basically head what those tube amps did correctly “plus superior resolution, superior dynamics, superior transient response, superior power, and far superior bass.”

When I previously told my tale about kicking the Jadis Defy 7 MKII to the curb when I inserted a PL 400 Series 2 amp in my system that had just been gone through by a tech and had the power supply caps replaced, all of what JV said above is what I heard and why I kicked the Defy 7 MKII to the curb. It’s all true. For those on short budgets (and I know that is a tiny minority here on WBF), you can’t go wrong with a properly functioning PL 400 Series 2 amp. They are dirt cheap on the used market and even if you have to put a couple hundred dollars into it to bring it up to spec and working properly, it will bring your system to a new level. If you are running an older integrated amp that has preamp outputs, I can promise you that it will elevate the sound of your system and put a smile on your face. Trust me, you can spend far more and get far less. The Defy 7 MKII was around $8500. I never regretted getting rid of it.

Mep you are bringing back some memories. I had the original Phase Linear 700 (i think it was called an 'a', it had no handles and was impressively offbalance weightwise- giant transformer on one side). I guess it sounded ok, i used it in its heyday with a pair of double advents, wired in series. I also used, but never owned, the original 400, and as I recall, it sounded better than the 700. This was circa 1973-4? I went from that stuff to old Quads and tube amps, and I don't recall ever hooking the Phase Linear up to the Quads. That would have been frightening. PS I still have my ARC Dual 75a.

 

[mep]

I felt like when I first posted my thoughts and actions with regards to getting rid of the Jadis in order to replace it with the PL 400 Series 2 amp I was opening myself up for ridicule and disdain. After all, I was a hard-core tube lover and I was dumping a fairly expensive tube amp for a cheap SS amp from yesteryear. However, I was willing to let the chips fall where they may and stick my neck out for what I believed was the truth. It was just mildly reassuring to see JV validate what I said over a year ago on this very forum.

 

[rbbert]

I sure liked the sound of my ARC SP3a pre into the PL 400, driving Gale 401 speakers. I only replaced it when I went to the Acoustat X in 1977.

 

[mep]

I promise you that they are still damn fine sounding amps. They will embarrass many currrent amplifiers.

 

[mbskeam]

TAS and SP

are these reviews online?
if so, do ya have a link....

a limited budget.... yep that's me....LOL

 

[mep]

are these reviews online?
if so, do ya have a link....

a limited budget.... yep that's me....LOL

Not to my knowledge.

 

[Barry]

I owned both a Phase Linear 400 & a 700. Whart, you are right, for whatever reason the 400 sounded better. If you find one of these you need to beef up the puny power supply as it only had about 20,000 uF. It was a great sounding piece!

 

[DonH50]

I have never owned a 400 but heard many, both friend's and at stores I worked. I had a 700 that had among the best bass ever but unfortunately was far and away the least reliable power amp I ever owned. In reading and talking with others through the years I may have just had a lemon (every company makes one now and then).

 

[Bill Hart]

I have never owned a 400 but heard many, both friend's and at stores I worked. I had a 700 that had among the best bass ever but unfortunately was far and away the least reliable power amp I ever owned. In reading and talking with others through the years I may have just had a lemon (every company makes one now and then).

My 700 blew up at least once. Replacing Advent drivers was no big deal.

 

[mep]

I think the PL-700 is what gave Phase Linear the "Flame Linear" name.

 

[DonH50]

I got really tired of replacing output transistors, and when Infinity did not cover the last woofer it took out in my IRS 2 I gave up, fixed it, and sold it. Sad thing is I still sort of miss that amp...

 

[mep]

What is it about the PL-700 that you miss Don?

 

[DonH50]

All that power made the speakers I had (IRS 2, MG-IIIa) sing, especially compared to the low-powered receivers of the day. The bass was phenominal; I think it had a damping factor of 1000 or something like that so really controlled the speakers. The midrange was OK, though I always thought the highs seemed a little harsh'ish with some speakers.

I never had a 400 in my system that I can recall, though it seems like I did borrow one from the store over a weekend to try out. By that time I was running a D79 with a bridged Hafler driving a custom sub and the 700 was long gone.

 

[Barry]

I replaced a few output transistors myself but it was mostly my own fault. First experience with modding. Expanded the chasis and put in a separate power supply for just the front end, then added an ouboard power supply for the output stage of 200,000 uF, then changed all the carbon comp resistors and cheap caps and took out the protection circuit. That last mod wasn't such a good idea but it REALLY opened up the sound stage. I still have the amp and two dozen output transitors stored in the basement somewhere. This was a beautiful sounding amp, very untransistor-like. Direct, open, dynamic, nice tonal balance with no rough edges.

 

[goldeneraguy]

Phase Linear 400,sweet memories from the 70's.I had mine being driven by the 200 pre.I switched to the Apt Holman which my listening group at the time thought was better.I preferred the 200.Just one of the many audio mistakesIi made in my 40 plus years in this obsession called a hobby

 

[A.wayne]

My memory must be foggy ....

I remembered them as being unreliable , nonload tolerant beasties with sonics easily bested by others of the day, a Dyna 416 would walk all over any PL Product of the day and then there was Sansui's BA5000, MARANTZ M500, HK Citation 16, BGW, Pioneer Spec Series and Bryston's 4b....

To name a few .....

 

[goldeneraguy]

My memory must be foggy ....

I remembered them as being unreliable , nonload tolerant beasties with sonics easily bested by others of the day, a Dyna 416 would walk all over any PL Product of the day and then there was Sansui's BA5000, MARANTZ M500, HK Citation 16, BGW, Pioneer Spec Series and Bryston's 4b....

To name a few .....

I'm not posting to to say you are wrong.if you liked the Sansui,Pioneer.Dyna.etc.fine.I liked the 400.Now let's move on.What do you have today ??

 

[A.wayne]

You first ...

 

[DonH50]

Interesting... Just shows we all have different expereinces and tastes. I do not recall any problems with the PL400 and we sold a bunch of them. And, I would take it over the Dynaco 416, though neither was a slouch.

Off-topic: IIRC, the 416 had a "who's-who" list of design contributors, and about the fanciest plethora of protection circuits of any amp around. Needful given the relatively lousy reliability of high-power transistors back then. I think it was a pretty complicated circuit...