Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners My short time with the A1400-8

As some may know, I took delivery of an Axiom A1400-8 about 10 days ago. I've listened to a wide variety of material using the A1400-8 with my Epic 80 5.1 system in the past few days and wanted to post my impressions. I'm not as technical in the field of sound reproduction as others here, but I'm an avid music lover, playing and listening to all kinds of music my entire life. In other words, I know what I like to hear!

Note that the #2 channel on my A1400-8 is not working, but that is not an issue at this time since I'm only using five channels. Axiom is sending me a replacement amp while I continue to use this one. As always, awesome customer service!

As I said, I've listened to a wide variety of material using the A1400-8. The resultant sound is extremely clean and lifelike at all volume levels. I've pushed sound levels up to a continuous 110dB for long stretches without the amp breaking a sweat. Even at these concert-like levels, the sound pouring out of my speakers is nothing but clean. Bass from the M80's in 2 channel mode is jaw dropping with all this power. Listening to old favorites, I've been picking up subtle things that I've never heard in the past.

Music sounds lovely, but I really didn't appreciate the power of the A1400-8 until I began listening to multichannel movies and TV shows. As an example, I finished up season 2 of the HBO show Rome using the A1400-8. Compared with my Rotel RSX-1057's internal amplification, any difference in sound was neglible at low to moderate volume. With the A1400-8, however, I can really turn the volume up and enjoy the dynamics of the numerous great battle scenes without any fear of clipping. I was always worried about distortion when turning the volume up before, but now I can just sit back and relax while the sound envelops me.

As if I weren't already impressed by the sound, the efficiency of the A1400-8 is stupendous. A couple months ago I auditioned a Rotel RB-1080 to power my M80's. It sounded very good, but was also massive, heavy, ran hot and consumed a ton of power. I don't have the exact numbers on hand, but by my recollection the RB-1080 had to consume at least four times the power that the A1400-8 consumes to produce similar sound levels.

Bottom line, the A1400-8 drives my Epic 80 5.1 system clean and loud with no problems whatsoever. As with the Axiom speakers I own, I feel the price/performance ratio literally and figuratively blows the competition away.

That's awesome, Haylo! In the summer I would kill to have a cool running amp. My HK doubles as a space heater when I want to crank it up.

Enjoy your new amp, especially the replacement Axiom is sending you. Nothing like endless amounts of power for movies. I think you qualify for the "big-ass amp" club now.

Haylo,

Thanks for the review.

I am curious if the highs sound any different with the A1400 compared with the Rotel at both "normal" and "loud" listening levels.

At normal levels the Rotel and the Axiom are virtually identical, but at levels above, say, 100dB the A1400-8 definitely sounds less harsh.

Hi Haylo,

That's wonderful news. Thanks for posting the detailed review of your early experience with the A1400-8.

Regards,

Alan Lofft,
Axiom Resident Expert