[jpm]

(hope this is the best spot for this)

It's a crap-shoot whether I open a Monoprice email or not, but the most recent subject line caught my eye:

"What Do 200 Watts, 7 Channels & Class AB Have in Common?"

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=14566

I associate Monoprice with avoiding getting ripped off whenever I need patch cables, USB cables, HDMI cables, monitor mounts ... etc.  For these items, solid quality at a good price. HiFi? ... ummm ... NOT!

Nevertheless, there are things about this amp that appear to be encouraging:
- At $1,499 the price isn't an obvious red flag that this is a POS
- At 93.2lbs it's in the right weight class (provided it's not just a box of rocks)
- The pics look encouraging and the ventilated cover even reminds me of ATI designs.

From the rear photo, it says "Designed  and Engineered in the USA" but nothing about country of manufacture.

Does anyone recognize any aspect of the design here?

[FullRangeMan]

From the rear photo, it says "Designed  and Engineered in the USA" but nothing about country of manufacture.

I will translate for you: Made in China.
Otoh the inside photos show a nice amp.
Two transformers is a evolution from the
1990s, the PCBs are good also.

[rif]

Says "Assembled in USA" too.  So parts from China and put together in usa?

Anyway the two toroids together are rated > 2000 VA which is, at least, more than the 7x200w claim.

[Zero]

All preconceived notions (that I have) aside, that looks like a potentially awesome amp for the $$$. 

[ebag4]

Here is a pick of a discontinued Outlaw 7x200 watt amp, pretty similar:



Best,
Ed

[rif]

The outlaw even has that odd iec and circuit breaker.

Didn't/does ati make the outlaw amps?  Or something like that

[poseidonsvoice]

Here is a pick of a discontinued Outlaw 7x200 watt amp, pretty similar:



Best,
Ed

Ed,

Good eye. Even the weights are very similar: https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/7200.html

Best,
Anand.

[ebag4]

Ed,

Good eye. Even the weights are very similar: https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/7200.html

Best,
Anand.

Hey Anand,
Take a look at the discontinued 770 ( with the green power switch):
https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/770.html
Appears to be more similar than different.

Best,
Ed

[Tomy2Tone]

Didn't/does ati make the outlaw amps?

That's what I always had heard. I had an ATI 1805 that looks similar to these..

[poseidonsvoice]

That's what I always had heard. I had an ATI 1805 that looks similar to these..

Yup. http://www.ati-amp.com/AT1800.php

Anand.

[Tomy2Tone]

Yup. http://www.ati-amp.com/AT1800.php

Anand.

That's the one...all 95 stinkin pounds of it.

[ebag4]

We have a winner!

[rif]

So...the monoprice amp is made by ati for monoprice or is it a copy?  I'm not familiar with how monoprice works - do they sell mostly stuff under their own name and design but mfg by others?

[mr_bill]

I think ATI makes really good amps from what I remember reading

[Phil A]

Monoprice has really expanded.  I have not looked at their website in a bit but each time I see a thread like this it is a reminder that I should.

[srb]

I will translate for you: Made in China.

That's what I usually think when I see "Designed and Engineered in the USA".  If it was assembled in USA you would think that would surely be printed on the rear panel (even though it says "Assembled in the USA" in the webpage copy).  ATI amps say "Designed, Engineered and Manufactured in the United States of America" on the rear panel.

Can't figure out if this is a knockoff or what.

The specs of the Monolith 7 are identical, except for the power output.  (The Monolith 7 is 200W/300W vs. the ATI 1807's 180W/270W).  But the rest of the specs: 1.6V input sensitivity, 28dB gain, 28k ohm input impedance, 22,400µF capacitance per channel, same crosstalk, damping factor, slew rate, DC output offset, etc.

The ATI has an MSRP of $2995 with a 7 year warranty.  The $1499 Monolith 7 has a 3 year warranty.

Is it real an ATI or is it Memorex a knockoff?

Steve

[jpm]

I've spent many thousands of dollars with Monoprice over the past decade personally and professionally and nothing has ever led me to think of them in the same light as the other famous purveyor of everything made on the cheap in China - Harbor Freight.

Granted, $1.5k is a lot to spend with a company that has no prior background in this area, but all it would take is more indication that this is another re-badged ATI amplifier and this gets interesting! Watch out Emotiva?

[rif]

If contacted, would ATI confirm that its one if theirs?

[wushuliu]

Actually i think monoprice cables are a ripoff. Horrendous quality. I get better stuff almost as cheap off amazon. I wouldnt go near monoprice any more.

[rabbit]

it is an ATI design thats for sure, apparently ATI and Monoprice are only a few miles apart, so wouldnt be surprised if its made there to.
cheaper caps etc perhaps.
from what i can tell ATI`s have seperate rectifiers on all boards, so if one channel fails its isolated. if the smps or psu board in a emotiva fails, all channels fail!