Cerwin-Vega VEGA 7000 June 21, 2001 (Editor's note: This review is from our archive. The manufacturer has informed us that this model has been discontinued. However, it might still be available for sale. The MSRP and warranty were valid at the time the model was discontinued.)
The VEGA line of amplifiers is the premiere amplifier product line from Cerwin-Vega. The VEGA 7000 is designed to power the highest-level sound systems.
It is rated at two 175-watt channels at four ohms. It can output 350 watts per channel at 2 ohms and a whopping 700 watts into one 4-ohm bridged channel--perhaps powering a subwoofer or two wired in parallel. All power levels are rated with a 14.4-volt power supply. Input sensitivity is adjustable from 0.2 to 5 volts.
The VEGA 7000 is equipped with dynamic bass enhancement circuitry that can deliver up to +3 dB of dynamic power (twice the amplifier's continuous rated power) into a 4-ohm bridged or 2-ohm stereo load. Even better, the enhancement can be activated from the dashboard by pushing a button on the remote control. The remote connects to the amplifier via a standard 4-pin phone cable and can also control the amplifier volume. The design provides up to 10dB of bass boost, 20Hz subsonic filtering and soft-clip limiting. The amplifier also contains continuously variable crossovers with selectable 12- or 24-dB/octave slope in low-pass mono mode.
A Butterworth crossover can be set for low-pass or high-pass mode for optimum speaker performance or greater system flexibility. Bipolar output transistors are used in the output stage; some audiophiles believe that these devices provide cleaner sound than the MOSFET output devices used in many power amplifiers. Bipolar transistors are used in the regulated power supply. An LED showing audio levels allows easy set up of system gain. The amplifier chassis measures 10 inches wide, 2.5 inches high, and 18.25 inches deep. This amplifier is primarily designed for serious users, as part of a larger multi-amplifier system.