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Reviews For: Alpha 9500

Category: Amplifiers: RF Power - HF & HF+6M

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Review Summary For : Alpha 9500
Reviews: 122MSRP: 7950. USD
Description:
Fully-automatic 160-10M amplifier, successor to the 87A. Uses a single 8877 tube in grounded-grid configuration. Integrated antenna switching, full QSK with vacuum relay.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.alpharfsystems.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001224.8
K4AAV Rating: 2011-01-24
Incredible! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got my Alpha 9500 a few days ago and could not resist sharing my initial thoughts. I have had manual tune amps and solid amps in the past and decided to look for one amp providing legal limit levels with auto-tune capabilities. I looked at everything out there to offer. The Alpha 9500 won the decision contest. I can honestly say I was nervous about the cost and I sold my other amps to purchase this one.

When I first got the 9500 out of the box I was stunned with the quality of the build and appearance. The instructions to set the amp up was spot on and was I powered up in no time at all. What helped was reading the manual several times before I received the amp.

Powering the amp on was just amazing. I followed the set up instructions and again, the manual was simple to understand and detailed. Tuning up was simple. Changing bands was just as simple. The 8877 tube just purrs right along at legal limit all day with ease. Just INCREDIBLE!

Going back to the manual. I have never received an amateur radio manual with such quality and details. The company did not cut any corners with the manual and we all know operator manuals are usually rough at best. Great job Alpha!

I am very happy with the the 9500. I was worried I made the wrong the decision, but really felt this way due to the cost. When I got the amp up and running, I can now say I made the right decision and it is worth every penny.

The 9500 was so simple to set up and operate I was convinced I was forgetting something. After reading the manual over and over and observing the performance, I am now convinced I learned what was needed get the 9500 on-line and on-line right.

Anyone thinking about purchasing the Alpha 9500, stop thinking and just do it! You will not be upset with the decision. I will recommend this amp to all my friends and anyone who is shopping for a new amp.

Great job Alpha!!!!

Will, K4AAV
KY0R Rating: 2011-01-21
QRO at its best! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have owned a number of amplifiers in my 30 years on the air including an Alpha 99. The 9500 tops them all with room to spare. Works as advertised, extremely easy to understand and operate; plug and play at its best.
Worth every penny I paid for it! If you operate QRO this is the one you want. The staff at Alpha is very helpful; Molly is a real treat to talk to and a great asset to the company!
If you are going to be a bear - be a Grizzly! Buy a 9500.
W1HFD Rating: 2011-01-21
BADASS Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I own 12 or 15 hf amps, all have their good & bad points. this alpha 9500 is like a cadillac with a bulldozer blade on front. i run it behind a 7700 & a mark V, into a 7 element mosley at 65',1600' elevation.seldom call twice. alpha service is top of the line- you get a human being that knows the product, and take their time to help.
N0TK Rating: 2011-01-04
Gold Standard Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The staff from Alpha gave an excellent presentation on amplifier design to the Mile Hi DX Assoc and brought along a 9500. The amplifier construction is rugged and certainly warrants a "brick on key" capability. I was especially impressed on the ease of removing the HV transformer for transport or shipping.
K4STE Rating: 2011-01-02
Great Amp Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have been a ham for 50+ years and had quite a few pieces of equipment. In the "old days " before surface mount, etc I built a lot of my equipment.
More recently was using a Heathkit SB221 Amp. Good amp but decided that my bucket list needed one of the best. So after a lot of research I bought an Alpha 9500.
Whereas the first one was plagued by some loose shafts in the tuning section (shipping vibration maybe) that I could not reach Molly sent a replacement right away. Then there was a problem loading my antenna ( Telrex TBM5) which Brad solved -- I bought a new balun. My problem , not Alpha's. Now all is great.
In other words they were with me all the way. the Alpha 9500 is now humming along absolutely fantastic ! And I even like fruit cake -- see the Christmas ad. With 6 meters looking up I am looking at the Alpha 8406.
My recommendation? Buy American. Buy Alpha. You will have the best equipment and personal service. I met Molly and Brad at Dayton and was most impressed.
Paul Lilly K4STE
AE7J Rating: 2010-12-21
Fantastic!!!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Since I purchased the 9500 it surpasses any of my expectations. Easily tune and view the LED operating levels. It's purchase is well invested and should have acquired the 9500 sooner! Thank you Alpha, 73, AE7J.
WD1V Rating: 2010-12-17
A Classic Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder, most examples I hear of "classic" ham gear capture near unanimous 5 star reverence. The classics embody the coolest design engineering, stretch creativity and capability limits, and reveal artisan craftsmanship at its finest. Proof the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

The Alpha 9500 is my most recent station addition. Its truly a classic. Its nothing short of incredible engineering for a RF power amplifier. From components selection and assembly - 24 hour factory burn-in
testing - packaging for shipment - manual - physical appearance on or off - auto-tune performance - real-time metrology - personal phone sales and support - and legendary brick on the key reliability - search and pounce will never be the same. QSY, speak, go Alpha!

73,

John WD1V
W0ZT Rating: 2010-12-17
Best yet! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned many Alpha products over the years including the 86, 91b, 99, and three 87A's. The 9500 is without a doubt the best amplifier that I have ever used. K0SR broke in a pair of 9500's during the CQWW DX CW contest SO2R and they performed perfectly throughout the contest. Molly and the staff helped us download the latest firmware to make sure the amps were ready for the contest. The support from RF Concepts is exceptional and the product is even better. Very satified with the purchase and the rock solid customer support. Thanks for making such a great product.
KI5WE Rating: 2010-12-17
my favorite amp of all times.... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is my favorite amp, it will spoil you, I find myself not wanting to use any of the other amps because you have to switch coax and you have to re tune and load the amp and then when you look at the DX cluster and see some other DX on a different band then you have to go through all of that again and again.With the Alpha 9500 you just switch bands on the transceiver hit the key and it is right there with you, just work them and on to other DX. It has 4 antenna ports it auto tunes auto switches to the right antenna it is fully automatic, FULL legal output all day all night. It is like having a 2200 watt transceiver just point and shoot. It is very quiet it just loafs a long at 1500 watts with no problem.I really like the fact that it has the Eimac 8877 3CX-1500-A7 tube it makes it much more forgiving that transistors like some other cheaper built amps on the market today. I rate it a 10. I love it what more can I say. It is the best amp I have ever had and my hat is off to Alpha. GREAT JOB Guys, Thank you KI5WE
K1OPQ Rating: 2010-12-16
Best amp! Best tube! No tune! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
What a combination: historic "brick" key down endless power using what is likely the most robust tube available in an amplifier that let's you see its' constantly changing operating parameters easily with LED's rather than trying to follow a swinging thin black wire in a meter movement. Add to that "no tune" operation and silent QSK. The Best! It's on my list!