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Reviews For: SPE Expert 1K-FA

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

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Review Summary For : SPE Expert 1K-FA
Reviews: 99MSRP: 2700 Euro
Description:
1 KW Solid State Fully Automatic Linear Amplifier HF and 50Mhz

Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.linear-amplifier.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25994.9
SM0O Rating: 2023-02-16
Excellese, like an Italian sports car! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After some 8+ years of owning one of these well constructed amplifiers, I am a very happy camper.
Owned a lot of amps in the past from Icom (I´m an Icom-guy) as well as from Ameritron (pre involvement of MFJunk) and Acom.
Love the Acom´s, but IMHO this is the keeper.
Now, this is the only amp I need and use.

Well built and with all bells and whistles I need.
That includes remote control, a feature that is becoming increasingly important for most amateurs as HF in a city location becomes an S9++ visit in interference hell...
Had to repair it and change a 20 cents worth of capacitor once.
Chase a a nesting spider out twice (cute thing but it had to go).
That´s it. Otherwise rock solid!

And a big part in me becoming #1 SWE in my category 2 years consecutive in the CQWW DX contest...

Had a problem with the power button and a "hard to start" amp, but a mail to the nice folks at SPE gave me an email with tips and descriptions of possible faults.
That is, for an amp way out of warranty, extremely good customer support.
Many thanks! (It was an electrolytic cp costing me 0.89£ plus shipping to fix).

Great support and kudos to the folks at SPE!
HB9FWB Rating: 2023-02-01
Good and reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The amplifier works well and it is a "set-it-and-forget-it" device. It does what's it supposed to, does not complain and match SWR up to 3:1.
It works good also in bypass mode (Operate=off) and the nice thing is that it keeps the tune also while in bypass. When off the input 1 is directly connected with output 1 and that allows you to bypass it also while asleep. Needs about 10-15W to go half power and about 17-25W to push the kW.

The only issue I found is that the rear left fan (power supply coolin),which is alwasy on, became noisy. To fix it it's enough to open the PA, swap another fan (and connector) and close it.
I want to point out that even if it's no more produced the SPA company still provides help and repair for the PA. Well done!
W9BB Rating: 2021-12-14
WOW Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
By far the best amplifier I have owned ! I run it with my Apache Labs and Flex radio off RCA cables works just fine. Auto tuner works perfect. Once again thank you Gene!
NN2X Rating: 2021-04-06
Quiet, Professional look & Easy to Operate Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had many amps, (Tubes), like Emtron DX 3SP (A pair of 4CX1500), to Kenwood 922, SB 200 and SB 220 and a few others..

This is my first experience with solid state amplifier.

This is professional Amplifier.

It is very quiet, smooth, light and easy to operate and is highly professional look. Even my XYL, likes the looks! (She is not a Ham Operator)

Like all Solid States Amps, No tuning, no warm up time, that is convenient.

Also, I have a vertical now (DX Commander), and 400 watts is perfect balance with TX and RX Gain...(I can increase to 1100 watts but it typically is an unbalance in TX and RX gain),

Very pleased!

NN2X / Tom



W1WC Rating: 2021-04-03
100% Up and running Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After a few months back the SPE 1K is back to operating to its max efficiency. Service was outstanding and repair was completed perfect. The amp is by far one of the best on the market. Still working DX pileups with it and will continue.
G6NHU Rating: 2021-04-03
Too loud, even at relatively low power. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've been using one of these instead of my old Acom 1000 in data contests.
Even with just 5W drive and the amplifier set on low power (approx 300W out), the fans ramp up to full speed and it's just far too loud.
My Acom ticked over and was barely audible at this power and so based purely on the noise, I can't recommend this amplifier.
LX1AX Rating: 2020-09-21
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hi to all,
I have bought this amplifier new in 2008. Not any single problem. It works perfect for me now 12 years.
My version was Series 3.
I hope it will continue working in the same way.
Thank you SPE.
73, Alain LX1AX
AD7HM Rating: 2020-06-07
Rock Solid - Even If Obsolete Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I added this linear to my shack around 2014. I found that 100 watts was not enough to make some contacts, even with a good directional antenna.

I originally set up the amp for my IC-746Pro rig, and everything worked flawlessly. My 746 died in April, and I had to go through the effort of setting up the amp for a new rig and building an interface cable for the rig. The manual is OK, though I suspect it was translated. That's the worst thing I can say about the unit. I am impressed by the different ways that this amp can be set up to automatically band-switch - it supports Kenwood, Yaesu, and Icom radios via serial data, can read older Icom band voltage data, and can sense the band if your radio doesn't have a serial connection.

I initially used the built-in tuner to make small adjustments to match better with my BWD-90 folded dipole antenna on 75 meters. I haven't touched the tuner settings since then. SWR of less than 2:1 is no problem for this amp.

Most of the time, I run my amp at half power to get ~300 watts output. I have occasionally used full power for a 20 meter contact. I will note that running digital modes with high power will cause the cooling fans to come on...and they are a bit on the loud side. I try to run "barefoot" with my rig on digital modes to avoid that.

I wasn't trying to, however, I found out how effective this amp's fold-back scheme (for excessive SWR) works. I was trying to work a station, and the amp logged a serious error and went into standby. When I looked, I had a 7:1 SWR! I had no idea that the driven element on my SteppIR had failed until the amp went into protection mode.

The 1K-FA was replaced by the 1.3K-FA. I'd consider that unit, or the 2K-FA, if I ever had to replace my SPE linear. The 1K-FA has been a solid performer.
K6VOX Rating: 2019-12-16
Amazing little amp Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
WoW, for a small package it sure does work very very well, ATU works flawlessly. On Half power I get a steady 500-600watts SSB. Very clean and easy little amplifier to use. Servicing the cooling fans to keep quiet are super easy as is the front air filter. Setting your Antenna plan and tuning a few points nets great memory logs and follows them perfectly. Even on high (1k-1.2k) and 120VAC( 25 amp dedicated circuit) it runs amazingly. Third owner and this one was very very well taken care of. Nice small foot print for other Devices in the shack. Bob with SPE America has been a great help with getting me up and running and for replacement parts if I ever need them down the road.
WX2CX Rating: 2019-05-04
Great Amp Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am not going to get into the technical data of the equipment, very versatile and fool proof amplifier. Delivers full 1200w no problem on 110v. I like it so much I just upgraded to the 1.3k. The construction is fantastic. 1k is not in production any more. SPE is offering the 1.3k-1.5k and 2k.
You cant go wrong with this amp.
73


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Earlier 5-star review posted by WX2CX on 2017-02-09

Great solid state amplifier, 1.2k on all bands. Very simple to set up and operate. Built cable as per manual to follow band and works fantastic.