Hafler XL-280, Big Power Amplifier

David Hafler is a legend in audio circles.  Hafler made his mark early on at Dynaco and took his experiences there even further a few years alter when we started Hafler Company.  The DH-200 and DH-500 amplifiers were the first products in the company's lineup in 1976 and 1977, respectively, and both were met with critical acclaim. 

The Hafler XL-280 was the logical evolution of the "DH" 'series.  Introduced in the late 1980s, the XL-280 is a solid-state stereo power amplifier designed to minimize distortion through its unique "Excelinear" circuitry, aiming for the accuracy of a straight wire with gain. It produces 145 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms and demonstrates high stability with challenging, low-impedance loads, capable of handling 2-ohm loads effectively. The circuit topology relies on a fully complementary design, utilizing 12 Hitachi MOSFET power devices (six per channel) to deliver high-current, authoritative bass and a wide, stable soundstage.

The proprietary Excelinear adjustment, helps reduce total harmonic distortion to below 0.007% at 1 watt.  Internally, the XL-280 deviates from conventional transistor amplifiers by eliminating Zobel networks at the speaker output, relying on its inherent stability to handle reactive loads without oscillation. The amp’s heavy-duty construction and high-quality components, including polypropylene capacitors, metal film resistors, and heavy-duty power filtering caps all contribute toward impressive power, with poise. 

This piece has been thoroughly reviewed by our in-house tech with a clean bill of health.  It plays clean and delivers on the marketing hype. There are a few very minor nicks and minor scratches to the casework, which is how we have derived such an incredibly affordable price for this piece. 

Demos are of course available in Andover, MA. 

$399 (plus shipping and/or applicable MA sales tax)