The greatest budget amplifier out there.

For under £100 this is the perfect amplifier to start your life in the world of separates for those of the musically minded. The amp front comes with a volume control for . . . controlling the volume. It's a smooth volume wheel and in the five years of owning the product it hasn't worn or become sticky with grime as do some volume nobs - guitars especially.

There's Bass and Treble to fiddle with the warmth and crispness of your sound - depending on the music. A left to right speaker control. I only ever use this if I'm trying to locate a part in the music - to see where it's coming from - usually when working out how some producers level their drum patterns etcetera.

Then there's the selector switch to see what input is going through. These have been labeled: Tuner, CD, AV/DVD, AUX/Phono. Obviously all inputs are the same so their just labeled as guidance rather than a necessity. The back panel has the Tuner, CD etc labeled above each phono input, but written upside down so when looking at the back you can easily read what cables you're unplugging.

There's also a tape monitor switch for when recording out, something I've never used but pressed many times by accident leaving me in despair thinking my amp's broken (no sound comes out the when this is pressed), then I realise I've been the fool.

For you lazy kids their isn't a remote that comes with it, but who needs a remote - physically interact with your music. Could possibly make you groove to the tune as you're walking over to turn it down. Burn some calories.

In the five years I have had zero problems with my amplifier. All problems have been my own stupidity, such as a phono cable popping out. I didn't realise so I took the thing apart looking for a faulty wire.

There's no EQ settings or any other such excess - extra bass etc - but there's no need. The sign of a good amp is where you have to mess around with the music you're listening to by using the EQ settings. An amplifier is there to amplify the sound of the music, not turn you into the mastering suite after recording.

This amp amplifies. Just listen to the music.

Would like one extra input though - but that's just me.