I can imagine that it was a typical Woodinville, Washington rainy day when Greg came up with the idea of making quality sound reinforcement equipment at prices that any player could afford. In 1969 this idea grew into a company called Tapco, and would eventually change its name and grow into one of the most respected music gear manufacturers in the world. Greg was none other than Greg Mackie, and his company would later become Mackie (a division of Loud Technologies). For many years now, artists, recording engineers, and producers have relied on the bulletproof Mackie line of products for recording and live sound applications.

Recently Mackie decided to revisit the Tapco name, and bring out a new line of lower priced products with the same attention to quality that has made them an industry leader for over a decade. Tapco is by no means an extensive line, but rather just a small line of well designed affordable products. The product we are going to focus on in this review is from Tapco's "Juice" series - the 1400 watt "J1400" power amp from Tapco.

The J1400

A power amp is designed to fulfill only one function, that is to significantly boost audio signals to a much higher levels (typically for driving loudspeakers). As such, what really sets one power amplifier apart from another is how well it performs this unique task. It may seem like a simple job, but there are many variables that need to be considered in the design stages of a power amp. However, in the end, what you truly want is a clean signal characterized by a pure natural sound without distortion or coloration. This is where many companies stumble with their power amps. Fortunately, Mackie has been a leader in clean sounding power amps for many years now, and they have carried that quality over to the Tapco line.



The J1400 is a two channel 1400 watt power amp. It’s very design is simplicity and functionality. The front panel consists of a rocker on/off switch and two output pots. For quick reference, there are also signal indicators and overload LED’s for each individual channel. The dual automatic variable speed fans give you efficient cooling at the lowest background noise possible for any application.



The rear panel includes your choice of either balanced TRS or XLR inputs. There are three "Speakon" outputs on the J1400. The choice of which ones you will use depends on your application. You have the choice of using the "A" and "B" connectors for stereo operation, or using the third connector for bridged mono operation. This third connector also gives you the option of carrying the "A" and "B" channels on one Neutrix NL-4 connector. What this essentially allows you to do is carry both signals on one output to two separate speakers.

Although the front panel of the J1400 are very simple, the back panel holds a few surprises. The J1400 boasts a few features that you will not find on power amps at this price range. Lets take a look at these features and get familiar with what they do.

The Amp Mode switch- The "Amp Mode" switch is a great example of the versatility of the unit. This allows you to select three different output options. This options are Stereo, Mono, and Bridged. In "Stereo Mode" you can run two completely separate outputs at 450 watts on each individual side. In "Mono Mode" you can run one input into two ouputs at 450 watts per side, and in "Bridged Mode" you can run one input out to a single output at an earth shaking 1400 watts.

Clip Limit switch- This switch is designed to protect your speakers from damage that can be caused by clipping. It is similar to having a compressor in your signal chain, without all the compressor settings. It is designed to be transparent, so you do not even notice that it is engaged. The only instances you might decide to turn it off is when playing at relatively low volume levels, or if you have already have set up a compressor in the signal path. Even in these situations, it would not hurt to keep the "Clip Limit" switch on to prevent accidental speaker damage.

Subsonic Filter At 30 Hz – This is basically a high pass filter which is a filter that passes high frequencies and attenuates low frequencies. When engaged this filter cuts the extreme lows that can not be reproduced by most loud speakers. This also works as a protection device for your speakers, by allowing you to remove the problem frequencies that often cause stage rumble.

Test Applications

This power amp might just be ideal for bass players who can consume a whole lot more wattage than would be realistic for a guitar player. Nevertheless, a guitar player would find the J1400 to be more than adequate if they ran their guitar directly through a PA system. Keeping this in mind, I tested it as the power plant for both a stand alone bass rack system and a PA setup.

The Bass Rack- In using the J1400 as a bass setup, I was amazed at the power and clarity as I was able to achieve the coveted bass sound that is usually attributed to being felt more than heard. I am talking about that thunderous sonic wall that hits you in the chest. The bass is tight and clean giving you the maximum delivery of your bass lines, without stepping on the other instruments in the band.

The J1400 sounded great when popping and slapping, allowing total control of dynamics and tone. Used in a bass setup, you can power a single 1400 watt bass speaker cab combination, or you can go stereo to two 450 watt cabs. This is a copiousness amount of versatility to satisfy most bass players. This power amp could easily have been designed with the bass player in mind. It puts out a solid punchy sound that will shake the walls and rattle the windows, while remaining tight and clear.


PA System - The PA application is inherently a much tougher test for the J1400 than the bass application. This is because a PA system in most applications will cover a large frequency spectrum. I knew that if the J1400 passed, then I had a great piece of gear on my hands.

In this application the J1400 performed well above my expectations. I tried a variety of vocals, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar. This power amp stood up to everything I could throw at it. The sound was clear and it offered plenty of headroom. The acoustic guitar sounded articulate and pure. My favorite was the electric guitar - it was absolutely awesome! From clean tones to blistering distortion, the J1400 reproduced flawlessly. Vocals through a Shure SM-58 microphone were intelligible and sounded brilliant both sung and spoken. The J1400 is a worthy canidate for an all around PA powerhouse.

Final Thoughts

I would not have a problem playing any small to medium size venue with the amp. I would put it up against many other name brand power amps on the market costing much more. The J1400 could easily be described as "professional features meets affordability". I have been a huge fan of Mackie for years now, and I am now a fan of their Tapco line. With their expanding product line, they have done a great job in maintaining quality. I award the J1400 the Guitar Gear Heads "Approved" award and the coveted "Rig Ready" award for 2005. I would like to offer a special thanks to Keith and Kevin from Loud Technologies for the opportunity to review the J1400.



Copyright (c) 2005 Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Guitar Gear Heads is a Division of Allen & Halberg Publishing, Inc.

			TAPCO J-1400
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