Scott 438A
Little is documented about the Scott 438A outside of its August 1983 review in Audio (August 1983, p.82). That review is the most substantial record of the model. The 438A was an integrated amplifier, rated at 45 watts per channel into 8-ohm loads from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with 0.04% total harmonic distortion. Intermodulation distortion was also specified at 0.04%, and the damping factor was listed as greater than 60.
Audio’s bench test found the amplifier delivered 48 watts per channel at mid-frequencies at its rated THD of 0.04%. That is slightly over the published spec. The review also documented a high-cut filter (-3 dB at 7 kHz, 6 dB/octave) and a loudness contour that boosted +3.5 dB at 10 kHz and +7 dB at 100 Hz with the volume control set to -30 dB. There was a phono input, with its signal-to-noise ratio referenced to 10 mV input. The full S/N figure is not preserved in the available excerpt.
Beyond the Audio profile, no service manuals, original pricing, or production years have surfaced. The 438A does not appear in the existing Scott brand catalog on the Archive. Those pages cover the 310B, 350B, 360B, 399, Liberator, and several other models, but none mention the 438A. Whether it was a short production run or a model with limited distribution is unclear. The one review describes an honest integrated amplifier from Scott’s early-1980s lineup that delivered slightly more than its rated power and had the basic filtering and contour features typical of the period.
- Power output: 45 W/ch (8 Ω, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.04% THD); measured 48 W/ch at mid-frequencies
- Rated THD: 0.04%
- Rated IM: 0.04%
- Damping factor: >60
- High-cut filter: –3 dB at 7 kHz, 6 dB/octave
- Loudness contour (at –30 dB): +3.5 dB at 10 kHz, +7 dB at 100 Hz
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.