30 Amplifiers Totaling $428,740.00 In Search of Audio Nirvana
Yes it’s true! I have both owned and auditioned 30 of the top selling amplifiers Totaling $428,740.00 in search of that secret sauce called Audio Nirvana. All though there is no one size fits all, they all have their own special touch of magic for someone at a price point and sound signature that will be a fit for your musical listening taste. With that being said, this long list of amplifiers ranging from $2500.00 MSRP to $85,000.00 is what I experience through trial and error while running the gamut of Class A-AB-D and Tube Amplifiers from a variety of the top Amplifier Make and Models listed below.
Anthem Integrated
225
Adcom 575SE
Audio Research 160S
Bell Canto 600M
Block Audio
Bryston 7BSST2
Divalet Expert Pro 220
Gryphon Diablo
Krell Evolution
Hegel H30
Luxman M900U
Merril Eliment 118
McIntosh 452
McIntosh 601
Octave Audio V110
Musical Fidelity Titan
Parasound A21
Parasound JC1
Pass Lads X250.5
Pass Labs X350.5
Pass Labs XA160.8
Pass labs XS300
Plinius SA-250
PS Audio BHK 300 Signature
Primaluna Premium HP
Primaluna Prologue
Sim Audio W7
I actually couldn't believe it myself until I looked at my spreadsheet 5.5 years later and said WTF have I done? All that said I can truly say it has been one fun ride!
The purpose and goal for posting this long list is of amplifiers was to share my thoughts and experiences with you from a unbiased point of view with Absolutely No Quid Pro Quo :)
Ok so, this is what I found right iff the back was that you could use the PSA DirectStream as a DAC pre however at a cost of musicality and volume gain loss. Music at a lower volume seems conjested crying for more volume and when you do get it right it still lacks the musicality as is, however with the versatility of the BHK 300 and its tube change ease you can literally tune it to suit your liking.
You can also get my tube changes dac/preamp and dac only tweaks from my BHK 300, BHK Pream and PS Audio DirectStream Dac Post.
Going to switch back to my P.S.Audio BHK 300 Monos today to compare my P.S.Audio DirectStream Dac running the latest Snowmass update direct to amp ti see if the effect will be the same as my ARC 160S without the Bhk Preamplifier.
My main system is Audio Research 160S with a P.S. Audio BHK Signature Preamp and Directstream Dac with Bridge ll playing through a pair of Focal Sopra ll in a room size 12x15. After quite a bit of system rolling this has been the best synergy in my room to date. My taste lean towards the musical side of things with just the right touch of detail, warmth, organic dimension, texture, and sound stage. My goal is to take the BHK Preamp out and go direct. I have kicked this around with my colleges and my gut is telling me to go MSB Discrete Dac with the optional power supply or the Lumin X1. 1st. up to the plate will be The MSB playing straight through to the Audio Research 160S if I can muster the energy I might also bring the BHK 300 Monos out to play as well. Stay tune as I will be keeping you posted.
I’ve heard the 160 monos side by side with the Boulder 1160 and preferred the Boulder. That’s not to say i disliked the ARC products (I do have a REF 6 at home). There was just something special about the Boulder for the music I listen to and I now have the 1160 at home and couldn’t be happier. That said, I’m glad you love the 160S. I do agree at the price point there are very few competitors who can rival it for clarity and musicality.
The brief time I had with the 160s was a revelation. That amp has so much slam and control that I thought I was listening to a pure solid state amp. I can say that it impressed me in many areas and didn't quit nor did it sound compressed after listening at loud volumes. I don't know what they do in those amps but I don't know if any other tube amp that sounds like it.
After careful review and 30 amplifiers later I have decided to stick with the Audio Research Reference 160S. As of today there is nothing out there that can come close the $20k plus price point and much above. I will admit that I was never a tube amp guy but after listening to this masterpiece I must say that I was humbled. For those who love the organic musicality and resolution sound along with a large sound stage of tube and Class A with the speed and bass slam of S/S than put this on your next must listen to list!
Tough one as I love the pass 160.8. Luxman on the other hand is one hell of an amp as it lean's a bit more musical tube like imho than the 160.8 but again that's my opinion. The music you listen to, the volume that you listen at as well as your room size are also big factors.
Now as far as the Diablo is concerned it does alot right especially having the synergy of the power and preamp all under one roof "Done Right" is a great financial decision Sound to value proposition. That integrated is sweet and more power than the Pass or the luxman with the Synergy of the pre and power amp system matched is definitely another great option.
So the net is thathelp. Finances, room, music, speakers and volume level that you listen too will all a determining factor as all the above are awesome picks.
i currently own Pass Labs XA160.8 ( feeding it directly from Chord Dave DAC ) had Audio Research REF 6 as a home demo and i could not belie how much sound quality improved making listening experience more enjoyable. I always thought that having most direct connection in the signal path was the best but after trying AR Ref6 i now think differently.
if possible can you describe how it compares to Luxman 900u,, something i'm thinking on trying, I really really love my pass labs ( came from Parasound JC1s and for money i think they are best set of the monoblocks that you can get in 4K range used ....
Also interested in Diablo 300 ( assuming that is what you had ) I've only listened to it at the dealers listening room with Focal Sopra 2. I have Sopra 2s as my main speakers
The purpose of the post was to engage with others who may have had questions and or exchange experiences. Again take a reading lesson, I have owned over a 3rd of the amps listed and have had unlimited access to the others on the list shared by a small but choice group of audiophiles friends who actually enjoy the hobby and thought it would be helpful to others. We for the most enjoy what we do and share our evaluation experiences and our quite happy to answer unbiased questions as it relates to them.
If you auditioned 30 amps on various systems or speakers then you didn't audition anything.
Just seems like a manic post. I glanced at it, but it's too much to even begin the effort of trying to make sense of or to place his post in any meaningful context.
The purpose of the post was to engage with others who may have had questions and or exchange experiences. Again take a reading lesson, I have owned over a 3rd of the amps listed and have had unlimited access to the others on the list shared by a small but choice group of audiophiles friends who actually enjoy the hobby and thought it would be helpful to others. We for the most enjoy what we do and share our evaluation experiences and our quite happy to answer unbiased questions as it relates to them.
B&k ST140 Stereo power amplifier. Excellent cosmetic condition and Excellent sound quality. 105 watts per channel. Natural, smooth, reliable and Tube like sound without the hassels or the expense, and there's a nice weight to bottom end as a bonus. It has driven, with astonishing musicality, Magnepan,Boston, Vienna, Quad 57 and 63, and Martin Logan loudspeakers. Smooooth baby smooooth. Yes I've owned more expensive amps but have always returned to the ST140. This is a VERY natural sounding amp, if there is such a thing. It just sounds right, never harsh or etched, not bloated or muddy, just sounds right.
The B&K ST-140 is the amplifier of choice for the perfectionist on a tightish budget. It's a veritable triumph of design, and perhaps the most cost-effective amplifier I know of.—J. Gordon Holt
Looking at picking up a Plinius SA103 as I hear that they are a contender to my list of amp collection. I had the SA250 Mk2 in my system and it was truly a great class A and A/B piece that can be toggled when you want to go from 1 to the other. The SA250 MK2 was very musical and holographic with great bass but suffered a tad in detail in the upper mids and highs. Of course that was maybe due to having it connected to my Sonus Faber Olympica Lilly's at the time more known for there silk dome tweeter or me maybe not playing enough with cables etc.
My setup today his will include Focal Sopra #2's with a titanium tweeter and bigger more detailed midrange.
Please keep me posted if you have any comments regarding this amp as I don't have a near by dealer where I can audition one.
The absolute best was the Merril Eliment 118 monos, 2. Block Audio Monos, and last but not least Gryphon Diablo Integrated. I really liked the Gryphon because it was excellent musicaly speaking with a built in preamp and Dac and Phono Stage option you can choose at the time of purchase. If you didn't want to go by way of separates than Gryphon Diablo would be the top pic in the line up. My experience was using it with their Dac option. Everything was built with its own system synergy and the power of the monos.
Hopefully you can audition 1 of the 3 mentioned. If by chance you do by all means let us know what you thought.
*L* OK, blu....that does 'scale' the enormity of what you opened with (which I did read, Really)...
"I had help in conducting this..." is fine to admit to. *nudge*G* Otherwise, suspicion of over-caffeination comes to mind. ;)
As a fan of dipoles and omnis....which amp with the ML's appeared to work well? Not that I'm going to 'CyberMonday' self into a froth, but it'd be instructive. I Do note what the 'collective' here considers a proper pairing....
For those who focused more on the overwhelming amount of amps I have owned and "Auditioned"! Best you go back to the original post and "READ" it again, "Owned and Auditioned"!!! Guess I should have been more specific, my mistake. So to clarify I have acutely owed a 1/3 of the amps listed and the rest I have had unlimited access to from a private owner Audiophile friend who like me has the time and energy to play and learn. We as hobbyists have conducted blind test with a mix of friend both private owners and other professionals in the industry.
(Oh, good....for @ least once...I'm not totally on a limb, sawing the 'inboard' side...*s*)
Unless one has an 'acoustic memory' that rivals that of a 'published reviewer' (which, I've noted, the status of which is discussed almost as much as the item reviewed)....
How can one discern A over Y? *hands up in supplication*
BTW...It does begin to sound (NPI...) like 'mania'.... I can identify with that, given my 'take' on the 'hobby'....;) But....*vaguely boggled*
If you auditioned 30 amps on various systems or speakers then you didn't audition anything. Auditioning 30 amps with them being the only variable is auditioning 30 amps. All you did was listen to 30 audio systems. It would be like testing 30 different tires on 30 different cars.
Attending a live performance and listening at home are two different things. While both can be great experiences, neither is really a good substitute for the other, imo.
Tomic601: I use an Aesthetix Callisto Eclipse for my pre and agree that the Eclipse is the way to go. Ref150SE?? - I don’t see that on your list, but presume you are speaking of audio Research. I would suggest you audition the VM-220, tubes are perpendicular and has bass with tubes that must be heard. (preferable to my Ear). I also have the Bel Canto Ref600m and feel they are great for class D, but lack the midrange warmth that a tubed amp provides. Have you ever listened to a tube buffer with SS amps? Much less fuss than a tube amp but you do get warmth. I have also gone through the heard with headphone amps and settled on the Woo Audio 5-LE with 1940 tubes, but that is for another discussion.
@mountz the Aesthetix is a great hybrid amp and compares well to ARC with most speaker loads better bass. There are three levels now, Eclipse is sublime. When I compared them a REF150se edged it in midrange magic.
You could spend $350,000 if the price has not gone up since it listed at this price in 2003, but for that kind of money use it to pay off your mortgage and build your own using most of the same parts for under a couple of thousand dollars. Or hire some unemployed physicists who knows how to build it for you for a few thousand dollars for a month's work. There are plenty of such people out in the world of audio because only about 2% of PhD graduates even in STEM ever get a career in the academic world.
Strangely it could be a loudspeaker issue..... Ever get a chance to listen to a pair of Wilson Benesch from the Geometry series?? A.C.T. One Evolution or for the very hard to please with a large room: Eminence
That's a tough one as they are great depending on your room and speaker's etc. My 1 st. Responce would be Grypon since it has everything you will need under 1 roof., 2and. Pass Labs x350 if you like separates. 3. Sim Audio if you have smaller room and need less power
What a list, just curious if you considered Aesthetix Atlas Monos? I use Aesthetix in the summer months and switch to the Audio Research VM-220 monos during the winter because I can tolerate the heat in with 24 tubes in the amps. I have always liked tubes, but am considering SS and using a high end tube buffer for warmth. Interesting thread.
So now is the time to build your own components, then you can tailor them to your own likes and system no matter what changes you make. Once you learn how parts change the sound it becomes easy!. Or simply have one built for you. This is the way, you can get the best sound for your system.
I auditioned the JC1s and JC5, and have now owned the JC5 for several months. They both have a very similar sonic signature, but I thought the JC-5 sounded a little more refined. A bit more detail and smoother mid-range. However, the JC1 was considerably older so it's possible a recap would make up the difference.
Also, the speakers I was listening to, and also the ones I have now, were fairly efficient. With less efficient speakers, the added class A power of the JC1s might be more of a factor.
@blumartini, when you wrote you have "owned and auditioned 30 of..." did you actually purchase all these amplifiers, or did you just audition some of them? BTW, that is quit a list!
Parasound A21 is a great 2 channel amp depending on your room size speaker and listening volume it might be just fine. Now if you want to drive your speakers at louder volume JC1 will be your better choice. The JC1 is in my opinion more muscle and more musical and you will most definitely hear a bump in Bass. The sound signature is John Curl no doubt but more of it with it operating in class A up to the 1st. 25 watts.
I have not had the opportunity to play with the JC5 so I cant really comment.
As far as the the A21 VS Anthem both are great at that price point, my experience was with the Anthem 225 integrated which is an awesome combo similar from a price power prospective but the Anthem comes with the built in pre which by the way is better than the Parasound proposition.
Can you please share your impressions between Parasound A21 and JC1? Also the Parasound vs Anthem ? I currently have A21 and planning to upgrade to JC5. Thanks in advance!
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