AGD Audion GaN Class D In The House

@quattro4x

What speakers have you tried them with? Thanks.

I have had the AGD Audions for a year and thoroughly enjoy the music they reproduce. Over the years, I have owned various Class A/B and SET tube power amps and thought that I could never live with solid-state amps. My early introduction to Class D was underwhelming. But the Audions have totally changed my perception of music reproduction equipment. They are the most engaging amps I have ever experienced.

I use the stock cords, which are definitely a step or 2 above most cables that are included with any piece of gear, and am completely satisfied. 

For all you AGD Audion mkII owners out there, what power cords have you found that get the best out of the monoblocks? The included pair is decent, but I think they can be bettered, so looking for real tried and true suggestions. 😉

i tried various cords on my pair, no meaningful difference

For all you AGD Audion mkII owners out there, what power cords have you found that get the best out of the monoblocks? The included pair is decent, but I think they can be bettered, so looking for real tried and true suggestions. 😉

Just finding this thread as I’m new to hearing about the AGD. I see a mention of ZU Dirty Weekends above... How good/bad of a match would the Audion’s be with Klipsch Cornwall IV speakers. I currently run a Cary Audio SLI-100 (KT-150 output tubes) and I’m looking for a change - either Class-A (Luxman, Pass, or First Watt) or outstanding Class-D (AGD, obviously). Would likely pair with a tube-based pre-amplifier (to be determined), but open to suggestions. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated - thanks!

Well, it certainly was with the Tempo which is a stereo one box version of the Audions. Which as I understand its basic difference is a bit better power supply and having the Gan circuit outside the main body in the glass envelope which probably helps insulating it from the rest of the amp and ps, and also makes it more upgradable…

I'm using a Supratek DHT pre with 300b tubes and it's a match made in heaven with my AGD Audions. The Supratek Grange should be a perfect match with the AGD Audions.

Just bumped into this thread a few days back…

Three weeks ago a close friend who is dealer to a few selected products locally call me to invite me to hear his last addition… a class D new amp who just received… Was pretty skeptical being heavily tube biased… but my friend has a lot of miles in audio, and sensibilities that we share so …We heard the AGD Tempo on a pair of marvelous QLN monitors driven by an LTA preamp…The Tempo is the new entry level offering, a stereo version of the Audion monoblocks…We then we took it to my place and hook it to my Gibbons X driven by my Supratek Grange …

After those two sessions I can truly understand and agree with your comments on the AGD line… In my system it clearly outperformed the marvelous First Watt F8, Nelson’s latest iteration on his remarkable boutique line… Have to tell you it got surprisingly close to my beloved Lamm ML2 SET amps… The Lamms were superior in most aspects but the small AGD’s performance was much closer to them than to the F8 which is surprisingly considering it’s dna…

A couple of caveats… we matched the Tempo with a couple of high efficiency speakers. The excellent Dirty Weekend 4 from Zu at 97 eff.and a 92 db model from QLN, specifically design and built for tube matching and it was nice, but  did not had the magic it show with more difficult loads…  We also drove it with his own AGD Alto preamp and it did very nicely, but again, did not had the magic it showed with really good tubes preamps like the Supratek and the LTA… We are waiting for a pair of  Audion monoblocks that should arrive next week to see how much more it adds to the Tempo experience, and which of them is going to take the place of the excellent F8 in my rack…

So, in my experience and opinion these Gan class D amps are in a class by themselves that when properly matched and driven, as is the case with mainly every true high end component, can be a truly end game amplifier with which one can live happily ever after… At least, I know I could …

!00% agree with rh67-- have had mine for two years- Gran Vivace Monoblocks

Over 2 years of AGD Audion ownership and they continue to surprise and impress me. My musical enjoyment has increased tenfold since buying the AGD's. For me this hobby is about the music and less about the equipment. The AGD's resurrect the source and brings it to life.

Local shop did not have those amps,  brought in the trusty Sunfire sig 600, pretty much embarrassed the NAD, Mcintosh, amps they had. Almost,didn’t hook her up, as about a year-ish ago, I did go in and hear the the Thor amps and 2 different devialet thingies, Sunfire had so much more authority in bass and midrange.

 I will keep looking, calling shops if they carry the brand.
I am tired of moving my amps around,….heavy bastar*s

enjoy 

That GaN tech is not necessarily needed to enjoy Class D.
 

There are generic Class D amp threads that discuss GaN and other class D technologies. Your post would’ve been relevant there. If you had a comparison with ADG amps, that would have helped. On this thread your post appears to be just noise.

 If I had the scratch I’d go with AGD just because the designer made his amps upgradeable, which is huge to me especially since GaN amps are in their relative infancy.

@soix FWIW our amp is easily updated too.

That GaN tech is not necessarily needed to enjoy Class D.

@armyslowrdr ,

what does your post has to do with the AGD amps being discussed?

I have the e-purfy Audiophonics Class D amp.  I decided to try it after I just couldn't get satisfaction with my MC75 tubed monoblocks. To be fair I just don't think the 75s had enough oomph to properly power the inefficient Sonusfaber Oly 1 book shelve speakers I have.  I am highly pleased with the Audiophonics.  One could say is is ultra or hyper transparent.  BUT I would like to say try now a pair of 300 watt tubed monoblocks. But 14K used is still a lot of $ to outlay. The Class D was really a superb bargain at not even 1200 USD, and ultra fsat shipping and no VAT or import, from France.

Has anyone heard these amps compared to Luxman's high end amps (m900u / m10x)?  If so, how would you describe the differences?

AGD was tops on my list for an amp upgrade, but, alas, the budget just wasn’t there. Instead I went for full upgrades on my McCormack DNA-0.5 Rev A when it died because I knew I liked the sound qualities in the context of my particular system and tastes and knew I’d just be getting a lot more of the same for the relatively modest outlay of $2700.  But if I come into some $$$ AGD will be tops on my list as a potential end-game amp, assuming I’d ever let go of my fully-upgraded DNA-0.5, which is not a given by any stretch.

I had an extended and very interesting conversation with Alberto at AGD a few weeks ago. The guy is extremely knowledgable, yet so humble it's unbelievable. His approach of doing in-house R&D and module design and production is commendable. Also, as some of you mentioned, the upgradeability of his designs makes a huge difference given the rapid pace of innovation in this particular area.

I decided to go a different route for now, but AGD Audion remains very high on my bucket list. Maybe next year.

haven't heard ralph/atmasphere's amps

@jjss49  You took the words outta my mouth, and it’d be very interesting to hear a comparo between these two.  If I had the scratch I’d go with AGD just because the designer made his amps upgradeable, which is huge to me especially since GaN amps are in their relative infancy.  I believe Alberto has already introduced a meaningful upgrade, so case in point.  

have said this in numerous posts (see my informal review/evaluation from a year plus ago here when i bought them)

alberto’s agd amps are the real deal... absolutely tippity top tier sound, and superior to all other class d and gan based amps i have tried or heard to date, coupled with small light form factor and negligible heat output, a perfect ’summer amp’ for those living in 4 seasons climates ...(though i would qualify all this by saying that i essentially stopped auditioning these types of amps after getting the audions -- haven't heard ralph/atmasphere's amps, nor molas)

I was going to say the same about AGD.  I am also an AGD dealer.  They have to be heard.  They rival most MOSFET amps I have heard, including Class A amps. 

It is not the case that one GAN amp is the same as all the rest.  Each company seems to have its own sound signature.  Some do use the same boards from the same factory.  I know that AGD has a proprietary design and they are the only one at this time that is designed from scratch exclusively for audio applications.  

I know that doesn't necessarily make the AGDs better but it does absolutely show up in the sound signature.  They are not cheap but I have put them up against SS Class A and AB amps that are up to 2x the price and they hold their own.  

Oliver (Delve Audio) is a pleasure to deal with and those AGD Audions are pretty fantastic. 

nice that @delveaudiollc is now posting here

i can vouch for this outfit... absolutely first rate

@delveaudiollc 

agreed, a must hear.

Full disclosure, I'm an AGD dealer.....   

I know there are a great number of hobbyist who hate anything they don't own.....   I might fall in that class myself...  lol....

The AGD amps have to be experienced, before you speak against them.  

What's the worst that can happen?  

@jtsnead ,

great idea Jerry, an A/B day would fun.

Lance

Bakoon doesnt exist anymore under that name and all the Bakoon models are now outdated and improved under the new brand name. ENLEUM   

The only other amp I would compare to the AGD is the Bakoon.

I have a Bakoon headphone amp. It also gives a clear, open window into the sound. But the AGDs are in a category of their own.

Without knowledge, I imagine some very pricey amps are also superb but I believe AGD can stand proudly against any.

@lancelock I should bring over the PS Audio M1200's to compare with AGD?

Hey Lance, pumped to hear more about how these compare to the LTA reference+ and the Coda, as I own amps from both companies as well as the LTA pre. 

Would love to slim down the power amp stable ! (The LTA pre is a keeper tho)

Cheers

👍 looking forward to it. 

@david_ten ​​@mapman 

I think we can make this happen guys.

Lance

@lancelock  Just responded to your PM.

@mapman , I’m not sure if @david_ten is as flexible as we are since he is from out of town but we will see what happens.

Hey @lancelock if you want maybe you can kill two birds with one stone. I have pretty good flexibility rest of month. 

@david_ten 

I will be home through the holidays this year so yes, come on by. For complete transparency I have just gotten through my 10 days of quarantine after my bout with Covid. We’re all vaxxed here and I still got it although my wife didn’t somehow.

@lancelock I should be in Baltimore end of the month. I'll reach out if I can carve some time out. Will you be local then?

@david_ten 

You must come back for a visit. I have also added a dedicated power line and it was well worth it.

@lancelock  Congratulations on your Audion mono block amps and for them working out so well in both of your systems! Given how good your basement system was when I heard it a few months ago, the improvements gained must be bloody awesome. : )

I just brought the Audion mono blocks upstairs to my living room system. This system consists of LTA MicroZOTL preamp, Modwright Oppo Sonica as streaming source and Janszen zA2.1 Valentina hybrid electrostatic’s. The Audion’s power is no problem driving these stats. This combo may just be the closest I’ve ever heard to a live performance in my living room. Once again the holographic 3D sound stage is to die for.

There's a very strong review of the Tempo in Enjoy the Music

@lancelock thanks for the update. Looking forward to hearing these as well as additional reviews.

i would concur these amps are truly excellent, based on my own experience with them

their price of entry is not cheap but also not exorbitant, given the performance they deliver

the soon to be released stereo version should deliver most of the performance of the mono blocks in a lower cost, single box package, and allow many more enthusiasts to enjoy the lovely sound

(i have no affilation with alberto/agd other than being a customer)

AGD Audion Mono Blocks

I’ve lived with them for about a week so not even broken in yet. Upon arrival I immediately opened the flight case and set them up on the audio rack but they were cold from sitting in the delivery truck I assume. I should have let them warm up to room temperature maybe, so they sounded terrible for about 60 seconds and quickly started coming alive.

In the next few minutes I realized these were special and as more time goes by there were interesting changes happening during break-in. It sounds better, then worse and then better again. I have left things running 24/7 so I’m at about 140 hours and sound has started to level out showing some amazing micro details. Bass and midrange is nothing short of spectacular. I’ve read reviews where it was said that these sounded like an SET with power and I can’t argue with that.

The flagship Coda #16 with the first 100 watts of class A is a spectacular SS amp, especially after I ran a dedicated power line to my room. I would put this Coda amp up against any Pass Labs out there. I can already hear detail and an immersive, holographic sound stage coming from the AGD Audion mono blocks that I don’t hear with the Coda.

I can unquestionably say these Audion’s are the best class D I’ve ever heard and just maybe the best amps period. More to come.