AGD Tempo in the house

I would not buy this amp without directly comparing to the Atmasphere GaN amp....basically, the same price and the Atmasphere's are mono blocks.  Mono amps always sound better than stereo amps.  I am sure you could arrange to have both at the same time and decide between the two.   If manufacturers or dealers will not allow home trial's......this is not good.  I always sold my finished amps with a 30 day in house trial......no one ever sent one back.

@twoleftears

enjoy! alberto’s agd amps are real deal destination amps (i felt my audion monos were a good value at their price for what they deliver, now the one box tempo unit gets the cost entry down to ~5k... wow!!!)

unless one wants overt tubey goodness (and all the pro/cons that path brings), it is really really hard to find anything wanting about the incredible music these lovely amps make..

Congratulations @twoleftears, on the new amp. Great first impressions. Looking forward to read about your thoughts once the amps have settled. I know you were in two thoughts about GaN vs Purifi. Glad that you made up your mind. What about the volume position on the Backert? You had to bump it up or down?

Tempo di Gan in the house!  First impressions, paired with my Harbeth 40.2s: I can endorse most all of the positive comments so far.  What really struck me: bass and bass control.  The last two amps I've had in house (both monoblocks) were technically more powerful than the AGD, but the Tempo really impresses.  Other thing is definition/resolution.  Time to trot out one of those very well-worn audio cliches: put on a live recording of Eva Cassidy, and yes, I did hear for the first time a few details that I'd never heard before. (I usually roll my eyes my I read a reviewer writing that.)  Sonically, at least to my taste, it sounds very even-handed. middle of the road, neither markedly warm or cool.  Imaging and soundstaging are good.  Will follow up when it's had time to settle.  

Technics and Lyndorf to name a few are digital. Even the manufacturer states this.

The manufacturers that make digital input amps that change PCM to PWM call their amps "digital'.  Yes, the output stage is class D so it is not digital but the input stage is digital.....so you might call it a half digital/half class D amp.  However, I think it is a good idea to call these amps digital because you then know what you are dealing with.  Some of these "digital amps" use no feedback....since they have no analog stages to take feedback to. Technics, Tact, and Lyndorf use this kind of "digital" amp.  I am sure there are others.  There are no DACs in a "digital amp".....they only need a digital signal.  However, some "digital amps' have analog inputs and then they use an ADC to change the signal to PCM and then convert to PWM for the output amp stage.

@ron1264 All class D amps are analog. If its digital, its not class D. FWIW the on and off states in a digital word have significance whereas the on and off states of a class D do not. So I doubt there is any such thing as a 'digital amplifier'; there are DACs integrated into an amplifier system that employ a class D at the output.

@atmasphere you are correct in most cases, but some class D amps are digital.

@atmasphere agreed!

I have had multiple Class D amps that sound cold and unnatural fresh out of the box and warm over time.  I also have had some that have never improved and sound cold and unnatural forever.  Of course, I can think of some Class AB and A amps that are just as bad.  

@verdantaudio In all those cases you're hearing the distortion signature of the amp. Since you can never get rid of distortion, the distortion you do get should be innocuous as much as possible. Its nice when the designer gets that bit right, huh 😀?

@voodoochillin  I don't have a ton of preamps here to test.  That is a bit of a shortcoming with my current inventory.  I did have it paired with an AVM 5.2 which was quite nice.  

Regarding a range of speakers, that will build through time.  When the amp comes back from my customer I will test it with my own speakers (Verdant Brand) and hopefully my new Wilson Benesch's will be in.  It is going to get a workout breaking those in when they arrive.  

I can say it is pairs nicely with my Vivids which are a bit forward but are also miserable to drive.  The stated min impedance is 2.8 ohms, stereophile measurements said 2.4 ohms.  It handled the Kaya 45s well.  I would probably avoid warmer speakers like Vandersteens as the system might sound a little dark.  Otherwise, neutral to forward speakers are likely to do well.  

@verdantaudio 

Thanks for taking the time to post your impressions of the Tempo. I think many of us are interested in how well it pairs with different preamps and it’s ability to drive a range of speakers.

@atmasphere Fair enough.  That being said, I have had multiple Class D amps that sound cold and unnatural fresh out of the box and warm over time.  I also have had some that have never improved and sound cold and unnatural forever.  Of course, I can think of some Class AB and A amps that are just as bad.  

Use of "digital" was poor phrasing.  

Even fresh out of the flight case, (no box here) it didn't sound digital at all.

@verdantaudio Why would it? Class D amps are not digital- they are analog. The 'D' is just a bad coincidence, since 'A', 'B' and 'C' were already taken. Class D was first proposed in the tube era, about 1958 or so. Class D is a switching technology just as digital is- further increasing confusion...

I have just received the Tempo as well. It is early yet to form an opinion as it is just a few hours in the system.  I am also waiting to receive an improved rca IC which will enable better potential. 
 

Scott, Glad to hear you finally have heard an AGD amp. Wait till you hear the Grand Vivace! If you ever want to hear the GV, you know where to find me.

Class A, yes.  It is warmer and seems to have tons of power despite the modest rating.  SET…no.  Certainly not my 300B I have sitting right next to it.  I have not really heard anything that can replicate a SET.  Even the First Watt stuff falls a hair short despite its relative brilliance.  

What will be interesting is when I do a compare between the AGD and my reference KT88 monos on a speaker with proper impedance for the monos.  That will expose flaws/shortcomings. 
 

The shock was more from a prior experience.  I dropped an NAD C298 into my system and it was a push vs the amp in my integrated.  I enjoyed that amp immensely and understood completely how it got an A rating.  The AGD was obviously better than my two integrated amps.  Not saying it is flawless by any stretch, but it is very, very good.  When you consider size, energy efficient  and price, it is a fascinating amp.  

I'm always keen to learn more about the AGD products.  Other people have also noticed this similarity with Class A and some have suggested SET tube sound.

I have read only one review that was of a disinterested disposition where by definition the reviewer was objective and without any conflict of interest, real or perceived.

He had some criticisms which nobody else had mentioned. 

glad you are hearing these agd's scott... really excellent...