Clayton Audio, First Watt
Amps which are Great, but either Unknown or Underpriced
Hello everyone,
When I think of Power Amps (or integrated amps) that play / sound way beyond their price-point and can be non-household names, I think of companies like:
- Belles (Power Modules)
- McCormack
- Coda
Can you guys please suggest other Power Amps / Companies that are also somewhat unknown or of great value?
Your suggestions would really help me and others. Thanks!
Matt
138 responses Add your response
Get yer Williamson/Ultra Linear on...Jolida rarely gets anything reviewed and consequently is one of the best kept secrets (except my grabbing any opportunity to rant about these things) out there. I have a 4 or so year old "factory upgraded" 502p amp that is the quietest (seemingly zero hum or noise even if you stick your ear on the speaker) amp I've owned including a lot of SS amps, and festooned (!) with KT150s and some nice small tubes it sounds like the friggin Giant Killer it is. The fact that these things are inexpensive seems to be the only thing wrong with them…I've spent a lot of time listening to much more expensive amps from Rogers, VTL, ARC, etc. (albeit usually not in my rig with a few exceptions) and the results are generally "meh." Primalunas get reviewed often and although closer to the price point of Jolida's amps, and fitted with auto bias circuits and other interesting features, they generally are less powerful than a Jolida costing about a third as much, and don't sound any better to my ears (I tried a borrowed "HP" version…when I switched back to my 502 I felt the Jolida simply sounded better, although I have no "triode" switch). |
The McIntosh MC352 (listed here on this site for $3,300) is a phenomenal deal in audio right now. This amp was designed by Charlie Randall and is one of the best sounding solid state amps they ever made, all these new MAC quad balanced amps are its offspring. McIntosh does not make lower wattage (under 400 watts) SS stereo amps anymore, and what they do currently make is very expensive. Matt M |
The Yamamoto A08S 45 Single Ended Triode Tube Amplifier is gorgeous with a pair of 98db sensitive Lowther PM5A (Alnico) drivers in Open Baffle. It is hand-made and illuminates textures, detail, transparency, a haunting sense of 3-dimensionality and captures the ambient 'space' of where the recording was made. It also has that mysterious sense of 'flow' that helps bring music to life. Srajan of 6-Moons suggested it sounded more tonally richly saturated than a 300B tube SET amplifier. He was right! It is also uncannily quiet. Shigeki Yamamoto is a master. It should cost at least $8,000 but only cost a ridiculous $2500, helped by the currently strong US dollar. It is also beautiful designed. There are few audio amplifiers that come even close to it as a work of art. |
@philipwu Re: YBA: 1. Yves-Bernard Andre continues to be Chief Designer of ALL YBA products 2. Sound quality is even higher quality vs older designs 3. Construction quality is higher with all manufacturing/assembly in an ISO9001 facility to insure world class quality 4. Many parts continue to be sourced from France to YBA specs 5. Yves-Bernard Andre personally tests/tweeks/signs each Signature series product that is produced. 6. Yes, Signature series is beyond world class with that YBA iconic transparency, detail and emotional involvement...and much more affordable than other "top class" designs while offering a sonic quality that separates it from the big $$ products. 7. Passion series, although relatively affordable, offers more than a taste of the Signature series 8. Passion series offers higher sound quality than $300k SET amplifiers that passed thru our distributor doors 9. Our US website has many reviews of the "new" YBA designs - all raves! Jim Ricketts/tmh audio US Distributor of YBA...and much more |
To me the real question is "What amplifiers give you the most audio value for your dollar?" I think there are very few audio buyers who don't care about value. You make a purchase because you need something you don't currently have. You carefully consider your needs versus your budget and then make a choice. So most of the time, you choose a component that you feel will give you the most improvement in your sound at the price you're willing to pay. We come to Audiogon because there is generally greater value in buying used gear. That 3 year old amplifier probably sounds just as good today as it did 3 years ago and it's selling for half of what it was listed at retail. Today's $5000 wonder is tomorrow's $3000 White Elephant. So again, where do you get the most value for your audio dollar? I run a set of Linkwitz Orions, which call for 8 channels at 60 wpc. I've been running a B&K AV1260, 60wpc "zone amp" and they sound terrific. I bought it used, of course, for $500. They list new for about $1200. The recommended amp from Linkwitz is a similar ATI amp which retails for $1600. I've seen the B&K AV1260 go for as little as $250 on EBay. Not a lot of call for 12 channel amps, but I think it's a very good match to the big Linkwitz designs like the Orion or LX521. I think that's a Good Value. |
I'll just say that I owned a Yamaha A-S3000 for a couple years and my new Rogue Cronus Magnum II is more enjoyable in just about every regard--missing the glowing meters. I don't know if Rogue audio is unknown but the value for money and amazing sound I'm hearing helped me get off the amplifier merry-go-round. If you've heard the previous Cronus Magnum, you need to hear the Cronus Magnum II, it's not even close and the Cronus Magnum was a lauded product. |
1) Agree on the Yamamoto A-08s. However, speaker matching is crucial. I found that it did not have enough drive for my Zu Definitions - perhaps, in part, because of very long speaker cable runs. But a steal at the price. Gorgeous to look at. Impeccably made. 2) DejaVu 45/2a3 SET. Similar in sound and price to the Yamamoto A-08s, but aesthetically challenged. 3) Audio Refinement Complete Integrated. No longer made, but occasionally appears on A'gon - especially if you are looking for a rich sounding SS integrated at an incredible bargain (less than 4-500USD) - even as a back-up. 3) Ancient Audio - my current amplifier. Unknown, but far from underpriced (unfortunately). |
Ghent Audio. Class D amplifiers that have a loyal following. I won't bore you with how much of a bargain they are cost wise, and their superior sonic performance compared to x, y, and Z. I'll just say that I use them with my Maggies to great success and they replaced such achievers as Edge Electronics, Consonance, and Antique Sound Labs...all well respected offerings. $1500/pr 400wpc sonic splendors! Mike |
+ another for the Power Modules/Belles, at least the one I have, I haven't heard any of his other models except an ocm 500. Great amp and value in my opinion. I have a Belles Ref 150a V2 and use it with a passive. That is a challenge for any amp to stand and on its own and be excellent in that context. |
Crown XTi 2 amps are very interesting...and just downright killer if you have a rather good power conditioning solution and speakers with passive crossovers you’ve been looking to upgrade. These amps have free software you use to access a suite of digital pro tools. You type in any frequencies you want for the crossover points, type of slope (1st-4th order), relative gain and EQ for each amp which has a balanced line out that will pass a processed, or unprocessed (your choice) signal to the next amp. Very trick...all you need to buy extra is the wiring to make it work. Say goodbye to expensive crossover parts and the power-robbing crossovers and hello to one helluva dynamic envelope...provided your speakers are up to it. Sound out of the box is...meh, but with good power conditioning they come alive and are steal...very authentic sounding! No better way to multi-amp anywhere Near this price that I ever saw. These amps are not just for subwoofers...excellent mids and highs too. The only real caveat is that for best sound the speaker connectors (Speakons) should be bypassed. |
