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:


  1. Belles (Power Modules)
  2. McCormack
  3. 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

mminor
I second Quicksilver Audio   I have a pair of Mid Monos and I love them. One of the true values in audio.  


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.
Agree on the Belles - still use one f his first, a Belles A, in a third system
The Juicy Music Audio pure class A Triode (pCAT) monoblock amplifiers are outstanding.  Unfortunately, they are discontinued, rare, and don't come up for sale often.