Best Amp to drive my Apogee Stages?


Greetings all.
I am wondering if I might get some good suggestions from anyone who might be firmiliar with the Apogee Stages. I have owned them for quite awhile, but due to blowing up my Krell (300i)intergrated amplifier more than once now (a $400 bill to fix it each time) I beleive that it is time to buy the right amplifier for the job. I need more power for sure, but my wallet is light these days. This means that I must minimize my purchase to something definitly under $2K and even more like $1200 price range. This seems to limit me quite a bit in my findings, but I am wondering if I might have missed something with my research so far? I have reviewed Krell, Levinson, Pass Labs and Threshold to date. Each have older options in my price range, but I am not certain if any will work better with my speakers?

Any thoughts out there?

Thank you in advance.

-LoveItLoud
loveitloud
Well if its any consulation, I just setup an old vintage system using Duetta Sigs driven by a single KSA 250s A Krell 250 upgrade) driven directly by a Wadia 6 and the sound was phenomenal. I also have had Calipers in the past but never Stages. Due to a recent move I have been trying to decide what is going to work best in this new abode. Main room is 18w x 28d and has a massive vaulted ceiling in which the system would sit at a wall where the slope meets fortunately. (built in band shell!) After this Duetta run, I will haul in a pair of Divas and bi-amp them with the other 250. Hopefully they will not be too big and "load" the room. However I have seen some members systems here where the speakers seem bigger than the room!

I would try a KSA 150 with your Stage if you were to remain in the Krell lineup. I heard a friends setup that used one with Stages and it sounded fantastic...one here on AG for 1500 I think right now.
I heard the KSA 100 and 250 driving systems elsewhere. There has been a whole lot of improvement here, and a lot of developments with audiophiles I know over the last 3 years.
I realize this thread is fairly old and I have gotten some wonderful responses already, but I looking to receive some more feedback.

I am thinking about buying a Threshold amp and there are currently 2 on Audiogon for $800. There is an older Threshold 400A (100W) versus a newer SA/3 (50W). Which of these amps would do a better job for my Apogee Stages?

Thank you for any and all responses.

LitL
4x Leak TL/12 Plus. 12 Watts/amp. Loud, tight, spatially accurate, subtle, sweet as... Go figure. Yep, I'm running my Mini-Grands on around 25Wpc (plus a couple of kW's for the 'subs'). My friends and I can assure you that the sound is scarily real. The system produces any sound, realistcally IN 3D+!
I have had no reliability problems-Krell take note. These British 50+ year old classics cook without cooking (if you know what I mean?). Many parties cranking wild sounds at party-level, then some sweet-as Laura Marling for the afternoon after. Flawless unless you REALLY want to vapourize ribbons...?