2. best-of
  3. 946442905

Best solid-state amp made anywhere

I'd like to open up this "best of" to include amps from New Zealand, Canada, France, England, Germany and (my personal favorite) Italy, as well as whoever else I've left out (no extraterrestrial amps, please). I have spent some time with the most amazing solid state amp - made by Aloia of Italy and uses an inductive (!) power supply. These amps have a naturalness and ease I haven't previously encountered in solid state, not even Pass or Claytons. Have you noticed that the Italians make superb audio equipment? In this country, audio engineering is to engineering as podiatry is to medicine. It just doesn't typically draw the cream of the crop. In Italy music matters far more, and audio equpiment is designed by people who will make an opera singer sing her part over if they aren't satisfied with her performance. Well enough sociology - what's your vote for best solid state amp?
captain_imho
michaellukasa904
5 posts
 
I've forgotten how many absolutely great amps there are in this world until I read the above responses. I'd like to add the BEL 1001 Mk 5 in mono form. Also, those Exposure 16 monos are damn fine too.
dschoenberg8cd4
14 posts
 
Without question, the Levinson 33H. As for the people who voted for the Goldmund Mimesis 29.4, I hope yours haven't blown up. I owned a Mimesis 9.5++, and a Mimesis 29, during a one year period. Each of them failed twice. After four shipments back to Switzerland, and absolutely no hint of an apology from Mr. Reverchon, I decided that I'd had enough. The Goldmunds sound great (when they are working), but the Levinson sounds even better, and they work.
avalon
23 posts
 
I had Levinson 33H and did up grade to Jeff Rowland 8Ti which was more my cup of tea (it was a big step) and now I have Goldmund Mimesis 29 in two years it was at factory only once ;-) In my system Goldmund is superior to the amps above. just my 0.02
hungryear
62 posts
 
I truly do not feel that this can be answered validly. An amplifier's performance is, to a great extent, dependent on component synergy. All too frequently, people get to audition various pieces of equipment in a dealer's store who will frequently carry only limited brands of cables and other components. Merely inserting different makes of amplifier into an otherwise identical system, does not necessarily imply the comparison has validity. The amplifier (under audition) may require different components to make it really 'shine' (these components are frequently unavailable in the dealer's store, in my experience). Of course, there are other issues, such as type of music for which the system is intended. These variables are not mentioned above.
ajeembf08
3 posts
 
This question can't be answered. The matching of equipment may give many different solutions, as well as what "school" you are member of - the Western monsteramps or the Eastern single-enders.. Good luck Arve
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