+1 for the Coda. I have the Coda Integrated, the CSiB, which is for all intents and purposes a Model 8 with a built in lines stage. Same chassis, no VU meters. I've had mine since January, and extremely pleased with it. Big step up from the Bryston 3BST / BP20 combo that I had been using the previous 18 years. I have the v1, and like the Coda 8, the first 18 watts of the v1 are in Class A. v2 and v3 have more watts in class B, but less in Class A. So if 150 watts per channel floats your boat, if you get the Coda, that is the way that I'd go in order to get more of that Class A goodness. Speakers in my case are the notoriously difficult to drive Thiel CS 2.4s. The Coda drives them effortlessly.
Considering a new amp for my Vandersteen Quatro CT
I've been using a Bryston 4Bsst2 with my Vandersteen Quatro CT for the past 5 years. This was not an amp I purchased for the Quatro, just one that I happened to already have. It is about 12 years old. It has been a solid performer and I have no specific complaints....just curious what a different amp might offer. My preamp is an Audio Research LS-15. There are three amps that have been recommended by various sources. The Ayre VX-5 Twenty, The CODA Model 8, and the Moon by Simaudio 760a. These are all in my general price range. Anyone have experience with any or all of these? Which would you think would be the best match with my speakers?