Excellent Solid State or Hybrid Monoblocks Recommendations

Thanks @dweller.  For sure I have seen the hype and buzz.  I assume they have enough power for my system as I have been using 250 to 400 wpc.  

@yogiboy maybe I don't.  Perhaps it is audiophile nervous being worried about differences in power between say 100 wpc and 250 wpc. That said, I probably would not have the kit in my system that I do if I did not fret the small stuff.

My Teac NT-505 dac is not holding my system back.  It is not stock as it was extensively modded by Doug Jessie.  If it was stock, I would agree.  In its current iteration it is a world class performer.

@big_greg the mods were extensive. I will look up the email that detailed them and post later. The mods took it well above its stock performance.

@ hilde I sold the Spatials recently so they are no longer in my stereo graveyard.

@ tvad I appreciate the amp recommendations and will do my due diligence on them.  I suspect that I drank the Kool aid about believing higher powered amps sound better than lower powered ones of similar quality.  Good to get the experienced input on this topic of "not so fast".....i have modded a lot of my equipment, however, I am willing to go higher up the food chain to get the type of performance I want sans mods

@audphile1 I am going to get the JC1 repaired. You are correct. I have too much money sunk into them and the mods to just walk away from them. They also sound stunningly good. Just a good excuse to pick up another amp for my rotation and/or backup.

@pynkfloydd I will check out the amps u suggested on the PS Audio website.

@jl35 Thanks foe the PassLabs suggestion. I already have two Pass Labs amps, neither though is a monoblock. They sound good, both modded, but the JC1 monoblocks sound better, especially in the upper registers.

@jl35 Doug Jessie, ASi Teknology modified my amps, dac, preamps and speakers...

@curiousjim how would u describe your initial impression of the sonic signature of the bhk 300 monoblocks?

@timlub Thanks for the amp recommendation.  I have some old modded Ampzilla amps in my exercise room audio system that are damn good.

@rgottschalk thanks for the BAT recommendation.  Will check it out.

@tomic601 thanks for the Aesthetix rec.  Will for sure due my diligence on it.

@ozzy where did u purchase the Michi’s?

@ curiousjim, thanks for the update on the sonics

@davetheoilguy I am driving Aerial Acoustic 7T speakers.  They have been rebuilt, including the crossovers, and rewired with silver wire.  Much clearer than stock for sure.

Have there been many changes to the PS Audio BHK 300 monoblock amplifiers over the past few years?

Thanks @dhungana ​​​​@veerossi 

@ wspohn at this moment I have my Ric-modded LSA Voyager GAN amplifier inserted in my reference system.  It sounds quite good actually.

Do PS Audio BHK 300 monoblock amps require a 20 amp line?  If not require one would the sound better with one? Or is a 15 amp line sufficient?

@ yyzsantabarbara I sold my Coda #16 amp last year.  My modded LSA Voyager GAN amp is worth a lot more to me than I could ever get for it by selling it.  Class D has come a long damn ways.  I suspect that the gan fet is a chunk of this progress assuming it is well implemented.  I am gonna pick up some class D monoblocks in the near future.....

@tweak1  I do have a modded Voyager GAN.  It is a very fine amplifier.  Not as good to my ears as my modded JC1 monoblocks but mighty fine.  I like having a menu of amps to rotate or have as backups.  Never used any of the contact enhancers - might give them a try.

@pynkfloydd many thanks.  I was going to pick up a pair of used PS Audio BHK 300 monoblocks used then got cold feet when the seller did not know how old they were and the serial numbers were non-sequential.  So I ordered a brand new pair from P SAudio and traded in one of my amps in my collection.   Glad to know I should be OK with 15a lines.

@pynkfloydd I have been recommended the Siemens NOS 7308 tubes.  Will set me back 1200 bills for 4.  Also tungsram ecc88s.  Any recs based on your listening would be appreciated....

@atmasphere thanks for the above explanation!  Great talking with u recently as well.  I am still interested in your class d amps as I rotate amps thru 4 two channel systems at two homes.

Just installed the BHK 300 monoblocks into my refernce system.  I am going to let it play continuously for long stretches before seriously listening.  Nevertheless, before I left this house this morning - with less than 1 hour of playtime - I came away saying "Not bad".  I could hear the clarity and upper end finesse along with the low end heft.  The meat on the bones body and tonality in the upper registers are, as expected, not there yet.  I am excited to hear the sound evolve with continual play.

Update on the PSAudio BHK 300 monoblocks - what a difference 13 hours makes.  These amps sound clean, powerful, dynamic with vivid tonal colors.  Really nice clarity and excellent imaging.   These are not TAS approved boat anchors.

@audition__audio my settling on solid state over tube amps has been to pair high caliber tube preamps - Aric Audio Motherlode - with a clean, powefuul solid state amp with great clarity.

@pynkfloydd I have about 70 hours of play time on the BHK 300 monoblocks.  I can easily state that these are the best stock amplifiers I have ever had in any of my systems.  I absolutely love their sound which is clean, clear, slightly forward, tremendous wide and deep sounds stage, rich tonality, very solid low end and powerful.  I bought the without ever listening to them and they are everything that I could ask for.

Relative to the modded JC1s, I for now declare a dead heat.  They do not sound exactly the same but the differences do not give one amp an advantage over the other.  The 300s are without question better than the stock JC1s.

@audition__audio my Aerial Acoustic 7Ts were modded by Doug Jesse of Asi Teknology.  They for sure like like current.  The difference post-modification is the clarity, delicacy and imaging.  

@ncdogdoc u can reach Doug Jesse at asi_tekatyahoo.com.  

My Atma-Sphere 100 wpc class D monoblocks just arrived today. Beginning tomorrow they are going to start getting serious run in my reference system. I got about 5 amps now down by reference system. Oh well, life is short.....

Well, the Atma-Sphere 100 wpc class D monoblocks are very fine amplifiers. In listening to them I cannot identify anything in its sonic signature that screams class D. I have been surprised that the class D monoblocks seem to power my Aerial Acoustic 7ts effortlessly. The sonic signature of these amps is clean, pristine, non-fatiguing with very solid imaging. Nevertheless, I could see how it’s sonic signature would not be for everyone. While avoiding the nasties of solid state, is it tubelike? Perhaps it has some sonic traits of a very good hybrid or contemporary non-romantic tube amplifier.

I bought the PSAudio monoblocks and these amps virtually simultaneously. I like them both very much as neither amp will be returned or put up for sale.

@tweak1 sorry to hear about your Voyager GAN mishap. These amps show up for a little over a grand on this site. Ric modded mine. It is not the best amp that I have for sure. However, the are really good and, for the money, is a great little amp.

@yyzsantabarbara I am not really class D amp expert though I do currently have two. Class D has come a very long ways. The Atma-Sphere amps are very high performers to my ears. I have never heard the Peachtree amp.

@joey54 I know of them but have never heard them.  I am overrun with superb monoblocks right now - PSAudio Signature 300s, Atma-Sphere class ds, and heavily modded Parasound JC1 monoblocks.  I will put them on my seek and listen list for sure.