Genesis amp-does anything compare?

Hi Nonoise,

Yes, I have heard the Genesis amp and if you love the way it sounds I highly recommend you audition Channel Islands Audio's new reference monoblocks the D-200 LGX which offers just about the same sonic footprint that you describe regarding the Genesis amp. It is very well built and costs a significant less amount of money, retails for $2299.00 a pair. If you want alot more details go to the website PFO issue 22 and look at the review by Greg Weaver who is a fan of class D amps and made these monoblocks his new reference. I like these better then Nuforce and Spectron, even though I'm not a fan of D amps in generally.

Thanks Teajay!

Its quite a jungle out there and feedback like this makes it a lot easier.

All the best,
Nonoise

Yeah, er, not to sound cynical but I believe digital amps can be designed to sound any way the designer intends. In other words, they can tailor the response curve to an ideal they think will please most listeners.

I've been using a Wyred 4 Sound STI-500 amp for more than a year and like it better than my previous NuForce 9SE V2 amps and better than my friend's Spectron Musician amp (and better than a lot of analog SS and tube amps too).

That said, a few months back I bought a very inexpensive Tri-path Class-D amp built into a Marantz amp chassis by an Audiogon member and it is one of the smoothest most detailed and liquid amps I've had the pleasure of using. In fact, it replaced my favorite QuickSilver GLA amp in my Magnepan system. And the little GLA is one of my favorite EL-34 tube amps.

I could be wrong, but assuming quality parts are used (and I know there are many choices of parts and topologies) it's the final voicing of the amp that makes or breaks it. If it has synergy with the rest of your system then great... but unfortunately this can NEVER be taken for granted until a given amp is evaluated in one's particular system. There are just too many variables in the mix.

So please remember that unless you auditioned the Genesis amp in your own system all bets are off. If you heard it in an unfamiliar system then you were effectively auditioning a complete system (room acoustics and all) not any single component therein.

Thank you, Plato, as well, for your thoughtful advice.
( that took me back a couple of thousand years)
I agree that final determination is within one's own system. But, I'm somewhat familiar with the system it demo'd in and it was with two different speakers, two different CDPs, and I swear it was with the owner's all tube system until I saw the Genesis amp sitting there, grinning at me (I think it winked as well).

As soon as I pay down some debt its time to audition some class D amps.
Its nice to be in the hunt, again.

All the best,
Nonoise