Help me choosing an Integrated Amp


Hello everyone,
long time reader, first post here.
Sorry if my english is not perfect, it’s not my mother language.

Long story:

I have an electrostatic headphone system right now, because I didn’t have the necessary space to have a dedicated room for speakers, I think that the most important aspect in sound quality is room acoustics, so why spend money if I can’t have optimum acoustics? That’s why I have a headphone system right now.
But, story changes, I bought a flat last week, and will do reforms to have a listening room (6 meters x 4 meters x 2,5 meters).
My current setup is (besides modded Stax SR-007A and KGSSHV Carbon CC amplifier):

- Metrum Pavane DAC
- Custom 0db PC, Asus RT-AC88U router & MCRU linear PSU for router.
- Full Ansuz X Cable loom and Mainz X-TC.
- Furutech FWS (R) Schuko Outlet.
- Sonore MicroRendu & Sonore Signature PSU (with SR fuses)

My speakers will be Strauss Elektroakustik SE MOD 901, they’re not very well known but they’re awesome, transient response is lighting fast, almost like my Stax headphones, plus they’re super coherent, seamless. I fell in love with the speakers.
Room acoustics will be done by Strauss himself, so the last link is an integrated amplifier (for budget and price/performance reasons).
The speakers are not very sensitive, they’re rated at 85db and recommended power is 20 to 160w at 8ohm.

Due to budget reasons, I will try to buy second hand or ex-demo, so not possible to audition the amplifiers.
I don’t like tubes, for me, the ideal amp should be pure class A (if possible), dual mono, fully balanced with no negative feedback (if possible). Ideal "sound signature" would be balanced, very natural without glare, huge soundstage and details presented in a natural manner, I don’t like hyped top end, the speakers are VERY neutral and accurate, so they will expose negative qualities of the amp like a magnifying glass.
This is the list:

- Audio GD Master 10 (Class A/B, 250w at 8ohm)
- Gryphon Atilla (Class A/B, 100w at 8ohm)
- Accuphase E-600 (Class A, 30w at 8ohm)
- Pass Labs INT-30A (Class A, 30w at 8ohm)
- Electrocompaniet ECI 5 MK2 (Class A or A/B???, 120w at 8ohm)
- Ayre AX-5 Twenty (Class A/B, 125w at 8ohm)
- Constellation Inspiration Integrated 1.0 (Class A/B, 100w at 8ohm)

I like to listen music between 70-85db (not too loud) and the room will be 24 square meters, is a 30w pure class A amp enought for the speakers or should I buy a more powerful class A/B?
Which amp is better?


pitomazogordo

Showing 9 responses by inna

I suggest trying Gryphon first. 30 watts would not be enough. The only question about Gryphon is how fast it will be, probably fast enough.

Mapman, it's a foregone conclusion that none of this D-stuff can compete with Gryphon. This is top level, among the very best there is. 
Mapman, you can ask me anything you want. Question is can you accept that what you have and what I have is junk compared to some of what's out there including Gryphon ? 
As for youtube 'auditioning', it gives you some ideas if your hearing and your headphones are good enough. I didn't listen to any D amps though except Rowland integrated.
In any case, the OP wants to try Gryphon regardless of my opinion and I fully support this.
I think, you can never rule it out. However, another brand I am interested in - Ypsilon - has aesthetics that I don't care much about. And yet another - Lamm - is just fine with me.
"Junk" should not be taken literally, of course. I know that my Redgum integrated cannot really compete with Gryphon integrated, it sounds pretty good though. For fun I listened to my Redgum on youtube too and could recognize the sound. Then I listened to Gryphon Diablo integrated. Well, no comparison, though the speakers used with Gryphon were also better. So yeah, one must be careful listening and comparing the equipment under less than perfect conditions, to put it mildly. Unfortunately, Gryphon is currently not represented in the US.
I think, Diablo is about $15k, you can buy it from a European dealer and have it converted to US voltage by Gryphon and shipped to you. 
Saw one used in Australia the other day on usaudiomart, about $6.5k Australian voltage. Too much for me at present.
Metaxas, sounds Greek to me too. I took a look at his website. He is an artist involved in many different things. Never heard this name before. There are a number of European companies that are virtually unknown over here, or known only to a very few people. I guess, the same with Japanese companies.