SST Ampzilla 2000 v2 vs Son of Ampzilla II

I find it quite strange to read such detailed comments about certain amplifiers when the amplifiers mentioned by name do not exist.

All "Son of Ampzilla" amplifiers under the SST and/or "Ampzilla 2000" badge are stereo amplifiers with absolutely no, repeat no potential for bridging into a mono amp.  How do I know?  Because James Bongiorno told me that each channel is already bridged and on this particular circuit two bridged channels cannot be bridged again into mono.  Maybe the designer of the amps was wrong but that seems like a bad bet to me.    

So for reader's edification, every reference suggesting the existence of a "mono" Son of Ampzilla (from SST and/or Ampzilla 2000, 2 names for the same company) are simply wrong.  

Not to put too fine a point on this, but this post does not refer to any "Son of Ampzilla" under the GAS banner nor the latest/current SST/Ampzilla 2000 "Son of Ampzilla II."  What I typed may or may not also apply to those last 2 amps; I have no personal knowledge whether those 2 stereo amps can or cannot be bridged.

On a separate subject: Ed Morawski (sp?) in his review typed that dealer John Casler told him (IIRC) that "2000" in "Ampzilla 2000" refers to the transformer VA spec for the mono and stereo amps, not the year the mono versions were released. as I suspected was the case (IIRC the stereo version arrived 2001-2002.)  Further, Ed typed that Casler added that latter versions had 2400VA transformers.  I have no personal knowledge on either of these items. 

Even the current Son of Ampzilla II has 2000VA and 100k mF PS filter capacitance, two specs that IMO have never appeared in any amplifier in a similar price category, significantly more than a current $11k Levinson 5302 stereo amp.   

I was an assembler for a certain speaker brand; the CEO of that speaker company was one of Bongo’s biggest industry supporters. Bongo premiered his new SST/Ampzilla 2000 V1 mono at THE Show with this speaker company, IIRC in the year 2000.

I owned two SST Ampzilla 2000 V1 mono. (AFAIK I never heard V2 but IIRC everyone who expressed familiarity with V1 and V2 unanimously preferred the latter.)

Bongo released SST Son of Ampzilla stereo 2001 or 2002. This is worth what you paid for it: IMO Son stereo was considerably more refined and musical than 2000 V1 mono, whose only advantage was more thump and horsepower. (Note Bongo rated Son 400W @ 2-ohm w/2k VA transformer and 100k uF PS capacitance, extraordinary or beyond in this price class.)

Being the loudmouth I am, I voiced the above opinion often to my boss the speaker company CEO. The following is a little foggy after so many years, but IIRC either the speaker CEO or Bongo himself said that Son stereo’s circuit is more refined and musical than 2000 mono V1. Someone (just can’t recall who) later said mono V2 incorporates Son’s refinements. (To further confuse the nomenclature, SST Son II is a superb but completely different amp designed by the brilliant EJ Sarmento of Wyred 4 Sound, who studied under Bongo.)

At some point later, the speaker company CEO purchased a 2nd Son Stereo, one channel from each Son driving each speaker channel.

Around this time Dick Olsher reviewed and raved about SST Ambrosia V1 preamp and SST Son of Ampzilla stereo. Just prior to publishing, the speaker CEO convinced Dick to audition two Sons as described above, using 1 channel from each amp p/c. Dick posted that the speaker CEO estimated that using Son in this fashion (rather than both channels simultaneously) increased output by 6 dB. (That point too is worth the admission price.)

Read Dick’s review, but IIRC he purchased Ambrosia and two Sons. Dick is positively a self-described tube fanatic.

Please continue with your regular programming...

Laginz: thanks for your comment. If possible, please list a brief note comparing your Son II to any other amp readers may find interesting. Did you ever AB test Son/Bongo vs. your Son II/Sarmento? If anyone has done that, please post your thoughts.

Srajan Ebaen directly ABd Son II vs. Pass Labs XA25 or XA35 and found Son II remarkably, underscore remarkably competitive. I suspect I’d absolutely love either of the above Pass amps except for their 235W+ idle current. My room is dual use (4k projector > perforated retractable screen;) the 4k projector alone runs warm. Another 235+ W seems a bridge too far.

Thanks, laginz.  Those are powerful comments Re. Son II.  

For those familiar with SST Son/Bongiorno: how long do you estimate it takes (playing music) for a very cold Son to achieve about 80% of its best potential sound quality?

It is mind-boggling how long Van Alstine has been designing amplifiers.  I recall my then-roommate Mark (RIP) close to a half-C ago raving about his Van Alstine power ampflier.  Years before the advent of high powered audiophile car power amps, Mark used a huge power convertor in his car to drive big home power amps and home-style towers with dual 12s p/c.