Suggestion for best stereo amp ?


Hello,
because of severe WAF, I must limit myself to stereo amp. After several years of happiness with my Krell Evo 402, I am starting to think there must be upgrades possible. Any suggestion ? For your complete information, I have a Krell pre-amp Evo 202 and loudspeakers are Wilson Audio Sasha.

What I most enjoy with my Krell: no limit to pure power, great bass and tight control. Enjoyable from very low level.

thank you in advance for your help.
pierrehaas69

Showing 6 responses by caphill

I would get the Dan D'Agostino Momentum M400 monoblock power amps or the Momentum stereo power amp with the Momentum linestage preamp. 
This will be a great upgrade path. 

@mzkmxcv

You cannot base solely on measurements. Many equipments that have great measurements or look great on papers don’t necessarily sound that great or musical and vice versa. Never look solely at measurements. You cannot evaluate the audio performance, sound quality and musicality based on measurement numbers. You will have to listen to the equipments and compare between them by listening to them, not looking at measurement numbers. Great measurements do not equate great musical sound and do not guarantee that.
Besides, that measurement that you posted was for the Momentum M300, not the M400. The M300 has been replaced by the M400. Just FYI. It’s not that it matters.

I have listened to the PS Audio BHK 300 monoblock amps before and they sounded terrific but did not perform on the same level as the D’Agostino Momentum gears. I used to own the D’Agostino Momentum M400 monoblock amps myself. Not saying that the D’Agostino Momentum is the best sounding amplifier. No.

Have you ever listened to and compared between the PS Audio BHK 300 and the D’Agostino Momentum M400 monoblock amps in actual listening sessions before? If you haven’t, I suggest that you shouldn’t be judging or making comments or making assumptions.

Lastly, looks don’t matter to me and have no influence and should not be the influencing factor in purchasing decision. We are not buying art sculpture here. It is audio hifi electronics and speakers for God sake. Of course there’s a plus or bonus if they look good but what matters is how they perform and sound and system synergy, which is the most important in achieving perfect blend and overall harmonic sound from your system.

@mzkmxcv

Sorry man, I won’t buy your BS. None of us agree that numbers (measurements) do not mean anything. I have spoken with couple chief designers / engineers at Naim Audio, Linn, Audio Research among others and they once told me that measurements do not mean anything and one can use them as a guideline only but they do not dictate or constitute the sound quality or how a certain gear will perform. Their statements are more valid than yours. They design hifi gears. We all would take their words and statements over yours.

In regards to blind tests that you mentioned earlier. As a matter of fact yes the four of us did blind tests from time to time but not all the time. My buddy owns a hifi store and he happens to be a dealer for PS Audio, D’Agostino, McIntosh, Classe, Audio Research, Naim, Linn, Rega, Wilson Audio, B&W, Sonus Faber among others. So after store hours sometimes we conducted listening sessions and from time to time we conducted blind tests but with no switch boards. Cause like you said before that switching should be made within 10 seconds. WTF! That’s not the way we compare between equipments or speakers. Just use common sense man! Hello??? Get real man! Nobody compare between two different gears or system within 10 seconds of switching.
Use your brain! That's not possible and it is not the way audiophiles make comparisons between different equipments or setup.

My buddy, who is a dealer for PS Audio, and I love PS Audio products. He sells lots of them more than D’Agostino cause PS Audio gears are lot more affordable than D’Agostino. So he is proud to be a PS Audio dealer and always push people to purchase their products but he and I and several other audiophiled agreed that the D’Agostino Momentum is a step up from the PS Audio BHK amps. They aren’t in the same league. The Momentum sounded more refined, more musical with better musical drive or rhythmic drive, better nuances, larger deeper soundstage sizes, better stereo imaging with better focus. better subtle dynamic shifts in timber, etc etc etc. But of course he sells lot more PS Audio BHK amps than the D’Agostino Momentum and he will keep on selling a lot of PS Audio products as they are great products especially for their price points. Nothing can beat PS Audio for similar price points.
@kalali
@mzkmxcv 

Totally agreed with kalali. You nailed it real good. mzkmxcv always thinks that measurements (numbers) define sound quality or is an absolute gauge to define sound quality. If that's the case we all would have had the same gears in our racks. Come on.....Get real! 
This hobby is about listening and enjoying to the music we love, it's about listening and how we perceive one setup or system sound and performance according to our ears. 

+1 on the Naim 500 series power amp, analog preamp, digital front end (streamer/DAC) with Naim 500 DR power supply unit.

Or highly consider T&A gears they are excellent. The CH Precision, MBL, Tidal, Gamut, Audionet & Soulution are excellent too. The Gryphon that was recommended are also phenomenal. Gryphon makes excellent gears.
@buellrider97

Nicely put. This hobby is all about assessing or evaluating the performances of equipments and one’s setup and system by listening and trying to optimize the performance synergy between equipments in order to achieve best performance results.
It isn’t about taking up measurements or using measurements (numbers) as a tool to gauge or assess sound quality of audio performance.

We can refer to measurements only as guidelines, not as a tool or gauge to assess or define sound quality or performance. I have met in person and have spoken with chief engineers / designers at Naim Audio, Linn & Audio Research before and they once told me the same thing. We can use measurements only as guidelines but not as a basis to evaluate sound quality or performance. We have to listen listen listen.......