The Galion Audio TS A75 amplifier: Great amplifier for very little money


Just finished my review on the Galion Audio TS A75 amplifier for Stereo Times. There has been a ton of very thumbs up YouTube reviews on the A75. I believe mine is the first written one. If you are looking for a very inexpensive,$1495, amplifier that just kills stuff like Rotel, NAD, Emotiva, and Marantz and offers tube like virtues in the mid-range, yet still offers excellent dynamics and bass this amp might be for you. If any of you own it already it would be great if you shared your impressions on this thread.

Teajay (Terry London)

teajay

I’ve had it a week. Very very impressive. It merits the hype. And I’m a very show me kind of person. And at this price point for an audiophile for whom $1,500 is not a whole lot of money it’s a steal. I just had a known amp in from a major brand. So far I can tell that the Galion comes short only in terms of depth of sound stage but it is just as musical and sweet and there is space around voices and instruments. Still have a couple of weeks for it to be fully broken in. If the Galion still stays as is that deeper soundstage was not worth the 9k more which that amp is. It effortlessly matches those in the 5-6K range. So if that is what you are budgeting for definitely listen to this as well.

And it’s not a beast! Thank goodness. You can easily handle it by yourself. If you're under 80.

@ozzy62 it's not like I will change anybody's approach to using these terms: I am not losing any sleep over it. But it's pretty obvious and reasonable to expect from sensible people that they understand the basics about quantifying these numbers (while knowing the audience).

There are words that describe that it's the lower end of audiophile amplifiers other than inexpensive. "Inexpensive" is just meaningless and silly to me. The writer can do better. 

But again, this is not a court, inexpensive, bargain, affordable, whatever... I am excited to read about audio and the price will suffice. What matters more if it's a good value for the price. 

 

 

@shtinkydog amp actually shipped from within the US ... Newport News, VA. No customs duties involved. Not sure if Galion has domestic warehouse. My unit was "open box", so got a little discount. Just go on the Galion Audio website and contact Thomas directly. He's very responsive, easy to work with, and will answer any questions you might have.

@grislybutter

Although "inexpensive" is indeed a relative term, you have to factor in the context. In this neighborhood, 1495.00 can truly be considered such.

If you were talking to your buddies at the bar on a Saturday night, a fifteen hundred dollar amp would probably not be considered inexpensive. Know your audience.

Although we appreciate your advice on when (never, it seems?) and when not to use the word, we are all adults here and can figure out how to apply it’s relevancy.

@strateahed i see your amp ships from Canada.  Did you have to pay any additional US Customs duties to get it, or did you pay the price quoted?

I recently purchased a Galion TS A75 to replace Linear Tube Audio (LTA) Z10 integrated.  Here's a copy of review posted on Galion's site: 

I previously powered my Ascend Acoustics ELX towers with an LTA Z10 integrated amp. While the Z10 paired beautifully with the RAAL ribbon tweeters for mid-bass to highs, I felt the low-end lacked the control and presence I desired, especially on amplified electric bass in fusion jazz and R&B. The Z10 excels with acoustic jazz, but for my broader musical tastes, including acts like Spyro Gyra, and Fourplay, I needed more low-end punch.

After auditioning the Heaven11 Billie and Vincent SV-500 hybrid amps, neither offered enough improvement to replace the Z10. Around the same, I discovered the Galion TS A75 amplifier. My interest was sparked by Terry London's (Teajay) Stereo Times review. So I contacted company owner Thomas Tan and got a Galion A75 in for a 15-day audition.

Initially, running it direct from my Oppo 105 sounded good, but once I introduced my Audio Horizons 6DJ8 tube buffer, the A75 truly came to life. Its midrange performance was stellar, and the bass became tight, punchy, and controlled. Despite concerns from other reviewers about a "V-shaped" sound profile, the tube buffer seemed to resolve that, delivering a balanced and engaging sound.

In terms of price-to-performance, the A75 competes with far pricier amps. Its ability to render clear, distinct instrument placement and deliver satisfying bass makes it a standout. Having also owned and/or auditioned a few other amps like Channel Islands, Outlaw Audio, STA 200, Bel Canto, and Class D Gan 5, I can confidently say the A75 punches well above its weight, earning its place in my system. It’s a keeper, and for now, my "upgrade-itis" has been cured.

With Doge/Galion? None. I don’t maintain a YouTube channel, and it’s merely a rebrand exercise

My post I was not meant to slight Teajay or his contributions here. I enjoy his reviews and often find great music recommendations or insight to pieces he reviews. Apologies to Teajay if my original post came off that way.

 

 

"very inexpensive"

that’s very relative. My 2cents on using this term: don’t. Normal "paycheck to paycheck with 3 kids in college" dads can be audiophiles too. Inexpensive/affordable - to them is $75.

"Jeez"

do we owe you something?

I watched the video a few months back and it did not sit well with me. Something was off. Boasting about your own product like it was made in heaven for half an hour was weird, but I have no doubt it sounds nice

I do like the stereotimes article, it conveys it well. If there wasn’t a 5% restocking fee, and a 30 days trial. I would seriously consider it.

@yakbob - What were your experiences then, in listening to Galion gear?

Perhaps a very large percentage of people who buy audiophile gear are not on and do not care about Audiogon forums. 

The Galion offerings rely on a small network of Thomas’ YouTube pals to hype (assuming Doge’s) product. Perhaps no one is taking the bait when the market is flooded with other established brands from the far East.

Based on their website it would take three weeks to a month to get it so since your review just went live a week ago how would anyone have had time to get it and break it in?  Shipping estimates seem to be a bit excessive to start with.  

It's pretty new so it takes some time for the few people here that might own it to see this thread and reply.  

Jeez guys,

No members have heard or bought the ST A75 amplifier? It would be great if any owners would share their experience with it.

Teajay

Hey Guys,

The review on the Galion Audio ST A75 amplifier just went live on the Stereo Times website tonight. It gives all the details explaining why I'm making the A75 the bargain amplifier for 2024.

Teajay