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The most emotional amp out there?

OK gang, I need your votes for the amp you feel that brings the chills, the goosebumps, yes maybe even a teardrop or two when you sit down and listen to your particular music of choice. Although many responders will automatically think of tubes, I do not necessarily share that "prejudice". I'm trying to find that special amp to mate with my Virgo IIs that really takes me to the heart of the music...as opposed to just performing the requisite audiophile tricks (e.g. imaging, soundstage depth, etc.). I'm tired of appreciating the specific virtues of a well known amplifier that I am auditioning but never really being transported to a place where I forget about the gear and simply am enthralled with the music.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the audiophile thing as much as the next person. But I am searching for the amplifier that will transcend the need to go through the checklist of listening attributes a reviewer does and instead will simply allow me to sit back and just be enveloped by the message that the particular recording artist I am listening to is trying to communicate.

I hope I'm being somewhat inteligible here and thanks for your suggestions.

Gregg
reneaugroup309c

Showing 2 responses by stehno

stehno
1,453 posts
 
I've owned about 7 solid state amps and I've demo'ed and heard quite a few more SS and tube amps.

I'm aware that there's a few out there, but I've never heard any amp even come close to the sonics of a McCormack DNA-2 Revision A amp. These Revision amps are off-the-shelf amps and are essentially gutted by McCormack and then he installs the finest aftermarket parts and tweaks.

Some amps may be fast(many are slow), some may be rich, full, and warm (many are cold, sterile, lifeless), some may be detailed (many are veiled), a few may even exhibit tremendous control over the woofers providing a tremendous life-like bass that few have ever heard or even imagined (good luck finding any amp with this attribute), but none that I've heard have it all in one chassis.

That is except for the DNA-2 Revision A. There is no substitution for having such an amp as this.

But even with outstanding amplification, the complete immersion into the music (or as you say goosebumps, chills, tears, PR&T, etc) still won't quite get you there without shoring up the other shortcomings in a given system. ie proper line conditioning, cabling, vibration control, speaker placement, dedicated circuits/lines, etc..

In my experience, proper amplification will get you closer to that emotional experience than any other single component or tweak or any other combination thereof. And once you've found such amplification the controversy over tube v. solid state suddenly goes to the North Pole.

Along that same note, I've been hearing some fascinating rumors about the new NuForce digital amps and I may even have the opportunity to hear them shortly.

-IMO
stehno
1,453 posts
 
Why is it that the erudite always need re-clarification? Or did I just answer my own question?

It should go without saying that we are conversing in a forum with an emphasis geared almost solely toward hardware.

If that is true, then it should also go without saying that not only does the hardware influence the software, but the software is rendered completely lifeless without the hardware.

If I’ve misread some of your postings, then please share your ‘emotional’ experiences you encounter listening to your software on your am/fm/cd clock radio and/or phonograph and compare those experiences to other systems.

And while you’re at it, why not also explain why you spend so much time posting on a hardware-oriented web site like Agon?

For the record, I never talk about my experiences as being ‘emotional’, but I freely mention the significant impact that hardware often times has on the software.

-IMO
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