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Ultimate Amplifier for the next 20 Years

Hello all!
Well, you I am again on the amplifier merry-go-round after my last digital amp(noname mentioned!) let me down in the dumps after a comparison with a Halo A21 amp. I had a keen ear friend who reviews for Stereo Times and he felt the same. Musical instruments more real sounding with better decay. Man was I surprised after thinking that the digital amp was my last! BTW, the most important part, my speakers are a pair of Apogee Studio Grands in beautiful piano black!! Now the digital amp is on subwoofers in which it has ALOT of punch! The perfect(but not cheap) subwoofer amp! High damping factor, runs cool, dual posts to run four(4) subs if you choose to and never runs out of juice!!

Anyway, I want to keep it under $5000 used or new. Prefer 2 channel amp and maybe monoblocks. Amp can't run too hot(very important)! My pre/pro is a Lexicon MC12B.
Here are my amps that I'm considering in order:

Classe CA2200- Runs class A up to 60 watts! Right now I have a dealer making me a killer offer. Probably the one I'm going to buy...

McCormack DNA500- My big second choose!

Theta Dreadnaught II- Since I have a 8.4 sound system but don't need alot of power for the other speakers, this would be the perfect multichannel amp for me(remember the .4 is powered by my digital amp). One BIG problem, it runs tooo freakin’ hot!

NuForce 9.2- Hearing great things.

Krell FBC300Cx- Jason Bloom ran only krell amps with Apogees.

Please add your thoughts on any comparison on these amps or a new one that you think are superior. I want this to be my last amp purchase for a long time! Right.... ; )

THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP ON THIS MATTER!!!
Best,
Paul
ptheo

Showing 3 responses by brianmgrarcom

brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
True Class A at 60 watts per channel is defintely not cool-running.

My question is, what is too hot? Having owned a CA-2200, I didn't find this amp to be a "space heater". I left very little clearance above it in my rack and it was warm but not "scorching" hot.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
Ptheo, I couldn't tell all the "why's" that the kW500 was better, but you are right in that the 500 watts may play a role, my speakers like power and it is one area I speculate. As for the tubes, they may play a part; I am not necessarily a tube guy, I am not against them, but I don't think of the kW500 as your "typical" tube unit, even though it has them...good for 100,000 hours is nice.

As for, "what did I like better", everything sonically, I don't recall prefering the Classe amp and pre in any area (sonically).

I really don't know if there was anything wrong with my CA2200, I am simply questioning it for a couple reasons. 1) Classe had some early issues with there CP-500 going full volume at times when you adjusted the volume, thankfully my S805s took it in stride every time, the amp would go into protection; after doing this many times I wonder if some harm came to the amp, though I never noticed a change. 2) A lot of praise has been made on this amp, I too felt the same on my S805s, so why did I feel differently on the 802D's?

The Classe was plenty broke in.
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
Ptheo,

I no longer have the CA-2200, but I used it with the CP-500 preamp, CDP-100 CD player and B&W 805 Signature speakers; this was a system I really liked. When I changed to B&W 802D speakers I felt the Classe just wasn't getting the job done so I purchased a Musical Fidelity kW500 integrated amp to compare and found it worked better. That said, I have since wondered if there was an issue with that amp because you'd think it would be a perfect match. I really wanted to keep the Classe gear, not only because I liked it before with the S805's but because I liked using the Delta series, it looked awesome and their service was awesome!
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