What are the best GaN Amplifiers available today?


There have been a number of threads discussing the wonder of GaN and some of the individual amplifiers that have caught peoples attention, including those from AGD, Atma-Sphere, Peachtree, LSA, etc. Has anyone done a shootout against two or more GaN amps? If so, which did you prefer, and why? And on what speakers?

Also, of the one you preferred, do you prefer it over every other amplifier you’ve ever heard? If not, what non-GaN amp do you enjoy more?

blisshifi

Showing 1 response by verdantaudio

GaN amps are not unlike other amps and each manufacturer has a slightly different interpretation and the resulting sound can be quite different.  I have a customer who just did an Atmasphere vs. AGD test.  Both amps are great.  He liked the AGD better because it sounded more like a stereotypical MOSFET design which is quite tubey sounding.  His system needed a more musical amp and he looking to move away from Leben.  If his system was more musical, the opposite result might have been the case and the drier Atmasphere amp could be a better fit.  

I personally have tested Peachtree vs AGD and again, the Peachtree is brighter and more sterile.  It doesn't make it bad, just different and needed to be paired with different speakers.  

There is never an objective "best" amp.  It is what is best for your taste in your system.