What are the best GaN Amplifiers available today?

I have had 3 GAN amps. Just re-bought the PeachTree GAN400 yesterday.

The best GAN amp I have had was the PeachTree GAN1 that was mentioned above, however, mine was modded by Ric Shultz at Tweak Audio. TheGAN1 went from an OK amp to almost the best system (not just amp). Something so good I sold $15K worth of gear. I sold the following

- Benchmark AHB2 monos

- Lumin X1 DAC/ steamer

- moved my Benchmark LA4 preamp to another system since it could not be used anymore with the GAN1

Maybe more gear, I cannot remember (too much work today).

The GAN1 was not better than the above gear but it was as good with the KEF LS50 Meta. The GAN1 was stronger on the bass and the AHB2 was a bit sharper sounding but the detail level was the same. STOCK GAN1 was nowhere sonically close to this.

The second best GAN1 I have owned is the Peachtree GAN400. The GAN1 is a PIA to use and it cannot have analog sources and adding a sub is very difficult. I needed my tuners back in after listening to streaming on the GAN1 for some time. I purchased the Holo Serene preamp and paired it with the PeachTree GAN400 and a Schitt Yggi+ Less is More DAC. So all of those pieces vs the single modded GAN1. The modded GAN1 was still better than the separates, but the weak link was the GAN400, the other gear is rather amazing. I tried that gear with my CODA #16 and wow.

The GAN400 though allowed me to add my tuners and KEF KC62 sub. This was with the hard to drive Magnepan LRS+ in a small room.

I was not planning to buy the GAN400 again after I recently sold it. But the amps I really want to get for the LRS+ system are more costly that I want to pay today. So I got the GAN400 as a temp measure. The only negative I have with the GAN400 in this system is a slight bit of hardness on the top end. Nothing fatiguing or annoying, just that it is the weak link in this system. If I did not have the need for my analog tuners I would have stayed with the modded GAN1 and sold the KEF KC62 sub. The GAN1 still puts out some good bass minus the sub.

The third GAN amp I had was the LSA Voyager 350. It was also modded by Ric and it then became an much better sounding amp. Overall it was not as strong on bass and felt a little lighter in sound compared to the GAN1 and GAN400 from PeachTree. I would have not considered it for the LRS+.

If my other office gear was not so good I would not sweat using the PeachTree GAn400 with this office system. Though the low price ($1200), low cost of the LRS+ speaker, and the almost excellent sound of the amp are good reasons to just stick with the GAN400.

I should add that the modded GAN1 was very good with the amazing Yamaha NS5000 speakers but only when the volume was turned up higher than expected. That made me think the amp was underpowered for the speakers or the room was too big.

The amps I want to hear is the Daniel Hertz Maria "amps". It is like the PeachTree GAN1, but maybe not GAN. It also has an A2D convertor for analog sources. I also believe a sub is easy to hook up to it. No remote control though.

I am looking for forward to what the future will bring with Peachtree GAN1 like pieces. Eliminating so many items makes sense to me in many ways other than just cost.

BTW - when I owned the LSA Voyager 350 it was with the older KEF LS50 and the Thiel CS3.7. I forgot I had not upgraded to LS50 Meta yet. I sold the Voyager because my CODA #8 that I owned at that time was stronger on the bass for the hard to drive Thiel CS3.7. Wish I had not sold the CODA #8, it is perfect for the LRS+.

As I post this comment, I am listening to some Earth, Wind, and Fire on the LRS+ and PeachTree GAN1 and each time I hear this MODDED "amp" I am shocked at how good it sounds. Just beautiful.

I had a D-Sonic Class D using Pascal module (new about 4 years ago) it was powerful, but it was not as resolving on top as the GAN amps I had afterwards.

I also had a NAD M22 V2 which is also Class D and I returned it since it was not as good to my ears as the similarly priced Benchmark AHB2.

You can also buy a cheaper amp and tweak it (void the warranty) and potentially have an amp that sounds a lot better. I have (or had) both great stock amps and tweaked amps. I listen to music a ton of hours each day on both types of amps. 

The reason I went to Ric for mods was I had my Sony SCD-1 modded 20 years ago the way Ric described in his post (by KERN I think). The change in sound was incredible, especially in the SACD layer. I had that player for over 20 years, and it only died earlier this year. Someone bought it from me for the parts. The warranty was the least of my concerns.

Regarding the Magenepan LRS+ and the GAN400. I had this setup in the past and getting the GAN400 delivered either today or tomorrow for the LRS+. It has a bit of hardness to the top that makes it slightly less than fantastic.

I was not aware that Ric does mods on the GAN400 and that the module is the same as the Voyager 350 GAN. He did the mod on my old Voyager 350 GAN so I may consider getting the GAN400 modded if I plan on keeping it. The warranty on the unit I am getting expired already.

I have tried the Voyager 350 GAN and the Peachtree GAN400 with Thiel CS3.7 and Magnepan LRS+. Another poster on this thread has successfully tried the GAN400 with the LRS+ and other Maggies.

In my case, the GAN amps were able to delivery very good sound on these difficult to drive speakers. 

Like re soldering makes a difference.

When I owned Thiel speakers, a support guy at Thiel sent me the solder Thiel uses for my driver replacement because he said they thought it sounded better. It definitely was nicer to apply over other solder I had.

Getting back to GAN amps.

I got the used Peachtree GAN400 (400W) today and replaced the modded Peachtree GAN1 (200W) on my Magnegan LRS+.  Those ratings are for both 8 and 4 Ohm. The LRS+ sounds more alive with that additional power, and also the inclusion of my KEF KC62 sub in the chain. The LRS+ certainly does like power. It sounds the best with my CODA #16 amp but the GAN400 gets close enough. Most importantly the sound is very enjoyable for $1200.

The GAN400 does sound more powerful than the LSA Voyager 350 GAN. I had the 350 GAN modded by Ric and it was better than stock. If I decide not to 'upgrade' (or sideways move) to a Class A/AB amp I will send the GAN400 to Ric to do his magic on it.

I have not had a Class D amp that bettered my best Class A or even AB amp yet. I have kept it under $3K for the various Class D amps I have tried.

However, for certain applications, like my office system, with the LRS+ it is a lot of Class A or AB dollars to get to the level that I am hearing with the PeachTree GAN400, especially used.

I am listening to a long playlist of Sinead O'Connor music as I type this, and it is goosebumps. I am sure it is 99% her voice but the gear does add to the beauty of hear voice.

This is a comment that I often see made by people that purport SETs. We might have a difference of opinion here; mine is that the equipment should not add or subtract WRT to the beauty of the recording. In this way, the more neutral you can get the equipment to be, the more it can bring out nuance in the recording without editorial.

I do not think we have a difference in opinion regarding the type of gear we prefer. My goal has been to go to neutral and let the source dictate. My Livingroom system is Benchmark LA4 preamp and DAC3B into a CODA #16. Only the CODA is really not super neutral. It is slightly warm. I wanted power for that system and the #16 delivers. The LA4 is a beauty to my ears, it adds the least of any preamp I have heard.

My office system is also geared towards neutral with a Holo Serene preamp (very similar to the LA4), Schitt Yggi+ LM DAC and now what I feel is a neutral sounding GAN400.

The even more neutral Benchmark AHB2 sounds better to me than the GAN400 but the GAN400 is a much better amp for the LRS+. In fact, the AHB2 is my fav amp but it is not guaranteed to drive everything.

BTW - Sinead has such a beautiful voice that even on a transistor radio I would get goosebumps listening to her.

I spent about 12 hours today listening to the GAN400 on the LRS+. It was really good, many times I had to stop my work and listen. I am so glad that I got this amp back. However, there is a hint of hardness on top that my very neutral system conveys. Though, it is not something to lose sleep over.

When I had my CODA #16 on this same system that slight bit of hardness goes away. You also get even more thump with the CODA #16 (150 watts vs 400 for the GAN400).

The GAN400 is close to being one of my best amps, just not totally there yet. In stock form it likely the best Class D I have owned. I do not want to damn it with faint praise. It is an amp to check out and maybe with a different preamp could be perfect for a lot of people.

I am comparing the Peachtree GAN400 with my CODA #16. In the past, have compared the CODA #8 with KRELL Duo 175XD and the Voyager 350 GAN in the same system at the same time. 

The PeachTree GAN400 is not too bad at all. I like the other amps more (except the Voyager 350 GAN) but not MUCH more. 

All 3 GAN amps I owned were better to my ears than the other Class D I owned from D-Sonic and NAD (Master series).

The modded GAN1 by Ric gave my CODA #16 a good run. The CODA #16 is more powerful, and my speakers could use that power, so the #16 was the winner.

Tonight, I am going to re-try the GAN400 in my larger Livingroom with my Yamaha NS5000. I will move the CODA #16 to the office with the LRS+. I have visitors coming for 4 weeks this weekend and it maybe safer to get the CODA out of the line of fire.

Someone previously posted that most comments on GAN were not using higher end non-GAN amps as comparison.

This morning I took the Peachtree GAN400 down to the much larger Livingroom where I have the amazing Yamaha NS5000 speakers. Here is what I heard compared to the CODA #16:

• the slight hardness on top with the GAN400 is even more noticeable with the NS5000. The preamp upstairs is the Holo Serene and the NS5000 downstairs uses the Benchmark LA4. It is not the preamps that are making the difference. It is the better sounding NS5000 that is letting me hear the hardness on top.
• the sound stage on the GAN400 is not as expansive as with the CODA#16.
• The thump from the low end cannot compare to the CODA #16

Overall, the sound is about 8/10 and the CODA #16 is a 9.5/10. If the CODA #16 had the same top end as the Benchmark AHB2 I would give it a 10/10

The CODA #16 with my LRS+ in the smaller office

• the hardness is totally gone witth the LRS+, same as when paired with the NS5000
• the speaker hits harder with the #16 but not as noticeable as with the big woofers on the NS5000
• the overall amp sound differences are less noticeable with the LRS+ compared to the NS5000. The NS5000 is a better speaker.

I am keeping the GAN400 for a while. Maybe until the next iterations of Class D of GAN come out. This would be for the LRS+.

If anyone is interested, I would be willing to sell the modded GAN1 since it is no longer used. Though a warning, using it is not for the faint of heart. It is bit more complicated.

I never said I was going for a comparison by price. Though price is really BS in audio these days. I just laugh at some of the prices. My comparison is of one of the best GAN amps I have owned vs one of the best Class A + AB amp I have owned. For example, the $3300 Benchmark AHB2 is better on the top end than the CODA #16.

The PeachTree GAN1 after Rics mods is almost as good as the CODA #16 on the LRS+ and KEF LS50 Meta. Not so close on the Yamaha NS5000. That amp cost me $1500 + $600 for mods. The reason I am not using it is I want my analog tuners to be used. The GAN1 has no preamp just 1 streaming SPDIF digital input. The elimination of so much circuitry and cables plus Rics mods make $1500 almost equal $15000 (Coda raised prices).

Of course, better to me may not be better to you.

OK Ric, I will send you the GAN400. I paid $1200 for it.

I had a modded Voyager 350 GAN before. It was much better than stock and did not have the hardness on top. It did as stock. The deficiency with the 350 GAN was the lack of real grunt on the low end. I listened to that amp with the Thiel CS3.7 in my small office (treated). Maybe that low end issue was due to power supply? The GAN400 seems more powerful than the 350 GAN. (LRS+ and Thiel CS3.7 are not easy to drive)

Ric, when I get the modded GAN400 back from you I am going to listen to Sinead O’Conner’s Troy back-to-back on the GAN400 and the CODA #16. That will be my goosebumps test.

If we're talking THE BEST, regardless of price...Aavik and T+A.

@mbmi What is the sound of these 2 that make it the best. I only know the T+A HV amps (and stack). Slightly warm sound but my ears like my CODA #16 more. I would assume the T+A Class D Purifi based amp is not at the same level as the T+A HV amps.

I never heard the AAVIK. 

@blisshifi How does the Cambridge Audio Edge M compare to your other amps. Is it a warm sound or more neutral? I am looking for a neutral sounding amp and monos would be great since I have my fav speaker cable gathering dust (very short length). I am looking for something like the Benchmark AHB2 but with more low-end grunt. This is to pair with my Yamaha NS5000.

I realized that this speaker can also use power. It sounds very good with the Class A CODA #16, but I am thinking a slightly more neutral sound would be even better. The CODA #16 is phenomenal with my Magnepan LRS+.

At the moment, the SimAudio lineup seems to be where I am heading, but I am also looking for lower cost alternatives.

Mola Mola Class D is ancient in Class D terms. 

I am the person that said the HV sounds a little warm, which most people like. I think it sounds like the amazing KRELL Duo XD (owned before) that I have raved about.  However, I do not think it would pair well with the NS5000 that I have now. I can get a used KRELL Dou 300XD for $6K. It would be very good for sure but maybe not great.

I do know the Vivid Kaya 90. I demoed it with the NS5000 and Magico A3. The NS5000 was the worst sounding of the 3, but I guessed correctly that it sounded bad because of the glass walled room + furniture I heard it in.

I think I should hear this Edge M before I send 2x more on the SimAudio.

@pennfootball71 My favorite amp is the new Krell 400 watt class A amp. Nothing is a better package for 35k until you get to the Audionet Heisenburg.

Can you tell us more about the sound of the KRELL. I am a huge Duo XD fan and had 2 of those items recently. I actually bought a heavy-duty amp stand just for the Krell K400i amp. I am thinking of pivoting away from the KRELL because the speakers I have now may not match with the buttery smoothness of the KRELL XD. I was expecting to pair KEF Blade 2 Meta with the 400i but changed my mind on the speakers. Do you have experience with the lower model Duo XD and how it compares with the new 400i?

The fact that it weighs 160 lbs is also something I am debating on.

@arafiq Only thing I have heard about the Aavrik is what you posted. I am starting to think that Class D is a little lacking on the low end. I never had anything in Class D in the Aavrik price range so I may be wrong.

However, compared to the CODA #16 and KRELL Duo 175XD that I recently had in the house all my Class D amps were not as dynamic on the bottom. I finally put the CODA #16 together with the Schitt Yggi+ Less is More DAC (amazing DAC do not let the price fool you, like it more than the Lumin X1). What synergy, now my problem is that I also want that level of amp for my office system. The PeachTree GAN400 is not cutting it with my Magnepan LRS+. It is really good but in comparison to the CODA #16 it is far behind. The Maggie’s seem to be very responsive to better quality gear.

@pennfootball71 the 2 most recent KRELL models I spoke of are the same as the KRELL 400i except for the lack of fans and the new 2nd order harmonics feature Krell talks about. The 400i also is more robust than the lower models and can even go down to 1 Ohm if your house can handle it. My issue is not budget (just work longer if needed) I am looking at synergy. I am wondering if the 400i is also very smooth on top like the XD models that it is based on. I know it is great but great and synergy with my speakers could conflict.

Gryphon is on the other side of my sound preference. At least what I heard in the past. My interest now after exploring a few Class D options are:

• SimAudio North Collection 861 (available in Oct 2023)
• T+A A3000HV (if it is as neutral as @blisshifi says, it also has a great dual zone feature that would allow me to sell a $7K headphone amp)
• CODA #16 (get another one because it is great)
• KRELL Duo 300XD (at $6k used, if I use it only in the office with the LRS+). The 400i was my first target but I am waffling on that due to potential sonic synergy issues with the Yamaha NS5000 speaker. The weight is also at the top of what I can safely carry up the stairs without banging into things.

I may also buy the KEF Blade 2 Meta in about 5 years when it is safe to do so. At the moment my house is crazy with too much running around that could knock over the Blade. The 400i would be a great match with the Blade.

@mbmi Have you heard the CODA #16? To my ears, it is one of the very best amps out there, and I have a feeling a lot of others feel that way. The CODA #16 is as good as the T+A HV, which I am considering today for my LRS+ and RAAL SR1a & CA-1a. The CODA #16 is also bit better than KRELL Duo XD which I owned. The same model I owned just came up for sale at a super low price, I may buy that instead. Cheap price must mean it is not so good? Good thing I have owned and heard the KRELL before to know better.

The best amp I have heard and owned, the AHB2, costs $3.3K new, but it is not as good on hard to drive speakers. But that top end is unsurpassed paired with the right preamp and speakers. Have you heard that amp? The CODA comes close to the top end of the AHB2 but not as good, but the CODA also has killer bass with hard to drive speakers.  If you have an easy to drive speaker the much cheaper AHB2 could be better. How could that be, it is lower in cost?

You have not heard a modded Peachtree GAN1? Your opinion is based on more money is better. Good for us, it helps keep the economy moving. The modded GAN1 amp is almost as good on my RAAL VM-1a headphone amp. I sold the RAAL amp today for $5k in about 4 hours after posting on Head-fi that I was selling it. Do you know how good the VM-1a is? People in the know on the phone community know the RAALs with the VM-1a maybe unsurpassed at ANY PRICE.

The Peachtree GAN1 and CODA #16 are almost as good as the VM-1a on the phones. On an easier to drive speakers that same comparison can apply to the GAN1 vs #16. How could that be the GAN1 is so much cheaper, blasphemy. Or could it be the totally different design of the GAN1 (and the mods)?

I owned and compared a $2.5k Yggi+ LM DAC with a $15K Lumin X1 streamer/DAC. When I added a fibre streamer to the Yggi+ it made the total about $5K. To my ears the Yggi+ LM stayed and the X1 went bye-bye. So again, cheaper was better. 

Quit giving advice on things you have no knowledge one. Remember what Mark Twain said on speaking out about things you know nothing about.

@derekw_hawaii Sorry to inform you that I have not sent the amp in to Ric (yet). I am not sure if I will sell it so I may not mod it. Since I sold my amazing RAAL VM-1a this week I needed to figure out how to get both my RAAL phones and my LRS+ to work with the gear I have. One result of this finding lead me to buy the Sanders Sound System MagTech amp today as the replacement for the GAN400 with the LRS+.

I have been using the GAN400 with the RAAL phones the last couple of days and it is very good, but still has that slight hardness. I will use the GAN400 this way for a while. The KRELL Duo XD amps are better on the phones than the GAN400 but I have no money or space for the KRELL at the moment.

I am listening to Robbie Robertson’s debut album on the LRS+ and the GAN400 as I type this, and I have never heard this album sound so good. I used to listen to this album at least once a week for maybe a decade. The 2 best speakers I had in the past were the Thiel CS3.7 and Revel Salon 1, but this LRS+ is just killing both of those with this album. Incredible sound for $1000. The GAN400 is also responsible for this so do not let my comments indicate that the GAN400 is a bad amp.

Even though I have not modded the GAN400 I do not expect Ric to make it sound even close to the CODA #16. The PeachTree GAN1 is an entirely different animal and I like that whole modded GAN1 system almost as much as the #16. I say this as someone who had Ric mod the LSA Voyager 350 GAN amplifier. He made it sound much better. However, it was not as good overall as my CODA #8 with my Thiel CS3.7 (both now sold). The GAN400 is the same internally as the Voyager (per Ric), though sounds stronger on the bass region. If the KRELL Duo were not in the back of my mind, I would have already sent the GAN400 for mods.

The CODA #16 is incredible. One reason I had comfort in buying the Magtech today is because I believe CODA made that amp for Sanders. Roger Sanders helped me figure out how to best setup the RAAL phones and speakers with my remaining gear. Great customer service.

@derekw_hawaii On TMR a Magtech came up for sale at $2800. I think it sold in minutes. I then contacted MagTech and discussed a few things with them. I bought a used Magtech from them for $4K. This amp was given a thorough update from MagTech.

There was an issue I was reading about for heat and the MagTech (on A’gon). It seems it was an issue with some part from Motorola. That was rectified in 2015 so I am expecting my unit to also have the updated part.

I get the amp on Tuesday. Send me a DM if you want to get my opinion. This is the GAN thread so I will not digress more on it.

I recently received the Sanders Sound Systems Magtech amp. 500 @ 8 | 900 @ 4. I paid $4k used from Sanders. 

I will keep it short, the Magtech is much better on the Magnepan LRS+ than the PeachTree GAN400. The panels sound like a totally different speaker with the Magtech. I would even say the Magtech + LRS+ is even better than the CODA  #16 + LRS+. 

I was worried that the Class AB Magtech would be grainy. Not so at all, a great top end. The bass is the hardest hitter of the 3 amps mentioned. Just a shockingly good pairing.

I have my Peachtree GAN400 as a headphone amp now and it was not too bad. I have a $800 Schitt Class A Aegir amp coming today that will have to duke it out with the GAN400.

I got the $800 Schitt Aegir 20-watt Class A amp this afternoon. I am listening to it via my Benchmark LA4 preamp and Benchmark DAC3B. The GAN400 used to be in place of the Aegir. The amp is connected to the RAAL TI-1b interface box. I am using the RAAL SR1a phone into the TI-1b.

When I had the GAN400 in the path, I had a hum with 16 Ohm setting on the interface box using RCA inputs. The hum was was lowered wit the 32 Ohm setting (or maybe the other way around). When using XLR inputs into the TI-1b the hum went away, but I need to use RCA out from the LA4 since the XLR go to the MagTech amp & LRS+.

I had no hum issue with the Aegir and RCA. I have not tested XLR with the Aegir since I would need 2 Aegir’s to do that.

Cut to the chase. The sound difference between the GAN400 and the Aegir was rather big. The Aegir is warmer, just as detailed, juicer and much like the CODA #16 and the TI-1b. Incredible for $800.

The GAN400 is a flatter sound and while very good with the SR1a, it is not at the same level as the Aegir.

I need to decide if I am going to keep the GAN400. I do not like having extra gear around. If I sell it it will be for $1200.