What are the best GaN Amplifiers available today?

@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.

What the hell are you talking about....Confusing post.....you’re all over the place......no , I haven’t heard your CODA but I bet it’s fantastic.......MEH...end of discussion!

Paired my GaN 400 with a Rogue RP-1. After upgrading the stock tubes in the Rogue to Gold Lions, I'm getting very nice results -- not at all like the typical class D I've heard in the recent past (also the case before the recent tube swap, but now there's more natural-sounding goodness). Just my 2 cents.

I heard the AGD amps at an audio show last weekend. Beautiful to gaze upon and sublime to listen to.

https://agdproduction.com/products/

Using a Gan 1 or VTV 300 in your system is a lot simpler and cheaper than using other GaN or mosfet class d systems.  When yyz is comparing his less than $2K (WITH MODS) GaN 1 with his $12K amp he is also using a $3K preamp and a $2K DAC with analog interconnects into the $12K amp.  You also need 2 more power cords using an analog class d amp.....unless you are using the volume control in your DAC.  The GaN 1 is being driven directly from a streamer or other digital source using a digital volume control.......seriously way less money.   When he complains about the GaN 1 being a pain in the arse its because he wants to use tuners and subs that might not be compatible with the GaN 1 outputs.  I have a streamer going directly to my VTV D300 digital amp and then directly to my speakers.....most of you reading this do not have vinyl or tuners or whatever.  Of course, with intelligence you can interface many things to a digital amp (including phono stages and subs).

Besides modding your class d amp (analog or digital).....you can do some things that will bring parts of your system and even your entire system to another level:  These things are for class a, class ab and tubed gear as well:

1. Damping chassis and heatsinks.  The cover on the VTV amps and the Orchard amps are really thin and ringy.  Add some damped weight on top for much better sound.  My friend is using the Parasound JC 1+ amps and I told him to damp the heatsinks and top cover.....way better sound.  He used a small 1 inch wide strip of EAR SD40AL constrained layer damping material (sold by Micheal Percy Audio) down the middle of the tips of the fins on both sides of the amp.  He then put some damped weight on the amp.......loves it.  He also damped the heatsinks on his Rythmic Audio servo sub amps........tighter bass.  DO NOT OVERDAMP!....listen for best sound.   

2.  Serious feet underneath a component are necessary.  I use the best Mad Scientist feet and underneath that are two different types of hardwood shelves (Maple on top of bamboo) sitting on an inner tube with barely any air in it so it resonates under 5 cycles.

3.  Here is a seriously great upgrade for you all.............GET OFF THE GRID!!!!!  Run you entire system on an inverter.  The Giandel PS2000SAR...2000 watt pure sine wave inverter is on sale right now for $289 delivered.  Buy a $300 100 amp hour LifePo 4 battery and a 20 amp charger and for around $700 total....you will be mind blown.  The same great sound day and night.  Always sounds the same.  The inverter will sound better by itself than most expensive line conditioners and you can use it in front of a great line conditioner (like the Puritan) for even better sound.  All inverters put out some noise.....but it is way better than the wall.  You have NO IDEA how transformative this is.  I just turned on someone to this system and he was already using the Core Audio isolation transformer on his system (low powered tube amp driving modified Klipsch speakers).  He just called me today and said the inverter made it sound way better.  He is still using the core audio thang but will plug the stuff directly into the inverter and see what the difference is when adding the isolation transformer.  The fan in any Giandel inverter does not come on till you are running at least 40 % of its rated power.  So, a 2000 watt inverter will only run its fan when it is pulling 800 or more continuous watts.......we don't want no stinkin fans going when listening to music.  Please see way more info on inverters on my website.  My friend with the JC 1+ amps uses the Giandel 5000 watter and two 200 amp hour batteries.....but he is drawing 700 watts continuous.......Us class D users need way, way less juice......smaller, lighter, less expensive and great sound.  Please read the review in Stereophile by Jason Serinus about his use of the Stromtank inverter ($16K!!!!!!).  This $700 Giandel system is probably as good or better and it can do more power....and you can hook up as much battery as you want.