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What is Best SS AMP for $2000 and under?

My 30 year old Audire Otez blew up and I'm heartbroken. It was a class AB amp with 250 watts per channel at 8 ohms. I have Snell AIII speakers and a Macintosh pre-amp, C34V. The Audire had a deep soundstage, great bass and wonderful clarity and separation throughout the frequency range. Any suggestions for a replacement amp besides another Audire?
bghhi
bghhi OP
5 posts
 
Thanks All! Does anyone have an opinion on the Belles 350A as compared with the Van Alstine 450?
aolmrd1241
1,039 posts
 
For $2,000 and under,I would buy any Edge amp used. Just plain musical with plenty of power.
bghhi OP
5 posts
 
Thanks guys for all of your help! In particular, thank you to Aintitgr8 - I took your recommendation and bought the Belles 350. Being shipped today. Seller was great. Can't wait to hook it up.

Audiogon is the best site I found in my research.
holygrailaudio
94 posts
 
Good job, you've bought the last amp you'll want for a long long time.

The 350's noteworthy strength among everything done perfectly is the greatest bass control of any amp...period. Speaker cables reward upgrades because it's the damping factor that has to do with this. The speaker drivers send a back pulse signal through the wires back to the amp, the damping factor determines how this is controlled or not. The 350 has a damping factor that's off the charts.

If your cable has the resolution to reveal layered bass detail the difference you notice in power cords will blow you away, literally. I kid you not...I've showed people differences in power cords that had them watching what I did with the change because they thought I was changing the whole system on them.

Feel free to contact me with any questions
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