...the new chalice audio 'grail' set is the best tube amp i have ever heard...( see the review on positive feedback ) there is ..as i understand it...another review coming out in the near future that will also state the superb sonic abilities of this amp.
Best tube amp - pair of Spectron Musician III Mk2 monoblocks Why - do the audiogon search and see what both reviewers and users are saying ! All The Best Rafael
Pass Aleph 1.2 monoblocks. they converted a pair of the somewhat forward-sounding B&W-801S3 Matrix speakers to near state-of-the-art. they always said the 801's wouldn't reach their full potential without the right electronics. the 1.2's may not be sufficient for speakers that dip into low impedences, but my brother's pair has never disappointed him on any speaker he has tried. i dare nelson pass to re-issue them- the XA-200.5's are out of my price range...
symphonic line still is my benchmark for price no object....then marantz 8b(and the vac reissue), any variety of the mac mc275, CJ MV125(no need for more)..........the finest budget integrated bar none, the revox ellegance S25, more performance per dollar than anything i've ever heard.....classic marantz receivers in the right system are still at the top also.
I think a pair of atmasphere's ma2's driving a pair of soundlab A-1 speakers; for solid state a upgraded pair of mccormack dna-1 monoblocks driving a pair of merlin 4b+'s had a very stunning sound;but hands down the OTL's of atmasphere are the best I have ever heard.
For tube amps, I'd have to say a pair of very rare Tube Research monoblock amps driving Soundlab A-1 speakers was awesome. For solid-state, I still love the sound of the old Mark Levinson 20.6 mono amps as being my favorite, certainly much better than their newer models.
since the character of amps does vary; i would mention a few 'best amps' i have heard.
the Lamm ML3 at CES this year was wonderful......as it should be for 130 large....a bit on the dark side but very delicate and refined, it does space and tonality to die for.
as was the new Tenor 350 monoblocks.....only $90k.....really no weakness and the best really powerful amp i have ever heard. it will drive any speaker known to man with ease and is completely natural and dynamically alive.
the Tenor 75 watt OTL's did some things better than any other amp i've heard....has a fire and sparkle in the mids along with a neutrality and musical flow which beguiled me for years.
and then my darTZeel NHB-108 must be in this mix somewhere.....maybe more like music and less it's own character than the others, an astonishingly low noisefloor, lifelike microdynamics, sweet naturalness, and overall balance makes it my overall everyday choice to live with. it makes me forget about amps and speakers and just enjoy.......
those 4 are above most others i have heard in my book.......you would need to include the ML2.1 with the ML3.
i could probably list 5 or 10 other amps that could be included that i am less familiar with.
since the character of amps does vary; i would mention a few 'best amps' i have heard.
the Lamm ML3 at CES this year was wonderful......as it should be for 130 large....a bit on the dark side but very delicate and refined, it does space and tonality to die for.
as was the new Tenor 350 monoblocks.....only $90k.....really no weakness and the best really powerful amp i have ever heard. it will drive any speaker known to man with ease and is completely natural and dynamically alive.
the Tenor 75 watt OTL's did some things better than any other amp i've heard....has a fire and sparkle in the mids along with a neutrality and musical flow which beguiled me for years.
and then my darTZeel NHB-108 must be in this mix somewhere.....maybe more like music and less it's own character than the others, an astonishingly low noisefloor, lifelike microdynamics, sweet naturalness, and overall balance makes it my overall everyday choice to live with. it makes me forget about amps and speakers and just enjoy.......
those 4 are above most others i have heard in my book.......you would need to include the ML2.1 with the ML3.
i could probably list 5 or 10 other amps that could be included that i am less familiar with.
Of all the amps I've had in my system, the AtmaSphere MA-1s have so far been the best. The JJ Electronics (the tube manufacturers) 828 is also very nice - not as dynamic, but sweeter. It's a shame this company doesn't get more attention. They were the shooting star for a while, but then other trends came along, but they make really good amps.
I have never, ever heard another amp do what those things did at an open house at my local High End shop. The next year I went to the same hi-fi show and heard the same turntable and disc player into the same speakers, but it was the Ayre preamp and amp instead. The Ayres are very nice, but they weren't even close.
Disclaimer: I've never heard the top line Halcro monoblocks.
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