what power amplifier are really punchy

My recommendation, NuForce Ref 9SE V2 or MCH-3SE (multi-channel equivalent). Best I heard at home for bass as well as the rest of the musical spectrum. at 190watts/ch 8ohm, 300watts 4ohm. $5K retail.

Good luck,

Try the Gilmore amps - Raven stereo or Raptor monoblocks. I have a Raven powering my Zu Druids and it is unbelievably punchy. Kick drums might collapse your chest, though, so be careful!

Every amplifier I ever auditioned has some sonic signature that seems to be highlighted in one area or another of the audio spectrum. Ideally it should be balanced and neutral. Naturally Krell is famous for the bottomless bass and very articulate bass at that and everything else.

I exist in the midrange of audiophile world and I have come to find that Bryston amps,the older 3B,4B models and possibly the newer SST models were very prevelant and articulate in the low bass and mid bass range. So noticable if fact that it was shocking! I had settled for what I consider a well balanced amp, an Aragon 4004II amp that has quite acceptable bass and a smooth open midrange and highs. I listened to a lot of amps in that price range let me tell you. I did not end up with the Bryston because I liked the high end of the Aragon better, but oh that amazing tight bass from the Brystons!

If you can afford the high end estoteric get the Krell, but if you want the bass at a limited price point it is worth considering. Perhaps other Bryston owners may chime in. Many folks that biamp use the 2b,3b, and 4bs for the bottom end of their systems.

I can't believe no one mentioned room acoustics as bass is hugely affected by room dimensions and speaker placement within the room... If the room has a suck out in the midbass then no amplifier, no matter how punchy, will fix it.

Choosing an amplifier before selecting a speaker is like buying a set of tires and then looking for a car to fit them.

Older Levinsons are like that....

Getting the bass out of any amp requires attention to all details- proper electricity (dedicated line) power conditioner that doesn't restrict bass, ditto power cord, interconnects and most often overlooked vibration dissipation devices like Herbies' isocups- oh yeah and speaker placement

Krell, and I agree, sounds like this is an amp/speaker combination your looking for.

I use Krell, but speaker choice is a huge factor.

Krell. And choose your speakers at the same time!

TAD 125 monos. I had a DNA-1, which was surpassed by the TAD60 and the TAD 125 bests it in all categories. I listen to classic rock on Vandy 2CE sigs and the TAD is a great match for punch and dynamics.

That exact attribute is one of the most distinctive characters of the McCormack DNA-1.

Krell. I humbly suggest you choose your speakers first.