Have you listened to Bryston SST family of amps? |
I hear good things about Odyssey stratos mono and mono extremes. Klaus at Odyssey is owner and there are many rave reviews regarding him and his amp. Check out audiocircle.com |
I've tried a number of SS amps and have listened to a number of tube and SS systems. I've yet to find an equal to the McCormack DNA-2 Revision A amplifier.
This amp requires a dedicated line for the dynamics to soar. And some to much of the 'lack of grain' comes from proper line conditioning and good ics and scs. That's assuming of course the amp itself isn't contributing audibly to the grain.
-IMO |
The Pass Labs amps but what speakers are you using? |
Levinson 400 series. I'm really pleased with my 436 monoblocks! |
Need a bit more system information, but given your priorities I would recommend Boulder's current offerings and the Classe Omega. Neither is fatiguing for SS and both have the characteristics you described. Good luck! |
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Before recommending an amp can you provide details on the rest of your system? At least speakers, preamp and source?
This information is very helpful |
I gave up on solid state, after my last one, the Pass X-600. I have found much better performance with the new technology of the H2O Signature monos. They weigh a third as much, never get warm, let alone hot, draw just 10 watts at idle, and have brought my system to a point where I feel I can touch the performers. |
Are you talking to me, or any of the above? I don't mind.
My speakers are the infamous, but fabulous, 1 ohm Apogee Scintilla. I like nonupsampling, and have a PSA Lambda transport feeding a highly enhanced Audio Note DAC. The preamp is a one of a kind class A, housed in two chassis.
Check out the H2O review by Audiofankj here:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1103079446&read&3&4&
And Strajan's review at 6Moons here:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/h2o/m250.html |
Jeff Rowland 201 or 501 mono blocks fit your criteria. Due to there small size they could easily be positioned behind your speakers if you prefer long ICs and short speaker cables. If not they look very attractive and run extremely effeciently using ICE power supply technology.
Regards
Glenalan |
Levinson, McIntosh, Moon?, Bel Canto's monoblocked, Classe mono's, Theta?, Bryston 14sst, Jeff Rowland?, Edge?, Halcro's !!
Krell and Pass can be revealing and/or "cold". Use caution.
Halcro's could be the ticket, but $$ and pretty neutral.
As always you can sway the sound of your amps with the right cables (copper for smoothness, silver for clarity or coldness,) and the PREamp. Try a tubed preamp with a ss amp. Might be great. |
Forgot about BAT vk's and M-F kw series. worth a try. |
I wouldn't classify a Bryston 4B SST as a "high powered" amp.
It had trouble pushing a 4 ohm speaker .
Now the 14B SST is a different story. |
Try a c-j Premier 350. It has a high input impedance (no XLR input) which will be compatable with tube pre-amps.
Good Luck! |
Caution to Maurlman1 ---Just like at the titty bars; no touching the performers. OK, R we clear?? |
Hey, even in the privacy of my home? Maybe that's why I'm drawn towards female singers. :-D
Anybody in CA are welcome to my place to see what I mean. |
You have been clear that it is solid-state that you want, but is this because you envision buying an inefficient speaker like the mbl's? I ask because there is one tube amp that works particularly well with the big mbl 101, the CAT JL-3 (or the predecessor to that amp, the JL-1).
It is a very unusual design that was designed around the mbl 101 and that competes very favorably with massive solid-state amps. Here are a couple of links if you are interested:
http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Amplifiers.html (scroll down to "Class A")
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1099200096&openfrom&1&4#1 |
Pass Labs and Bel Canto Bridged mono Evos are excellent in my experience. |
Hi,
I've had Rowland 9Ti's, Pass 600's (sold them to Muralman), Krell 750 Mcx's and now am totally delighted with my Boulder 2060. They can effortlessly drive anything, and now that I've paired it with the new ARC Ref3 preamp, I am in heaven. If you want more details on how the previous amps performed in my system, i would be glad to oblige. BTW, they're driving Dynaudio Temptations, which really love the power.
David Shapiro |
David, I am sure the Boulder amp is a great solid state amp. For something totally knew, try the H2O Signature monos. I know I will never go back to SS. |
Which speaker did you try, how big is your room, and how loud do you usually listen? I have used a Bryston 3B-ST with Proac Response 1.5s, Magnepan MG-12QRs, and Dynaudio Contour 3.0s in a 13' x 16' room. I don't really crank it as my downstairs neighbors reported me for shaking a picture off their wall.
While I would not consider Bryston amps powerhouses for driving 1 ohm loads, they are certainly adequate with a lot of typical speakers. |
Deshapiro,...how did the X-600's stack up against the Krell 750 monoblocks in your system?
What made you forgo the Krell monoblocks for the Boulder stereo amp? What are the improvements of the Boulder over the Krells? |
At the time that I had those amps, I had Avalon Osiris speakers, which were a very difficult load to drive. The Pass' had excellent low-level detail, what I would call a "clean" sound. But, they were also lacking in the midrange with a thin, not very sweet tone. The Krells had much more tonality and richness and were much more musical,but didn't image or soundstage as well. The Boulder does it all: imaging, resolution, detail, rich musical sound. I have since changed speakers o the Dynaudios and there is great synergy . They love the power.
David |
