???What's The LEAST Expensive "End Game"Amplifier You've Ever Heard???

For me the least expensive amp I could live with is the Synthesis A40 (costs around $8,000); if I needed more power it would be their A100 amp.  Both have built in DACs I could live with.  The power amp I currently operate costs about 8.5 times the A40 price, and I own another amp that costs around twelve times as much.  These amps are better, but not by a wide margin.

Jim2,

I am a tube person, but, I like Ayre for solid state; your recommendation is very good. 

tave5,

I agree, the old Nimis is a terrific sounding tube amp--dense sounding but still lively and clear.  It is a lot of fun to listen to that amp.  There current Roma 96 amps, which run EL34s also sound very good and remain a screaming bargain.  They use to make a tiny 6L6 amp that I liked a lot too.  My only concern with the smaller Synthesis amps is heat build up under the chassis--they need to be well ventilated to reduce heat; I've seen a few of their amps that needed service because certain components inside the chassis got cooked.

As I mentioned above, I own two tube amps that are very expensive.  One costs close to six figures, the other one is probably worth about $45k.  While I don't think any Synthesis amp beats them out, I would not be that upset if I had to replace them with a Synthesis A40--this amp is worthy of any system needing only 40 watts at peak.