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

For me, it would be the Jolida JD 1501P ( @ $700-$800). Hybrid design, roll tubes to my liking. Great w/ solid state preamp.

$4000, $8000? - must not be many amplifiers made.

Coda n8

I’ve got three to contribute. Main system is a factory modified Cary SLI 80 HS, it just does everything perfectly for me. Paired with Volti Razz, it’s a match made in heaven. Musical, powerful, dynamic. I can’t think of anything the pairing is missing. Part of the why is when I auditioned the Razz at Volti HQ, mastermind creator Greg and I listened to the Razz and Cary for hours, well into the night.

Next is an integrated I’ve searched many years for. Mission Cyrus Two with the PSX power supply. It literally made my old TDLs in my man cave come alive and sound like they always should have. Full, musical, muscular even, without loosing their British accent. And at such a bargain in excellent condition!

lastly the Margules ACRH -3. What a fine sounding hybrid. Unique, musical, powerful.

I could live happily with just one of these. 
the least expensive was the Cyrus at 400 clams. Cary and Margules much more expensive.

Audio Research D240 MKII

Price used USD1800.

Dynamic, transparent and musical end game amp. Fed earlier by an upgraded LS10, it was an end game set up. 

Without prejudice to:

(a) The oxymoron embedded in the title now ignored for purposes of a reply herein; and,

(b) Before the bespoke merits of stepping up into the thin-air or oxygen-breather audio performance strata choices saddled with their unavoidable high-end strata eye-watering price-points BUT arguably better reflective of actual ‘end game” classification …..

My personal (emphasis-added); “arguably still affordable for the masses” end-game option is the REGA OSIRIS integrated amp.

I would participate, but I am a little worried you'd scold me in a DM again 

I really enjoyed the Kinki EX-M1 I added the Sparkos OP amp kit to it, and was convinced it was my end game amp. Then my dealer sold me his Demo Sugden IA-4.  That Kinki is 250 Wpc, and $3500.00 CDN

Aesthetix Mimas… stellar and the DAC and phono modules are excellent. I’ve setup a few systems w them. impressive hybrid from Jim White.

Anthem STR

great performance and solid build for the money

Belles Aria Signature, BAT VK-3000SE (never heard the VK-3500SE), Gato Amp 150 ...

Jim2,

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

Ahh... missed the "Integrated" part. Although I have not heard them, I would immediately look at the Coda CSiB, Wells Audio, Aesthetix Mimas, and Ayre Acoustics EX-8 2.0.

Non integrated:

Ayre Acoustics MX-R (not Twenty) mono amps ~$6500 used.

Ayre Acoustics VX-5 Twenty ~$4800 used

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.