Upgrading my SET amplifiers?


I am very happy with my Wright Sound 3.5/Lamhorn/Lowther EX 4 combo, but I know that the amps can be improved. I was looking for a Berning Siegfried, but nobody wants to sell this amp used and new is not longer available. I’ve read good things about Art Audio, Wavelength, Exemplar and the like, but I want to know from people who actually own those amplifiers or other very good SET amplifiers. I am willing to spend $ 3,000 / 4,000 in this upgrade. If possible, I prefer to buy used. Your help is greatly appreciated. Pablo.
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I listen to vinyl and Cds, half and a half. The vinyl sounds better, but there are a lot of material that is not longer released on vinyl. I mostly listen to jazz (hard bop). My vinyl rig is Linn Sondek/Linn Ekos/Goldring Elite. My Cd player is an Electrocompaniet ECM 1 24/192. If I agree with you in principle about the importance of the source, the most dramatic change in the sonic signature of my system occurred when I bought the Lowthers. I still maintain a conventional speaker (Silverline Sonatas) driven by a Bottlehead Parabee 300b, and I used it with some material (rock, for instance). Regards, Pablo.
Very nice setup, Pablo.
When I spoke of the source, I meant the CD player and/or turntable. Upgrading the source has had the most significant effect on the music in my experience. The amps, speakers, and cables can only work with what they're given. That's where I would spend my money first, FWIW, on the source equipment.
Regards,
Howard
Hi Pablo:

I am happy you are enjoying the LamHorns. Indeed they are incredible. I never heard them as fine as the day you were over.

I am adjusting to the Maggie 1.6qr. At ~ 1K, they are quite good with the Scott. I don't do much listening once the nice weather rolls around. One absolutely drastic difference between the Lamhorns and the Maggies are the dynamics, especially at modest volume levels. The Lamhorns with my AER even at low volume could give you that sense of dynamics and thus realism that I have never heard before from any speaker. In a year from now if my job situation is settled, who knows I might be back in the market for a pair. For now, though I have to say for the type of listening I do, and at the price, I am happy.

Are you using the subwoofer with the Lamhorns and if so, how well is it integrating?

Sincerely,

Don
The Wright 3.5's are great amplifiers and a great value. I had a buddies pair in my system on loan for a few weeks while he was traveling on biz. I enjoyed them immensely. However, I must say that I when they were returned and my Korneff 45 SE was reinstalled, I enjoyed the music even more.
Hi Don:

I am glad you are enjoying the Magnepan. Answering your question, yes, I use a REL Stadium II and, to me ears, the integration is great.

Faugusta:

I have to try the Korneff, for sure. Right now I got a very good opportunity to buy a highly modified Golden Tube 300b SE at a very appealing price. The monoblocks are coming in a couple of weeks. I'll keep everybody posted on how they compare to my beloved Wrights. Pablo.