Thinking about another amplifier (Galion)

Thank you for the responses and good info so far. I’m aligned with your responses and still haven’t ruled out going with an additional sub instead of an amp. Other possibilities include room treatment focused on lower frequency management, doubling the investment price, or buying a cherry condition used high-ender brand amplifier, or just walking away from the purchase altogether. Another amplifier I was eyeballing is the Decware 300b Sarah, but no remote! Who the HE-double hockey sticks wants an amp without a remote?!? Well, apparently a sh*t-load of energetic people who like to ruin the mood by getting up to change the volume do. That’s who. Don’t get me started on their waitlist.

I reached out to Thomas at Galion to explain my situation and asked if there is a chance of testing one so I can avoid blind purchase/ possible disappointment etc and he said yes. I just received tracking info and I should have it sometime next week.

Needless to say, I’m pretty happy about this. I’ll have 7 days to test it out then will need to return it to Galion. Crisis averted...for now.

@veerossi great news. When you get it, I'd love to hear what you think about it. The thing that bothers me a bit about the amp is how much warm up time is needed for it to sound the best and if you change a setting it is start over from the beginning. 

ghdprentice

I was looking at Audio Research's amplifiers and there are very nice. Unfortunately, I saw this thread today: 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/audio-research-in-receivership?utm_source=sendgrid&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=website

OP,

I am aware of the current status of Audio Research. It would not deter me in any way from buying a new or used component. I have owned multiple components for over 30 years without failure. So, great opportunity to snatch up a world class audio product regardless of their current status. 
 

Audio Research will continue. Trent was a great owner, and I am very sorry for the perfect storm that hit him shortly after he purchased the company… interest rate increase, tube cost increase, and inflation. I have communicated with him a number of times… great individual. But Audio Research will live on. I would unhesitatingly buy any of their products.

@veerossi Just doing a quick look, the "bankruptcy" isn't filed under Federal law, it is in Minnesota under state law. Companies use these reorganization statutes to deal with debt that they can't handle sometimes to slow things down. Creditors have very little incentive to want a sell off of the assets (going out of business sale) because there would only be pennies returned on the dollar. The assignment to the LIghthouse Management is not unlike a Trustee in Bankruptcy who is there to make sure everything is done correctly and no one is hiding anything. 

There are later posts in the thread which say that the company is still operating as normal. In any event, you probably have 2 results. Either the company gets reorganized and run better or more efficiently or there is a fire sale and you can pick up products at good prices. You're probably ok either way especially if the products are as good as @ghdprentice says.