2017 amps - $10K to $15K who is on your short list?



Hello!
I saw recently a short list by TAS on 2016 amps between $10 & $15K MSRP the TAS staff concluded were their choices of the best for last year.

Perhaps these were new entries from2016 only. I don’t know and thee article did not mention that aspect. The list also appears to be a global perspective.

The list contained:
Air Tight ATM-1S,
AVM Ovation PA8 preamp and SA8.2 Power amp,
Constellation Inspiration,
Dn D'Agostino Classic Stereo,
GamuT D200i,
Hegel Music Systems H30,
PS Audio BHK Signature 300,
Triode Corporation TRX-M300,
Zesto Audio Bia 120

Regretfully some more mainstream names were not included which came to mind such as, BAT, VAC, Pass, and perhaps a couple more.

My question here is which ‘current production’ amps in this MSRP financial ball park would be on your short list were you shopping for new amps, or are in your present system?

Valves Solid State, hybrids, integrated, or Class D which are not speaker specific, requiring high Eff speakers or horns to work well.

Let’s include current production amps which are near the upper and lower limits of the spread, so if in your opinion there is an amp at $8 or $9K which out performs those costing more, or is even on par, in your opinion, plese feel free to mention it or them.

All amps must be at least in production now stereo amps. If they can as well be run as monos, fine enough, but let the price range of more or less, 10 – 15K dictate your ascertions on two channel amps or twin monos which would land in or near the mentioned boundaries.

Here are some I feel should be among the TAS list but were not, in no particular order:

VAC Signature 200 iQ Stereo/Mono - $14,000
This one is here on rep and new technology in the bias circuit alone. Have seen no reviews, and I have not heard it. It does offer itself as a mono if an uncle or Aunt dies and leaves you an inheritance.

Balanced Audio Technology VK 76SE stereo or mono $13,995.00 2ch price
I previously owned BAT vk 60 and found it very acceptable. Also in mono, see ‘inheritance’ above if twin mono setup is desired.

Balanced Audio Technology VK-655SE $16,500
(well, it is within a grand or so of 15K and BAT has strong performance heritage and very good secondary market presence. Also, didn’t want folks to think I was biased to tubes only)
I’ve owned BAT VK500 BAT pack, and loved it. Purely musical with control and finesse. A tick or two on the warm side. The latest iteration scales up the power and refines the voice, if the reviewer isn’t deaf. Once more offered in mono config too.

no inheritance on your horizon? Perhaps you can get pics of BAT Execs with tempestuous farm animals to negotiate possible lower price for twin mono setup. lol


Who is on your list and briefly, why?

blindjim
 
 Nkonor > blindjim, Thanks for intervening.
So.... Demo pair / Pass XA 160.8s which I consider the "sweet spot" -- 18k

Blindjim > I;’ve heard a few of these amps, though likely not the point eight versions. Nice amps for sure. I don’t feel inclined to go that way however.


Nkonor > I am still waiting

Blindjim > I think that ship has sailed. Hoepfully.


akg_ca > REGA OSIRIS ..... Goliath killer
http://audiofi.net/2012/08/rega-osiris-punching-heavy/
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/rega-isis-osiris-hifi-plus-72/


blindjim > very cool thanks much!


Stevizzy > This thread is giving me a headache.
Blindjim > put the lime in the coconut … or perhaps just take two aspirins and call someone in the morning.

Blindjim > or merely ignore the insanity. I can’t change it if I don’t see it in myself.


Stevizzy > unfortunately the audiophile addiction keeps me coming back for another fix 😥
Blindjim > sounds serious. I’d prescribe music at regular intervals. If it persists, get tickets to an acoustic concert, indoors, dark, and with very good AC.

As for the thoughts here on some of the integrated amps in current production, I’m leaning hard towards that concept. Albeit not as ‘the’ solution, but simply ‘‘one’ way out …’ as Greg and Duane would have said.

It seems a lesser costly investment which would enable a better crucible for auditioning of up or down stream gear without a tremendous investment. Naturally, it would need to be a quite good INT that demonstrates substantial value and performance. An over achieving product. Period. The office coud use such a thing going forward. Or could another room.
 
One item a member pointed me towards is the combo unit of exogal Comet DAC/Pre + Ion amp. $8k

Another very interesting unit reviewed in TAS is the De0vialet 200/400 Integrated Amplifier/Streaming DAC” @ $9K.
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/devialet-200400-integrated-amplifierstreaming-dac/

the Comet arrangement seems the more likely prospect. It and the Wells. Though there are a bunch of them about worth owning for long term I suspect.

Flexibility of the ??? INT would be a serious consideration, not just that it has a nice or very good DAC on board. An optional upgrade path is for sure, a bonus if available.

It is interesting. Regardless.

ACCUPHASE E-600...Grey Market direct from Japan is less than 8K.  USA version is about 13K. Cant believe it wasn't mentioned already.
In your list, i would go first Triode, second AVM, third Constellation. Benchmark would crush a lot with regards to price, but lacks some humanity. I use Gryphon Mephisto mono, just incredible stuff, but in the range from $1 to $25k, I would rate the Coincident 211PP Dragon MkII as unbeatable purely for sound, without a single hesitation. But it is a bit ridiculous to state such things without knowing the other associated gears and operating environment, etc... 

riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook > ACCUPHASE E-600...Grey Market direct from Japan is less than 8K. USA version is about 13K. Cant believe it wasn't mentioned already.

Blindjim > Grey market?
Its all cyclical. Accuphase was very popular years back.


Hddg > 1 Triode; 2 AVM; 3 Constellation.
I use Gryphon Mephisto mono, incredible stuff.
from $1 to $25k, I would rate the Coincident 211PP Dragon MkII as unbeatable purely for sound, without a single hesitation.
…. ridiculous to state such things without knowing the other associated gears

Blindjim > I am immensely grateful for the thoughtful post.
Truth be told, the eventual outfit and the initial one may be quite different. Albeit, initially whatever amp will connect to a BelCanto DAC 3.0 > Thor TA 1000 MK II line stage pre w/NOS RCA & Amperex tubes > ?? amp > ?? speakers > DD 15 sub.
Micro Pearl IC > HT Magic II IC, (need another IC) > SR Sig 10 active bi wire spkr wires.
Various Voodoo Elrod, and Shunyata PCs,
PS Audio & Running Springs haley pass Pwr Cond.
Sound Anchor 5 shelf damped rack various iso footers
Current room dims ar 14 x 20 x 8 – 9ft vaulted cl. Spkrs on short wall.
3 20A dedicated ckts. Upscale outlets.
Gear is in separate room. Only spkrs and sub in listening room.

On matching amps to spkrs or spkrs to amps, both paths are arguable. This time I’m pretty open to whatever, provided…. The system yields as much reality as is possible across a whole bunch of genres of music. Likely no duty as HT mains.
Amps in the area this topic indicates. The confines are NOT cast into stone, but are what I believe should work pretty darn well towards delivering it given the spkrs on the short list: In no real order they are:
Audio Physic Avantera
Acoustic Zen Crescendo II
Coincident ??
Daedalus ??
Endeavor E-3
Eggelston Andrea III
Focal Sophra iII
Harbeth Monitor 30 or 40 v2s
Paradigm Personna ??
Sonus Faber Amati Futura II
Vienna Acoustics Clint series ‘the Music’,
horns
Horning ??
Classic Audio Reproductions
Pure Audio Project
Volti-Audio
??
There ought to be a winner in there somewhere. Many will ask for more powerful amps, barring the horns, I suspect many would run on more reasonable powered amps 100 – 200 tube watts or 200 SS watts or more..

The DAC will be upgraded for sure. Though not right off. Shortly after a spkr and amp lands and are both run in good.

I must say, based solely on articles, and former member’s consel, I’m really wanting to get a pair of Vienna Acousti ‘The Music’ spkrs. But their reported demands . on power give me some pause as he and many others have said, feed ‘em lots of watts +/- 400 ‘good watts’. His room and mine share similar dims.

They also will bar or vastly limit my application of a tube amp, which I seem to prefer of late. But it is all about the resultant sound.


randy-11 > does lacks some humanity mean cold, analytical?

Blindjim > good question!!
Usually, cost itself dictates the level of expectations on its performance barring supreme over achievers.