Amps which are Great, but either Unknown or Underpriced

@philipwu

Re: YBA:
1. Yves-Bernard Andre continues to be Chief Designer of ALL YBA products
2. Sound quality is even higher quality vs older designs
3. Construction quality is higher with all manufacturing/assembly in an ISO9001 facility to insure world class quality
4. Many parts continue to be sourced from France to YBA specs
5. Yves-Bernard Andre personally tests/tweeks/signs each Signature series product that is produced.
6. Yes, Signature series is beyond world class with that YBA iconic transparency, detail and emotional involvement...and much more affordable than other "top class" designs while offering a sonic quality that separates it from the big $$ products.
7. Passion series, although relatively affordable, offers more than a taste of the Signature series
8. Passion series offers higher sound quality than $300k SET amplifiers that passed thru our distributor doors
9. Our US website has many reviews of the "new" YBA designs - all raves!

Jim Ricketts/tmh audio
US Distributor of YBA...and much more

Where is YBA manufactured?

To me the real question is "What amplifiers give you the most audio value for your dollar?"  

I think there are very few audio buyers who don't care about value.  You make a purchase because you need something you don't currently have.  You carefully consider your needs versus your budget and then make a choice.  So most of the time, you choose a component that you feel will give you the most improvement in your sound at the price you're willing to pay.

We come to Audiogon because there is generally greater value in buying used gear.  That 3 year old amplifier probably sounds just as good today as it did 3 years ago and it's selling for half of what it was listed at retail.  Today's $5000 wonder is tomorrow's $3000 White Elephant.

So again, where do you get the most value for your audio dollar?  I run a set of Linkwitz Orions, which call for 8 channels at 60 wpc.  I've been running a B&K AV1260, 60wpc "zone amp" and they sound terrific.  I bought it used, of course, for $500.  They list new for about $1200.  The recommended amp from Linkwitz is a similar ATI amp which retails for $1600.  I've seen the B&K AV1260 go for as little as $250 on EBay.  Not a lot of call for 12 channel amps, but I think it's a very good match to the big Linkwitz designs like the Orion or LX521.  I think that's a Good Value.

I really like my Jolida 502 P with factory mods and Tungsol KT150 tubes.  I also have a Conrad Johnson amp but find the Jolida just sounds better to my ears.  At less than 1/3 the cost of the CJ I would say the Jolida qualifies!

I'll just say that I owned a Yamaha A-S3000 for a couple years and my new Rogue Cronus Magnum II is more enjoyable in just about every regard--missing the glowing meters. I don't know if Rogue audio is unknown but the value for money and amazing sound I'm hearing helped me get off the amplifier merry-go-round. If you've heard the previous Cronus Magnum, you need to hear the Cronus Magnum II, it's not even close and the Cronus Magnum was a lauded product.