Gryphon Colosseum vs. Karan M2000 monoblocks

Hi,

I run with GAT/Colosseum combination and i would not trade it for anything at the moment. i have not heard lots of stuff...never heard Lamm, FM Acoustics. I have heard the reference gear of Krell, ARC, Dartzeel (108 not the new $100K monos), Tidal, Zanden (not amp), Shindo (not amp), MBL, Boulder (not pre), ML.

Here is how i look at it. the CJ GAT delivers the CJ purity of tonality without any golden glow this time. Having lived with ACT 2 for years (and PV14L before that)...i know the golden hue and the slightly overly tight treble of CJ...and the GAT delivers the tonality, with the golden hue carved away to leave pure tone.

It also is far more extended than the ACT 2 (which is saying something)...and far, far, far better in treble than i ever imagined.

The Colosseum is SS Class A...thru 2,560 continuous watts into 0.5ohm load...and always in Class A. So in other words, it instantly deliver dynamics at any level...and as a result the music becomes effortless.

However, what i never fully appreciated was that, for example, on well recorded violin, when they really drive the bow against the string, you instantly hear a tremendously powerful, deep swell of ringing that comes from really driving the violin hard...it is beautiful, fulsome and very much what you hear in violin solo live.

I have never heard an amp before that got this quite right. Maybe its the Class A or maybe its something else.

But i really enjoy that. it makes music soar. Because this ability to drive microdynamics to an extreme level...creates the inner beauty of a note...while its extraordinary power allows it to keep all the complexity of an orchestra properly organized. so you can listen to the microdynamic single-note tone of any intstrument you want to...or just sit back and listen to the ensemble.

I feel like if you've got a good signal, the GAT is going to send as much of it thru to the Gryphon Colosseum as possible...and then the Gryphon will effortlessly drive it with a purity of tonality that is the equal of the GAT.

because i got both demo/second hand from different parts of the world...i did not have the luxury of auditioning the CJ ART amps or the Gryphon Mirage/Pandora. All i know, i have had CJ pre in my system since 2000, and never felt the urge to go with any of the other pres i'd ever heard.
hope that helps. good luck.

The Pandora will not be introduced before 2012

That won't be a problem as long as Mirage is just as good ;o)

This may help your decision: Gryphon strives for maximum detail and transparency while Karan amplifiers are in the Pass/ Classé / Plinius / McIntosh camp: plenty of musicality, smooth sound and just enough detail to sound really nice but not overcooked.
Seeing that you own an Audio Aero Prestige SACD and Sonus Faber speakers, my bet is that you will enjoy more the Karan amplifiers.
Good luck!

Hi Casouza,

Thanks...good to know. I have not had the chance to hear Karans before, but certainly read good things about them. As to Gryphon and SF, i moved from CJ tube amp to Gryphon Antileon many years ago, and found the Gryphon matched the tube magic of the CJ, but provided substantially more authority, weight, snap and clarity (and obviously dynamics and bass).

From a 'general' standpoint, i have found that Class A SS amps (old Forte 4, Gryphon, Boulder 2060 and also Pass XA and Karan?) often provide the SS solidity many of us enjoy while delivering a treble & mid that feels quite tonally pure.

Likely a personal choice of 2 Class A SS amps.

Have you ever compared Karan to other amps?...would be interested in learnign more about your experiences with them. thanks.