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Is anything better than Aleph 3?

I do not know if I would consider myself TRUE audiophile but I have been in this hobby for a long time although for the last few years I had no time for it but getting in the game again :)

I have heard a lot of solid state amps but I only heard Rogue Audio as tube amp. I always felt like it would be a pain to deal with the tubes but frankly I just have this conception from what I read/heard from people here and there. Right now I am considering tube amps so that I can have a sound like my good old Aleph 3. I used to have this amp and did not hear anything like it so far. I do not have fancy words to explain it but that thing was so sweet. The midrange was so smooth/soft, I could almost see the airy sound that was coming from the speakers with that amp. Yes, it did not have the best bass but that was not my concern too much. However, that thing was getting TOO hot and it was adding extra cost to the electric bill.

I have been trying to find someone who had an experience with the Aleph 3 and had a chance to compare it to the other amps. I have read some people telling Golden Tube SE-40 (yes I heard about the reliability issues) is the same or better. This other guy saying Onkyo A-9555 is better sounding amp than the Aleph 3. Could this be true?

You can tell that I do not want to spend a fortune but I could go up to $1500 for an amp that I can get the sound of an Aleph 3. Sure, I can get the Aleph 3 again but the heat and power consumption is a lot. Also, I am trying to see if I can like any other amp better than the Aleph 3.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
celo
jtgofish's avatar
jtgofish
515 posts
 
It really depends what sound you prefer.
I have heard an Aleph 3 many times but it never engaged me the way a good SET amp can.Actually no Class A SS amp I have heard does.They all sound a bit boring.
Not that the Aleph 3 is bad.Just lacking life and vibrancy-which is what real live music has.Listen to a violin for example.
A good comparison would be with an Almarro 318B SET amp.These have all the drive and bass control of a good SS design but with the energy,timbre and engagement of Single Ended Triodes.
gandme
212 posts
 
That is the first time I have heard boring and Aleph 3 in the same sentence.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
I agree, I find the Aleph's a bit boring too. Dynamics, both micro and macro seem to be lacking. I much prefer Pass's X series.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
I was a bit perplexed with Jtgofish's and Unsound's comments that they each find the Aleph 3 boring because I agree with Gandme's comment. Then I finished Unsound's post and read that he prefers the X series. Now it makes a lot more sense. The Aleph and X are completely different animals. I find the XA.5 to have the strenghts of each and they are anything but boring.
celo OP
180 posts
 
It is so interesting to see how one can just love the Aleph and other finds it "boring". Sure, taste is subjective. Like I am not too impressed with the X line though I would not call them "boring". However, to call the Aleph "boring" is at least not fair to Mr. Nelson Pass.

Peterayer:
I wonder if you know the retail price of the XA.5 that is XA30.5 I believe, no? I never saw that on used market either.
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