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Ultimate Amplifier for the next 20 Years

Hello all!
Well, you I am again on the amplifier merry-go-round after my last digital amp(noname mentioned!) let me down in the dumps after a comparison with a Halo A21 amp. I had a keen ear friend who reviews for Stereo Times and he felt the same. Musical instruments more real sounding with better decay. Man was I surprised after thinking that the digital amp was my last! BTW, the most important part, my speakers are a pair of Apogee Studio Grands in beautiful piano black!! Now the digital amp is on subwoofers in which it has ALOT of punch! The perfect(but not cheap) subwoofer amp! High damping factor, runs cool, dual posts to run four(4) subs if you choose to and never runs out of juice!!

Anyway, I want to keep it under $5000 used or new. Prefer 2 channel amp and maybe monoblocks. Amp can't run too hot(very important)! My pre/pro is a Lexicon MC12B.
Here are my amps that I'm considering in order:

Classe CA2200- Runs class A up to 60 watts! Right now I have a dealer making me a killer offer. Probably the one I'm going to buy...

McCormack DNA500- My big second choose!

Theta Dreadnaught II- Since I have a 8.4 sound system but don't need alot of power for the other speakers, this would be the perfect multichannel amp for me(remember the .4 is powered by my digital amp). One BIG problem, it runs tooo freakin’ hot!

NuForce 9.2- Hearing great things.

Krell FBC300Cx- Jason Bloom ran only krell amps with Apogees.

Please add your thoughts on any comparison on these amps or a new one that you think are superior. I want this to be my last amp purchase for a long time! Right.... ; )

THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP ON THIS MATTER!!!
Best,
Paul
ptheo
brianmgrarcom
1,317 posts
 
True Class A at 60 watts per channel is defintely not cool-running.

My question is, what is too hot? Having owned a CA-2200, I didn't find this amp to be a "space heater". I left very little clearance above it in my rack and it was warm but not "scorching" hot.
ptheo OP
72 posts
 
Audiokinesis- Thanks for the info. I understand that the Classe runs class-A according to load. Meaning if not pushed it dosen't get to warm. Besides, a little heat doesn't bother me! Plus as Ghostrider45 states:
'Studio Grand ribbons are a pretty benign load. They come in around 6 mostly resistive ohms with little variation across the audible spectrum. They are very different from the early Apogee models such as the Full Range or Scintilla with 1 ohm impedances'.

Also in my old age now I don't crank it up as much as I use too!! Well, not yet atleast... : ) But when I want blast I want it to have balls!! Meaning: No tubes and no SS less than 200 watts per channel.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Ahhh, I should have also thought about "what is to hot"...my tube amps do run fairly warm. I was thinking more in terms of my Krell Ksa-250 as running HOT...my tube amps do not pump the heat that my Krell does...some tube amps may though?

Dave
ptheo OP
72 posts
 
Brianmgrarcom- Please tell me more about your system and what your feelings are on the Classe CA2200?!

I have a space that is: 12"Hx25W". I think the CA2200 will fit and run perfect in there at the bottom of my A/V Billy Bags rack(22"Hx72"W). My only issue is I have the Lexicon Pre/pro right above on a shelf that runs warm also. 8-9 months out of the year here in Sacto no problem. Its the other 3-4 months that are killer!
ptheo OP
72 posts
 
I do have one question though about the Classe Delta series. Why is there not a more powerful 2 channel amp the the CA-2200?! There was the CA-301 & CA-401 before. Besides the CA-M400 monos. Is it because it more HT oriented or the new Delta amp are more better? Why not a CA-2300!? : )
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