Which Amp Would You Buy

Bel Canto Evo 200.2

I don't know anything about the Aragon but I recently got a Bryston 4BST and am more impressed with it every day. It is very balanced, clean and has a great deal of head room on the loud passages. The low bass is outstanding. I'm using it to drive a pair of Thiel CS6's that need a lot of power.

I recently bought the Creek 4330 integrated Amp. It gives wonderful bass, excellent imagaging, and is only 600.00. A tuner is another 600.00. Simple clean design and use.
Another good idea is the Cambridge Audio line. Much like the Creek, and about the same price line. Good Luck.

Not knowing the rest of the system and personal priorities it's some what futile, how ever I would consider a Conrad-Johnson MF 2300 A.

I had a bryston 6b-st and a aragon 8008bb. They are both very nice. the 6b-st is a little cleaner and defined with a nice soundstage. the 8008bb is a little warmer and darker with more bass. I now have linn klimax solos it never really ends but i think you have two fine choices and

Aragon...all the way..
They are the best sounding amps for the dollar..
Get the bb though.. The amp does not quit.. Excellent build quality, great bottom end quick. Highs and vocals are very detailed and three dimensional.. I do recommend a great pair of interconnects and a nice power cable..
also, upgrade the binding posts to cardas full copper..
Dont wait get one now..

I have a McCoramck DNA-225, which I really like. Anyone compared one to the Aragon? I am intrigued by the 8008BB.

I have owned both amplifiers and they are both price/performance leaders. I think that the answer depends on the speakers that they will be driving. If the speakers tend to be bright I would suggest the Aragon. If the speakers need some bloom I would suggest the Bryston. The Bryston does have the 20 year warranty. The Aragon 8008BB was discontinued recently so there are some great prices on new discontinued stock.

If I had to choose one over the other I would choose the Aragon because I prefer a more laid back sound. That takes nothing away from the Bryston. I am sure that just as many audiophiles would choose the Bryston over the Aragon. Either way you will not go wrong.

Buy Rogue 120 will be your last amp.

than either of those and money in your pocket for something else.

I would suggest cj mf2250 used.

I have to agree with Acuujim on Bel Canto Evo 200.2, seems to give best price/performance for solid state in this price range. May see some good deals on used ones soon since
new BC eVo2 amp is now being sold.

I have done EXTENSIVE listening to both of the amps you are considering, and chose the Bryston 4B-ST. (A friend owns the Aragon 8008, and I auditioned it in my system for over a month with a Bryston 4B-ST.) With my speakers (Vandersteen 3A Signatures with a pair of Vandy 2Wq subs), the Bryston is cleaner, more transparent and extended in the higher frequencies, and a bit more dynamic on transients than the Aragon. It also has prodigious bass-handling capability. (Note that nowhere in this comment have I said the Bryston is bright -- it is NOT. The 4B-ST is just barely on the warm side of neutral, with the 8008 a touch warmer yet.) Combine all this with a 20-year, unconditional, transferrable warranty and arguably the best service support in the industry, and Bryston is a tough act to beat.

With a different speaker combination, and in a different room than mine, I could certainly understand that someone might prefer the Aragon to the Bryston. If at all possible, you should audition both of these amps in your home so you can get an idea of how they work in YOUR system and listening environment.

I had Bryston 4B-st, but I did not like its misty, almost mechanical sound-especially the bass which lacks definition, albeit powerful (one note bass). I also found it to be quite two dimensional sounding lacking dynamics and speed in the midrange. I also tried the Bel Canto Evo and felt it even to be more mechanical and less dimensional than the Bryston (like the soul of the music had been sucked out).

I have not heard the Aragon so I cannot comment on it.

I ended up keeping a Marsh A-400 to drive my Magnepan 1.6s, which is more transparent, has more finesse, and better bass definition than the Bryston. If you do not need a lot of power the Rogue 120 would be the best overall choice, even better than the Marsh, more dynamics, dimensionality, purity and transparency.

Check out the odyssey stratos amp for $995 and their reviews at odysseyaudio.com. Received TAS golden ear award last year.

In your research, you should not find one negative comment to be found about this amp. It is supposedly powerful and fast.