Best used amp 6K;Gamut,Gryphon Krell ..

Find yourself a used McCormack DNA-2 for maybe $2200 and send it to Steve McCormack at smcaudio.com who for $2900 will rebuild it into a Rev A.

A DNA-2 Rev A should easily equal and perhaps outperform anything else you may be entertaining at any price.

Try to locate International Audio Review's Peter Moncrief review on about 40 tube and solid amps back in 1998. In there he lists the DNA-2 LAE (Limited Anniversary Edition) as the best solid state amp and by a wide margin.

I have the DNA-2 LAE version, and from what I understand a DNA-2 (regular model) with the Rev A should be equal to or slightly better than the DNA-2 LAE sonically.

Very strong at 300 wpc into 8ohm and 600wpc into 4ohm, etc, and an extremely fast amp.

Paraphrasing IAR: "It does everything a SS amp is supposed to do without any deficiencies whatsoever across the entire freq. spectrum. And does not get congested as most amps do when playing loud and/or complex music passages...." He goes on for two pages explaining what this amp does that no other amp can do (in 1998 anyway).

My speakers are a fairly power hungry Aerial Acoustic 10T's with 4ohm load and 86db sensitivity. Certainly not the most efficient speaker. With the DNA-2 LAE, they sing effortlessly.

If this has perked your interest, you may want to locate an audiogon member named Garfish who owns a DNA-2 Rev A and uses them with the very highly rated Vandersteen Model 5's.

-IMO

In Europe, I'd go with Gamut.

I have the Gamut D-200 and the amp is world class.

Repair work/customer support could be hard to find with the other US amps. You might have to ship them back to the US for any repairs (not a cheap prospect in itself). Gamut is much more local to you.

Why do I like Gamut? First, Gamut amps are easily upgradeable (they are modular). The only thing my Gamut D-200 amp does not do world class is handle the lower frequencies. It does not have the world class bass 'slam' that Krell is known for. Everything else, it is wonderful at. The D-250 monoblocks supposedly do everything a little better than the D-200.

I am not familiar with your speakers. But unless they are 2ohm loads with a very low sensativity, the Gamut is the way to go. The Gamuts do put out some power, but I would be hesitant to drive say a load like Maggie 3.6's with them. Maggies demand serious power and current to sound amazing (the more power you feed them, the better they sound). If your speakers love power like Maggies do, you may want to go the Krell or Mcormick route.

KF

Repairs on the Aleph's are easy. Nelson Pass has published the schematics for the amps and parts are easy to come by. It is also my understanding that the factory still supports them.

You might want to check out the Plinius SA-250 MkIV. It's a wonderful amp. 250 Watts/channel@8ohms, 450@4ohms. 70 amps short term current capacity. It will drive any speakers. Terrific bass. close to tube like sound.

HI I AGREE WITH GBOREN. I HAVE ABOUT 10 TUBES AMPS OF MANY BRANDS. LOVE THEM. BUT NOTHING, NOT KRELL,PASS LABS BEATS MY SA-250 MKIV. ITS A VERY VELVET SOUDING AMP WITH ALOT OF BALLS. ITS IN YOUR FACE BUT LAYED BACK.IT DOES IT ALL. HAPPY AMP HUNTING.