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Upgrade Fever

You know it, you love it, and I've got it again, unfortunately. I am one of the lucky ones that got a Supratek Syrah preamp (see Preamp of the Century thread), and now I am looking for a good mate for it. I am leaning toward a Plinius SA-102 or Gamut D200, but would consider other suggestions. My speakers are Piega P10s, and for the front end I have an EMC-1 24/192 and a Nottingham Spacedeck.

While I love tubes, I am probably more inclined to stick with a good SS amp due to my budget and listening preferences. Budget: $3-6K. Of course, I prefer to buy used, and hope to stick closer to $3K but would stretch for something special.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Reprimands?

Thanks as always. I've gotten a lot of good advice 'round here.

128x128waltersalas
gregm
3,399 posts
 
Superb set-up there, Walter! Many amps probably dream "shacking up" with a Supra & a Piega... Of the ones mentioned, I like the Gamut 200 -- but haven't heard it with yr speakers. Haven't heard the 102.
Another amp I would thoroughly recommend (I mentioned this at another thread, too) is the Symphonic Line Kraft 250 classA, which I've also heard with your speakers -- but driven with a CAT pre. While this is a very expensive ($~16k) dual mono, it was listed here used for within yr price range -- which is why I mention it. IMO, the sound was superlative (note: I listen & judge by classical). It's a German product & is (or was) marketed by Odyssey.

Lots of other options are sure to come up! Cheers
audioman4
174 posts
 
Check out the listing just posted for
Sonic Frontiers power 3 Monoblock Tube amps...
These are killer pieces!!
I think the seller wants 3200.00 for them...
Excellent amps for your setup..
They are tube though... you can buy these and get
a set of kt90 tubes from upscale for another 400 for both amps and have an incredible monoblock tube setup!!
Good luck,
Joe
Custom Audio LLC
ianrmack
227 posts
 
Look into a David Berning ZH-270 perhaps.
Great "OTL" tube amp with SS-like bass. See threads here and at AA. $4,500 list - street price of $3,800. Rarely available used here. Tubes good for 20 years! Weighs 10 lbs!!
vader007
121 posts
 
Just saw a pair of Pass Labs Alph II for $3000.00!
And a Cary 805c for $4000.00.

Vader
bwhite
807 posts
 
Waltersalas, check with Mick (and others) before getting the GamuT. I know it has a high input impedance and don't know if the Supratek is exactly compatible. Early on in MY amp quest, I asked Mick about the Supratek's compatibility with the GamuT and he said in typical Mick fashion, "of course its compatible". Needless to say, I wasn't convinced.

The Supratek sounds fantastic with most any amp, and seems to enhance a system to such a degree that amps can be less important - to some degree. For instance with the Supratek in my system, LAMM M1.1's sound barely better than a McIntosh MC2000. Weird. Now I am itching to try a Tenor or LAMM ML1's to prove this theory wrong but so far, since the Supratek arrived, any amp I've put in my system (Electrocompaniet, Chord, LAMM, Accuphase, McIntosh) has been irrelevant for the most part.

What cartridge are you using with your Nottingham?
And... what amp are you currently using?
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